Valence grew on the left bank of the Rhône, at the hinge between the valley and the first foothills of the Vercors. The prefecture town of the Drôme, nicknamed the gateway to the Midi, the town steps its historic centre down towards the river. Old Valence and its côtes, the stepped lanes that run down to the Rhône, form an old fabric laid out around the cathedral of Saint-Apollinaire, the oldest monument in the town, and the Maison des Têtes, a Renaissance mansion with a carved front.
Overlooking the river, the Champ de Mars and its Peynet bandstand offer an open view of the hills of the Ardèche and the ruins of Crussol. Below, the Jouvet park unfolds seven hectares of greenery between the centre and the Rhône. Those landmarks are part of the identity of Valence and shape the town centre as its shopping and heritage heart.
The geography of prices follows that structure. The town centre and the areas of the west along the Rhône, around L'Épervière and its marina, form the top of the market, while the large estates of the Hauts de Valence, to the east, remain the most affordable. The town benefits from a double rail service, Valence-Ville station in the centre and the high-speed station about ten kilometres away, which puts it a little over two hours from Paris.
