A beautiful European city that is incredibly walkable and offers balmy rays of 21C in April, is less than five hours from the UK, thanks to its efficient train routes.

Known as the gateway to the South of France, the charming city of Valence offers a serene escape in spring. It’s situated alongside the Rhône River with terracotta-roofed buildings, streets lined with perfectly positioned trees and a backdrop of majestic mountains.

There are enchanting gardens, narrow cobbled streets, picturesque canals, fascinating architecture and a historic centre. The city is compact, making it incredibly easy to navigate, with specific pedestrian-friendly areas in the old town and a flat terrain.

With France being one of the world’s biggest wine producers, Valence has an abundance of local vineyards and wineries to sample some of the finest grapes. But its food scene is what has drawn attention to the city.

Valence is home to the exquisite three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Maison Pic, situated in the Drôme département. Michelin noted it has a “special atmosphere” and the “lofty culinary obsessions of a chef who has been dubbed ‘the tightrope walker of flavours’.”

The restaurant, with chef Anne-Sophie Pic, serves a single set menu with seven or ten ‘ports of call’. The city’s culinary offerings continue to expand, with two more restaurants earning a prestigious Michelin star: Épithèque and La Cachette, both serving modern cuisine.

But the Michelin-starred eateries are just a touch on what Valence serves up. There’s also the traditional French restaurant of Le Bistrot des Clercs, the Latin American, Almacita, which has been highlighted in the Michelin Guide, as well as Le Bac à Traille and André. To say its food scene is outstanding would be an understatement.

Away from delightful dishes, there is the 1900s garden and park that looks like a scene from a fairy tale. The Parc Jouvet has pristine gardens with neatly trimmed hedges and flowers lining the grand stairs that lead up from its ornate fountain to its medieval terrace overlooking the tranquil grounds.

There are winding paths to follow around the gardens, passing large ponds home to ducks and colourful flowers at every turn. There’s a playground for kids to enjoy, a small train, and stretches of neat lawns – perfect for a picnic come spring or summer.

One visitor hailed the park as a “little piece of paradise” and said it was a “beautiful, serene place to visit or have a picnic”. Another traveller noted it was a “beautiful discovery with its beautiful gardens”.

The art museum, Musée de Valence Art & Archéologie, in the historic centre of Old Valence, is another highlight, with a collection of more than 20,000 works spanning Roman mosaics to Neolithic artefacts. The museum is next to the Cathedral of Saint Apollinaire, and a nearby terrace offers panoramic views across the Valence countryside.

In the town, there are shops to browse and traditional French cafés to grab a coffee, alongside winding cobbled paths to explore its history and ancient landmarks further, including Fontaine Monumentale and Pendentif. Steeped in history and world-famed restaurants, Valence offers an idyllic getaway and is less than an hour by train from the city of Lyon.

Trains are available through Eurostar from London St Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord, which takes just over two hours, followed by just over a two-hour train journey from Paris Gare de Lyon to Valence. All in all, you could be transported from the gloomy streets of London to the balmy rays of Valence sunshine within five hours or so – and you won’t need to hold back on the luggage limit!

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