Fodor's Expert Review Vieux Valence (Old Town)

Between the Place des Ormeaux next to the cathedral, and Rue Madier de Montjau and the Boulevards Maurice Clerc et Boulevard Bancel, the winding medieval streets of Valence's Old Town are a delight to explore. Along with its leafy squares, welcoming cafés, and gastronomic restaurants, there are several sites to spot. On the Grand Rue you can't miss the Renaissance confection Maison des Têtes (1452) and the Moorish-style Maison Mauresque (1858), at 1 rue Gaston Rey. Closer to the cathedral, an open square funerary chapel called the Pendentif (1545) was one of the first French edifices to be listed as a historic monument, in 1834. The Valence outdoor market, held on several different tree-shaded squares depending on the day (it's worth picking up a schedule at the tourist office or checking online), is particularly picturesque. The Marché Producteurs (local farmers' and organic market) is held from 5 pm to 8 pm every Tuesday under a historic halle on the Place Saint-Jean. The old town is the perfect spot to seek out the Valence specialty called the Suisse, a delicious buttery pastry, somewhere between a brioche and a cookie, that's perfumed with orange flower and flavored with orange rind and rum.