be labeled "four flowers" by the Concours des villes et villages fleuris, i.e. the maximum level. Geography Location By its geographical location, Valence is one of the points of compulsory passage between Paris and the Mediterranean Sea. Its position at the centre of the meridian axis of the Rhone Valley places the city at the mouth of the Valley of the Isère (path to the Alps), in the west of the historical province of Dauphiné, within the natural and historic region of the Valentinois, and the boundary of the department of Ardèche (from which it is separated by the Rhône). The city is surrounded by several mountain ranges, including the Massif Central and the Ardèche hills to the west, and the Vercors Massif in the French Prealps to the east. Valence is to the southeast of Paris, equidistant () south of Lyon and southwest of Grenoble, north of Avignon, north of Marseille, north of Montpellier, south-west of Saint-Étienne, to the east of Le Puy-en-Velay, north of Montélimar, to the east of Privas and to the west of Die. Located a few kilometres south of the 45th parallel, the city is often referred to as the "gateway to Southern France." "À Valence le Midi commence" [At Valence the Midi commences], say people from the north. The agglomeration is based on four alluvial terraces ranging on the left bank of the Rhone: The lowest, which is closest to the river, where the districts of fishermen and sailors were. The intermediate terrace, safe from the floods of the river, which grew into the historic city, first within its walls, then expanded outside. The third terrace, highly urbanised in the second half of the 20th century. The highest, called the plateau of Lautagne which has developed as a centre of technological activities since the end of the 20th century on the edge of grain and vegetable farms. Administratively, the commune is located in the south of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, in the northern half of the Drôme department (of which it is the prefecture), and in the south-west of the Arrondissement of Valence (of which it is the capital). Moreover, Valence is the chef-lieu of four cantons, Valence-1, Valence-2, Valence-3 and Valence-4, the city is therefore divided into four at the cantonal level. The commune is part of the Communauté d'agglomération Valence Romans Agglo, which includes 56 communes since its inception on 1 January 2017,