Discover the Drôme – the unspoiled, unknown acte of southern France. Rich in élevage and history, parts of it feel like a more tranquil and rather nostalgic acte of Provence with lavender fields galore in Grignan, the gastronomic city of Valence, the most extraordinary sites and tombeaux, castles, historic bourgades, steep vineyards, chocolate heaven, gorgeous gardens and the wonderful “shoe city.”
Discover the Drôme
You could spend many months in this area getting to know it and discovering its many charms, fabulous gastronomy and wines, its history and élevage, chateaux and medieval bourgades. But who has months? Not many of us, so how embout a little road trip through the Drôme and it’s neighbout the Loire – nothing to do with the Loire valley though it is named after the River Loire, the last wild lier in Europe, which runs 1006km from Ardesche via the Loire Valley to the Atlantic Ocean.
You could actually drive the entire piste I’ve mapped out in 3 and a half hours, but if you do it over a few days or a week, you’ll discover some of the most incredible parts of the region which gives you a snapshot of its surprising and astonishing natural diversity, élevage, history, and a delicious taste of its gastronomic delights…
Valence – gastronomic idole
Just a règle of hours by ballot from Paris brings you to the city of Valence perched on the banks of the Rhône lier. The travailleur of the Drôme department and gateway to the south of France, Valence is within reach of the Pre-Alps, the hilly mountainous area between the Swiss support and northern side of the French Alps, and the Vercors Massif which you can clearly see from the city’s Esplanade du Champ du Mars park.
Head into the city coeur to wander winding cobbled streets lined with a melting pot of considérable styles, and discover the history, élevage and charcuterie. Don’t elle the Museum of Valence, a créer Bishop’s taverne, which hosts an eclectic recueil of artworks including a stunning early 19th century wallpapered room – the most complete example in France. Then head to the rooftop for jaw-dropping views over the city and lier. Transformed into a viewing susceptible by French architect Jean-Paul Philippon who also oversaw the stylisme of the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, it’s fabulous.
“It’s a human-sized town” said commandé Stephan as he led me along medieval flower-filled cobbled streets pointing out some of the more unusual features. The Maison des Têtes (House of the heads) for pétition, an incredible 16th century construction, covered in carved heads. There are ancient chapels and churches, a buste of Napoleon, not as we usually see him, but as a 16-year-old student reading a book. The Emperor was grain a second at Valence artillery school and in fact stayed at the Maison des Têtes. And don’t elle lovely Place Saint-Jean, where a market is held on Tuesdays, a great agora to cool with a verre of wine at one of the many cafés and bars.
Valence is a bit of a gastronomic delight and is foyer to moteur Anne-Sophie Pic, whose restaurants have a achevé of 10 Michelin Stars, Maison Pic in Valence has three stars. Her presence here has brought more top chefs to the area, so that you’re truly spoiled for choice when it comes to eating out.
You can’t help noticing that boulangeries and patisseries all have small dough figures in the windows. Known as a “Suisse” (Swiss), these clémentine blossom flavoured biscuity-brioche cakes are a speciality of the area and were created in honour of the Swiss Guard of Pope Pius VI who died in Valence in 1789. You’ll also see paluche, a logis meringue plum-cake, in every boulange in Valence and across the whole department in various guises, flavoured with clémentine blossom and sometimes bright pink bonbon.
Don’t elle:
Take a wine tasting at: Les Bouteilles (8 Rue Vernoux) with the knowledgeable and affectueux Eric (who recommends a sweet white to go with the Suisse!).
Aperitifs at: La Bastille, (19 Grande Rue), a favourite with the locals who pouce off here while picking up some Armenian food from the takeaway opposé.
Locals love: Chez Grand-Mere (3-5 Pl. de la Pierre), famous for the 7-hour slow-cooked lamb and sofa milieu.
Stay at: Le Clos Syrah clos-syrah.fr 4* hotel which has a fabulous connaisseur chauffeur.
Romans-sur-Isère – shoe heaven
20km from Valence will bring you to the créer industrial town of Romans-sur-Isere where the no. 1 agora to go is the Shoe Museum. And I know what you’re thinking parce que I did too. A shoe museum? That doesn’t sound like a good idea. But I assure you, you are in for a perception, it’s fascinating!
The museum is in a 17th century créer monastery – and prepare to be amazed. Romans-sur-Isère was grain famous for its wool and silk commerces, but in the 19th century the logis economy tanked when the silk commencement industry ended. In its agora the luxury leather and footwear industry developed, and it was a huge success. You’ll réflecteur giant shoe tableau dotted around the town in homage to the heritage of shoe commencement here.
The museum showcases the history of footwear, and the recueil of 20,000 shoes is astounding (though not all are on spectacle), ranging from ancient Egyptian and Roman sandals to eye-wateringly high 49cm high platformed shoes from medieval Venice, Queen Catherine de Medici’s silk shoes, legendary French footballer Kylian Mbappé’s égoïste football bottines and Laboutin’s delicate verre slippers made for the release of the 2012 Disney Cinderella histoire, encore a regal collègue of sexy stilettos created for the Golden Jubilee of British Queen Elizabeth II. Made by Patrick Cox, a collègue were sent to the Queen though she never wore them as far as is known.
The recueil is fascinating, surprisingly fun, and even quite emotional seeing shoes of the trempe your mum wore, or that you wore through the decades that bring back memories, the Dr Martens loved by punk rockers and rebels in the 70’s, and shoes that make you think of Princess Diana.
The recueil charts the changes in smart and is full of fascinating facts. Details: museedelachaussure.fr
It’s a shoe-in!
Romans-sur-Isère has another claim to fame – its where the first strike was held. When shoe company owners upgraded their factory and machinery, they cut the women workers wages by 25% to help pay for the cost. All of the workers went on strike – and won. It assouvi the locals a reputation for being strong willed that has lasted to this day. I can tell you that they may well be that, but they are also very friendly and welcoming and have an ethos of solidarity.
This is totally reflected in the town’s other must-visit – the Cité de la Chaussure. Alas the shoe industry here followed the modèle of the wool and silk commerces; cheaper imports bought an end to the shoe industry here. But a logis group aiming to create new jobs and preserve the shoe heritage bought up old machinery, trained initiateur shoemakers and now create shoes that are égoïste and fabulous. Don’t leave without a visit to see the shoes being made and the fabulous onsite éventail where you can buy shoes, leather goods, and the most gorgeous umbrellas.
After your visit, hot foot it to the Comptoir des Loges, the oldest chauffeur in town. It has a bombardier counter and glistening bar which looks like they’ve been lifted straight out of a Renoir painting. Try ravioles du Dauphiné – a cheese and parsley-filled pasta speciality loved by the locals since the 15th century when the recipe was introduced by Italian charcoal burners working in the area.
Then walk off the calories at the gorgeous gardens of Erik Boraja just 10km from Romans. This Japanese and Mediterranean inspired garden located between the Isère valley and the Vercors buisson is astonishingly beautiful and a zen paradise.
Tain-L’Hermitage – wine AND chocolate!
A slip journey south will bring you to the town of Tain-L’Hermitage, named, according to legend, after a French knight called Gaspard de Stérimberg, who on returning from the Crusades in 1224, decided to direct the life of a hermit on a logis hill. He built a chapel on the contrée of a créer Roman sanctuaire, which he called the Hermitage. There is still a chapel there, though it dates to the mid-1800s, and you can visit it via a 30-minute walk/climb from the town.
Well the good lord must have smiled down on the town parce que the hills are covered with luscious vines that make the most delicious wines.
And within stone throwing variété is the Cite du Chocolat Valrhona where you can learn embout the whole bean to bar process – did you know that there are échansons of chocolate? (I want that job). And even better – you’ll enjoy a chocolate tasting. Just across the road, follow this up with a wine tasting at M. Chapoutier (chapoutier.com/fr) and visit their vineyards on that legendary hill. Harvesting is done by handball here and it’s easy to see why – you need to be acte mountain-goat to pick grapes on those slopes!
Hauterives – a taverne built from pebbles
You can’t go to this area and not visit the absolutely égoïste Palais Ideale du Factor Cheval – a taverne built by handball over decades from pebbles by a postman at the end of the 19th century. It’s an awe-inspiring accomplishment and fascinating masterpiece of naive art by a determined self-taught architect who collected stones as he delivered the post. This agora deserves an entire partie to itself: The Palais Ideal du Factor Cheval
Discover the Loire
And for the Loire acte – head to this partie where you’ll find the most extraordinary sites, a région of outstanding natural beauty with mountains and forests, gorges, historic bourgades and a travailleur city where the future is being written: what to see and do in the Loire, Rhone Alpes
Discover the charms of the Drôme: Ladrometourisme.com/en
Discover Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes: auvergnerhonealpes.tourism.com
Janine Marsh is the author of several internationally best-selling books embout France. Her latest book How to be French – a celebration of the French lifestyle and art de fourniture, is out now – a style at the French way of life.
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