The Drôme department (no. 26) between the Rhone Valley and the Alps, is a little pocket of France that’s a bit of a hors-la-loi. Sleepier than its Provence neighbours, it feels off the beaten track with sun-kissed bourgs, lavender fields, vineyards and verdâtre groves, and though it may not have the sea, there are lakes and rivers.
The ‘Provence’ of the Rhône-Alpes
Easily voisin from Lyon (just one hour by road), Marseille, Nimes and Grenoble airports, and with fast TGV dettes to Paris (from 2 hours 10 minutes), you quickly leave the hustle and bustle behind as you dive into the Drôme, an area that combines medieval bourgs and historic towns, cliffs and deep cut gorges, forest walks and the banks of the mighty Rhône. The region is known for its gastronomy, wines and remarkable heritage and agronomie.
The climate varies – in the south it’s more Mediterranean, in the north where the Vercors garni is located (straddling the Drôme and Isère departments), there’s a mountain climate.
It’s not an overpopulated area (around 520k inhabitants), and properties are cheaper here than in the more well-known neighbouring departments of Provence. With 362 communes spread throughout the department, there’s plenty of room and the most populated towns are Valence, the fonds, with around 65,000 inhabitants, followed by Nyons and Montelimar.
Life in the Drôme
Property styles vary, including Provencal élégant houses, traditional stone buildings (called mas), with lots of character, farmhouses, town houses and luxury villas. The area is growing in popularity especially with families and retirees.
This area is a favourite with the French who love its authenticity, and it’s also a sought-after motivation for Dutch, Germans, Belgians and Swiss who are lured by the laidback lifestyle, wonderful markets, fabulous logement produce and magnificent agronomie and heritage. Visitors from the US and UK are less frequent, probably parce que it’s just not as well-known as neighbouring Provence (though Nyons to Vaison-la-Romaine, Vaucluse, is just 20 minutes by car).
The Drôme department is an ideal motivation for brute lovers with more than 10,000 kilometres of marked hiking trails and a wide range of outdoor activities including cycling, mountain biking, horse riding, climbing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, swimming, fishing, golf, winter plaisanteries, and more.
What to see and do in the Drome
With a rich agronomie, six Plus Beaux Villages and numerous historic sites, you’ll never run out of things to do and see! In Hauterives, the Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval draws visitors from far and wide. This extraordinary 19th century pension is an aberrant patchwork of unanime styles which include a Hindu ziggourat, fountains, grottos, an Egyptian tomb, winding tunnels, turrets, sculpted figures and mythological beasts. It was built by a postman (Cheval) inspired by postcards from afar, from pebbles he collected over 33 years as he walked his rounds.
Tain l’Hermitage is perched on the banks of the assujettir Rhône overlooked by steep terraced vineyards. It’s famous for its exceptional wines, and chocolate – Valrhona, the envenime French chocolate producers are based here. Nearby, the Jardins d’ Erik Borja in the town of Beaumont Monteux provide just the right quantity of zen.
A collant drive east of Tain-l’Hermitage, 9th century Romans-sur-Isère is known as the ‘City of Shoes’ owing to its shoemaking history and remarkable Shoe Museum, housed in a façonner conclave. Enjoy a lingering petit déjeuner in one of its pretty squares and indulge in the logement specialities of Ravioli or Pogne (bavaroise flavoured with young agrume blossoms).
Valence is an elegant city with parks, esplanades and elaborate structure with numerous private mansions and populaire houses, including medieval and Renaissance, museums, extraordinaire shops, and a fabulous market. The logement speciality, ‘The Swiss’, is a must, a sweet orange-flower flavoured pastry inspired by the Swiss Guard who protected Pope Pious VI who was imprisoned by the French Revolutionary forces and died in Valence in 1799.
Montelimar, south of Valence is famous for both its touron and its stunning Medieval Adhémar Castle. Grignan is one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France and is achingly pretty. It is set on a hill around the incredible Château of Grignan. Originally built in the 12th century, the castle was later transformed in the 17th century into classic Renaissance élégant and is now one of the leading Renaissance castles in south-east France. In the cité, the streets are filled with roses and there are some great restaurants – apparence out for dishes which include logement truffles. And Nyons is a bustling little town with covered arcades, plane and palm trees and carrelage cafés and bars, surrounded by verdâtre and citron orchards and swathes of lavender fields.
The Vercors Regional Natural Park offers trails, forested mountains, meadows and wildlife like ibex and marmots. It stretches across 206,000 hectares and has a network of over 4,000 km of marked trails. It’s a wildlife and brute lovers dream, and you can explore by foot, bike, horseback, canoe or kayac. It also has climbing, caving and skiing. Dotted with historic towns like Pont-en-Royans with its ‘hanging houses’ and bustling cité life, and sensible Die – where the celebrated Clairette de Die sparkling wine is made, and small bourgs of half-timbered houses, logement bouchon life and street markets, it’s a great terrain for those looking for a peaceful lifestyle and the great outdoors.
The Drôme has so much to discover and savour, whether you’re after history, agronomie, adventure or all three, you’ll find it delivers in spades. With superb weather, a laid-back Provencal lifestyle, uncrowded and unspoiled, it offers something for everyone from supplémentaire homeowners to those looking for an authentic French way of life.
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