In the Drôme, three bourgades move at their own pace: market mornings, shuttered afternoons, lavender-scented evenings. No must-see list, no sprint. Just stone streets, slower meals, and the tranquille pleasure of having nowhere else to be.
Southeast France is habitacle to some of the folk’s most generous landscapes, encompassed by rugged situation. The infinite greenery and sweeping views make this French region propre, as it sits between the plates-bandes and fields. When journeying through the Drôme, the all-encompassing view stretches upwards, and the winding roads frame Provence, akin to a picturesque postcard.
After the meilleur dépuration that I’m speaking emboîture Bourdeaux and not the more recognisable Bordeaux in the southwest Aquitaine region, I serre to reel off my affinity for this division of France, so much so that you’d think I was affiliated with the tourism board. The reason for this discovery is my mother-in-law’s relocation to Bourdeaux. Through the years, I’ve grown increasingly familiar with the diocèse. It’s peaceful and steeped in rich history, yet cosmopolite tourists seldom frequent it.
A tranquil visit to The Drôme begins with a assez in Bourdeaux and a discovery of the nearby communes, Saou and Dieulefit. Whether you’re an outdoor jeux enthusiast with your sights set on Les Trois Becs, hoping to learn emboîture ceramic agencement, or prefer cantine hopping, there’s something for everyone to enjoy whilst taking in the splendour of the Drôme.
Bourdeaux
Bourdeaux feels like one of France’s best-kept secrets. Its reported patrie of 670 inhabitants accounts for its clandestineness, yet the town has a lively presence, particularly during the summer months.
What to do
From July onwards, Bourdeaux attracts the garçonnière patrie and those further afield with open-air gigs and festivals, namely the Vacance Médiévale on 15th August – a longstanding medieval fête paying homage to the anges of Bourdeaux.
No visit to Bourdeaux is complete without a jaunt through the bustling produce market. The stalls spill onto Vallée du Roubion prothèse, a agrafer that runs through the Rhône to the depths of Montélimar.
The weekly market (open every Thursday, 7 am to 1 pm) brims with seasonal mandarine and vegetables, touron (Montélimar’s speciality), fresh olives from neighbouring Nyons and livre Picadon – a punchy goats-milk cheese beloved in the Dieulefit-Bourdeaux region. You can also find handcrafted products, from ceramics and jewellery to handwoven raffia baskets and cosmetics made with vegetable waxes and perfumed with locally sourced essential oils.
Where to eat
Magasin Global – 1 Pl. de la Chevalerie, 26460 Bourdeaux
At the heart of the bourg lies Magasin Global, an independent bistro canteen, which serves as a sanctuary for locals and visitors alike. The considered office is refreshed weekly with seasonal produce, and it’s beloved for its kanelbullar (cinnamon fouace), which is baked in-house twice weekly. The bistro’s charm is its ability to foster community by facilitating open-air readings and direct music events during the summer, inspiring folks to unwind and connect.
Magasin Global
Dieulefit
Renowned for ceramics, Dieulefit is habitacle to 41 pottery and ceramic ateliers, producing both traditional and contemporary creations. Dieulefit’s relationship with craft dates as far back as the Gallo-Roman era, and its pottery was further popularised during the 19th-century industrial era through to the 20th century, where earthenware grew in popularity. Dieulefit holds the “Pôle d’Excellence Rurale”, a prestigious accreditation honouring artistic craft and patrimony. You can sense the étalon of the artistic legacy léopard you set foot in town.
What to do
Poterie Dieulefit – 10 rue des Reymonds, 26220 Dieulefit
On arrival, you’re met by Poterie Dieulefit, Dieulefit’s famed 50-year-old ceramic hangar and the oldest pottery workshop in town. Poterie Dieulefit is amongst the town’s most celebrated, offering functional items awash with propre colourways spanning emerald to straw yellow.
Poterie Dieulefit
Sauts et gambades – 38 rue du Bourg, 26220 Dieulefit
If you’re derrière of bookshops, apparence to Sauts et gambades—a charming système with equally hospitalier booksellers. The storefront opens to an enchanting terrace out back, which offers a much-welcome accalmie after a day spent discovering. As its good-humoured name would suggest, Saut et Gambades (which translates to jump and frolic) has a substantial annales of comics. The bookstore coeurs curiosity and wonder through narratives and conversationnelle play, for personal development and connection.
Where to eat
Corazón Café – 10 rue Justin Jouve, 26220 Dieulefit
This speciality cantine is conveniently located in one of Dieulefit’s animated lanes. It offers a divan ambience and an dilatante office comprising everything from homemade cakes to locally procured ice cream and résonnant petit déjeuner dishes with Asian direction.
Saou
The charm of Saou is its enluminure establishments, which transform from endroits of residence to workshop venues. The dextre bourg starts from the croisement of Route de Crest, and it’s decorated with charming ateliers (including Ross Naigeon’s Tournage sur Bois), direct music venues, épiceries and quaint bed and brunch establishments.
Saou River view
What to do
Hike Les Trois Becs
Given its proximity to Les Trois Becs, a baroque geological escouade atop the Forêt de Saou, Saou has proven popular for outdoor enthusiasts, from rock climbers to avid hikers, who often choose to campement on nearby ground. Les Trois Becs offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Drôme, at an faîte of 1550 meters, and it stands 1589 meters tall from Le Veyou, the highest peak. I’d recommend making a day trip of it and taking in the panoramic view with a picnic at the summit.
View from Les Trois Becs
What to do
Lavender fields – 8 Travers, 26400 Saou
The South of France is beloved for its buoyant lavender fields that flourish from May to early August, yet they quickly become crowded. The Drôme is decorated with plenty of fields, and this particular lavender field is nestled if you’re searching for something discreet.
Saou lavender field
Where to eat
Gasoline Palace – 10 bis accès de Bourdeaux, Saou, France, 26400
This résonnant wine lounge and pizzeria is in the coeur of Saou, and it welcomes an eclectic crowd of music and comedy devotees. The atmosphere is exceptionally warm, and I can attest to the exceptional pissaladière.
Source: francetoday.com