Drôme: Lavender, Wine and River Landscapes

Drôme brings together river landscapes, forests, historic sites and regional specialties. The Drôme River rises in the mountains of Haut-Diois and flows into the Rhône after 110.64 kilometers. Drôme’s landscape includes viewpoints, natural rock basins, gorges, waterfalls and forests. If you’re looking for a hotel, it helps to first consider which of these sides of the region you’d like to shape your stay.

Landscape and water

The clear waters of the Drôme are considered suitable for family swimming trips; canoeing and rafting are also possible on the river. Smaller rivers in Drôme are also considered fishing spots. In Valence, 17 kilometers of open canals run through the city. They are considered places for family walks and trout fishing. Those interested in forest landscapes can find a basin in the Forêt de Saoû that covers 2,500 hectares and stretches for 12 kilometers. The river, canals and forest basin offer different starting points for planning your trip, without requiring you to settle on just one kind of nature experience.

Exploring by bike, on foot and by road

The Vélodrôme is a 40-kilometer road cycling route from Livron to Saillans. The roads in the Vercors offer a different kind of route: Combe-Laval, Col de la Bataille and Petits Goulets are striking routes cut into cliffs and tunnels. For hikes, you can filter the Drôme route database by length, duration, difficulty and municipality. This gives you different planning options: a cycling route with a specified length, and hiking trails that you can narrow down using several criteria.

Lavender is both a theme for walks and part of the landscape. It shapes the hillsides near Grignan, Nyons and Dieulefit; around Buis-les-Baronnies and Montbrun-les-Bains, walks take you through lavender landscapes. If you’re especially interested in lavender, you can consider these places and the themed visitor routes dedicated to the plant as different starting points for planning your trip.

Regional specialties and products

Themed visitor routes are dedicated to lavender, olives and wine. Drôme specialties include Caillette de Chabeuil; Clairette de Die is a sparkling wine produced in Drôme. Drôme has 19 AOC-AOP and 12 IGP quality indicators. Aromatic plants are also part of the region’s character: lavender, thyme and rosemary are important plant products of Drôme. This lets you distinguish among culinary themes such as a named specialty, a sparkling wine and aromatic plants, rather than bringing them together under a single focus.

Historic sites and heritage

The Tour de Crest is France’s tallest medieval keep. Mirmande is classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France. Since September 17, 2003, the Château de Grignan has held the designation Musée de France and presents evidence of lifestyles from various historical periods. Saints Sebastian and Roch are also represented at heritage sites in nearly 80 municipalities in Drôme. These examples offer different points of interest: from a medieval keep to a classified village and evidence of historical ways of life.

Discover more destinations: Venterol, Beauvallon, Aleyrac, Colonzelle, Espeluche, Mollans-Sur-Ouveze, Montbrun Les Bains, Montsegur Sur Lauzon, Pierrelongue, Plaisians, Puy Saint Martin, Reilhanette, Allan, Autichamp, Buis-Les-Baronnies, Charpey, Chateauneuf Sur Isere, Clansayes, Cornillac, Die, Dieulefit, Grignan, La Bâtie-Rolland, La Begude-De-Mazenc, La Coucourde, La Garde-Adhémar, La Roche-Sur-Le-Buis, Le Pègue, Luc-En-Diois, Marsanne, Mirabel-Aux-Baronnies, Montaulieu, Montbrison-Sur-Lez, Mornans, Nyons, Portes-En-Valdaine, Réauville, Rémuzat, Suze-La-Rousse, Teyssières, Vinsobres, Eurre, La Touche, Mirmande, Montboucher-Sur-Jabron, Saint-Barthélemy-De-Vals, Saint-Martin-D'août, Saint-Restitut, Tulette, Valaurie, Montélimar, Montguers, Saint-Agnan, Saint-Julien-En-Quint, Piégon, Taulignan, Chamaret, Bouchet, Saint-Marcel-Lès-Sauzet, Malataverne, Donzère, Bénivay-Ollon, Charols, Chauvac-Laux-Montaux, Sainte-Jalle, Allex, Upie, Saillans, Valence, Serves-Sur-Rhône, Saint-Thomas-En-Royans, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, Saint-Nazaire-En-Royans, Pierrelatte, Lus-La-Croix-Haute, Cliousclat, Châteauneuf-Du-Rhône, Chantemerle-Lès-Grignan, Bourg-Lès-Valence, Bourg-De-Péage, Alixan, Crépol, Pont-De-Barret, Châteaudouble, Tersanne, Mérindol-Les-Oliviers, Saint-Vallier, Châtillon-En-Diois, Roussas, Saint-Auban-Sur-L'ouvèze, Cornillon-Sur-L'oule, Les Tourrettes, Le Poët-Laval, Vers-Sur-Méouge, Comps, Beaumont-En-Diois, Pont-De-L'isère, Montréal-Les-Sources, Les Granges-Gontardes, Puygiron, Romans-Sur-Isère, Geyssans, Salles-Sous-Bois, Sauzet, Saint-Gervais-Sur-Roubion, Les Pilles, Chabrillan, Propiac, Chastel-Arnaud, Cléon-D'andran, Chabeuil, Montélier, Saint-Donat-Sur-L'herbasse, Saint-Jean-En-Royans, Châteauneuf-De-Galaure, Tain-L'hermitage, Grane, Saulce-Sur-Rhône, Crest, Mercurol, Le Poët-Célard, Omblèze, Aurel, Chaudebonne, Souspierre, Livron-Sur-Drôme, Aulan, Loriol-Sur-Drôme, La Chapelle-En-Vercors, Treschenu-Creyers, Hostun, Rochefort-En-Valdaine, Ferrassières, Hauterives, Saint-Paul-Lès-Romans, Piégros-La-Clastre, Roche-Saint-Secret-Béconne, Bren, Léoncel, Valouse, Saint-Martin-En-Vercors, Portes-Lès-Valence, La Répara-Auriples, Recoubeau-Jansac, La Baume-De-Transit, Beaufort-Sur-Gervanne, Sainte-Croix, Chantemerle-Les-Blés, Margès, Étoile-Sur-Rhône, Saint-Pantaléon-Les-Vignes, Vaunaveys-La-Rochette, Bouvante, Cobonne, Saou, La Charce, Peyrins, Solérieux, Montjoyer, Vesc, Pontaix, Anneyron, Rousset-Les-Vignes, Génissieux, La Roche-De-Glun, Saint-Rambert-D'albon, Valdrôme, Saint-Ferréol-Trente-Pas, Rochechinard, Séderon, Pennes-Le-Sec, Lachau, Ponet-Et-Saint-Auban, Montmeyran, Le Chaffal, Barnave, Divajeu, Truinas, Chatuzange-Le-Goubet, La Motte-Chalancon, Beausemblant, Val-Maravel, Glandage, Roynac, La Chaudière, Eymeux, Beaumont-Monteux, Chanos-Curson, Ancône, Vercheny, Albon, Épinouze, Bathernay, Montmiral, Marsaz, Montclar-Sur-Gervanne, La Baume-Cornillane, Mévouillon, Soyans, Savasse, Eygluy-Escoulin, La Laupie, Montrigaud, Granges-Les-Beaumont, Marignac-En-Diois, Charens, Andancette, Molières-Glandaz, Combovin, Condorcet, Saint-Maurice-Sur-Eygues, Beaumont-Lès-Valence, Bésignan, Saint-Julien-En-Vercors, Manas, Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert, Rottier, Le Poët-Sigillat, Lens-Lestang, Chamaloc, Boulc, Saint-Marcel-lès-Valence, Montchenu, Saint-Roman, Jaillans, Menglon, Bourdeaux, Mirabel-et-Blacons, Villeperdrix, Beauregard-Baret, Barret-de-Lioure, Laborel, Eygaliers, Montjoux, Saint-Bonnet-de-Valclérieux, Le Poët-en-Percip, Aouste-sur-Sye, La Motte-de-Galaure, Claveyson, Ratières, Manthes, Saint-Bardoux, Miribel, Le Grand-Serre.

For the broader travel overview: Rhône-Alpes.