Aurel: Wine, Village History and Paragliding

When looking for a hotel in Aurel, it helps to understand the character of the place: village history, wine and paragliding are its most distinctive themes. The historic landmarks are in the village, while the vineyards and mountains frame the surrounding landscape.

Mountain Setting and Wine Country

Aurel sits on a hill amid a mountain basin rich in marl and limestone. From Aurel, there are remarkable views of the surrounding vineyards and mountains. Two perspectives come together here: the village's elevated position in the basin and a panorama encompassing both vineyards and mountain scenery. The narrow streets draw your attention back to the village itself, distinguishing its immediate character from the wider landscape. For travel planning, this combination gives you a clear sense of the destination without reducing Aurel to wine or mountains alone.

Historic Landmarks

The church dates from the 11th century, making it a tangible historic landmark. Another chapter in the village's story is the former mineral-water spring collection building, which is still visible today. Its ornate iron lintel is particularly striking: it belongs to a building whose former function was connected with collecting water from the mineral spring. The church and the spring collection building therefore represent different aspects of the village's history: religious architecture and an earlier use of the spring. The narrow streets add the village's small-scale character to these visible landmarks.

Wine and Producer Experiences

Aurel's vineyards produce Clairette de Die. Domaine des Muttes offers cellar tours and tastings of Clairette and Crémant de Die. Raspail Georges EARL also offers cellar tours and tastings of these two products. Ducol Frères SCEA offers Clairette de Die Tradition or Brut for tasting. The practical difference is that Domaine des Muttes and Raspail offer both tours and tastings, while Ducol offers the Tradition or Brut varieties for tasting. If you plan to take a tour or attend a tasting, confirm the arrangements with the producer in question before your arrival.

Paragliding and Trails

A paragliding school based in Aurel offers introductory courses. For flights with the Jeux d'Ailes paragliding school, the meeting point is next to the small Saint-Pierre Chapel. There are other landmarks for walkers: Stage 5 of the GR 965 from Rimon-et-Savel to Die leads to the “Aurel–Clot du ciel” paragliding launch site. A loop above Aurel passes a launch site identified by a windsock. These route details are not interchangeable: on the GR stage, the named launch site is the destination, while on the loop, the windsock serves as a landmark along the trail. This helps distinguish the course, flight meeting point and trail as different ways to experience paragliding.

Discover More Destinations

Mirmande, Autichamp, Portes-Lès-Valence, Montjoux, Rousset-Les-Vignes, Saint-Martin-D'août, Laborel, Roche-Saint-Secret-Béconne

For the main travel overview: Drôme.