Menglon: Hiking, Winegrowing and History

Menglon combines hiking trails and landscapes with traces of its history and a distinctive winegrowing culture. If you are looking for a hotel in Menglon, these different aspects of the town can help you plan your trip: Would you mainly like to go hiking, explore historic sites or discover the wine-growing landscape? The destinations and features below show which themes could shape your stay.

Landscape between La Grésière and the vineyards

Menglon lies on alluvial soil at the foot of La Grésière, in a valley between vineyards and walnut orchards. Winegrowing and the landscape are therefore two distinctive aspects of the town. The hiking trails also take in this setting: one circular route passes through walnut orchards, while another reaches a summit meadow with wide-ranging views. The routes have different highlights, from a trail through the village to a hike with a specified distance and elevation gain.

Two hikes, each with its own character

Le petit Menglonnais is a family-friendly circular walk through the village of Menglon, among walnut orchards and to the fountain in the hamlet of Luzerand. Three fun activity stations can be visited along the way. The route therefore focuses on the village and its trail-side stops. The La Grésière hiking loop, by contrast, starts in the hamlet of Gallands: it is 12 kilometres long, has an ascent of 850 metres and is marked in yellow. Its distance and ascent are useful details when planning this hike.

The La Grésière route also includes other distinctive sections. It passes through a pedestrian tunnel built by reforestation workers and along a mountainside section equipped with a safety cable. At the end, the route reaches a summit meadow with a 360-degree panorama. The hike can therefore be described by more than just its distance and ascent: the tunnel, the secured mountainside section and the summit meadow give it other clearly identifiable features.

Historical traces in the village and along the mining trail

Menglon’s history dates back to the Middle Ages. The Castrum Menglonis on the summit of Serre des Combes was recognised as an episcopal lordship in 1165. Today, the former hilltop village still has retaining walls, sections of fortification walls, staircases and cellars. These remains make the former settlement tangible within today’s landscape; the castrum and the traces of the village each point to different aspects of local history.

Mining near Piémard is another chapter in the area’s history. In the late 19th century, the mines extracted galena containing lead, as well as blende and calamine containing zinc; they closed in 1903. The former zinc and lead mine can be explored via the Sentier des mines. Along the trail, you can see the ruins of the administrative building, the entrance and a settling basin. The focus is therefore on both the minerals once extracted and the specific remains of the mining site.

Arbo’Magic and regional wines

Arbo’Magic is a nature and leisure park for families in Menglon. Activities described include elevated net walkways with nine treehouses, large slides up to 16 metres high and a sensory barefoot trail. There is also a 40-metre-long underground gallery about the lives of trees and animals. These attractions offer a different focus from the hiking trails: here, the emphasis is on playful nature experiences and the park’s various activity stations.

Winegrowing is also part of the area’s character. Menglon has 80 hectares of vineyards, almost 99 percent of which are designated as AOP wines. These include Châtillon en Diois, Clairette de Die and Crémant. These details describe the town’s winegrowing and its named appellations. Together with the vineyards and walnut orchards, they give the area a regional identity that can inform your choice of destination alongside its hikes and historical sites.

Choosing where to go starts with the destination’s character and the activities that interest you.

Discover more destinations: Charens, Omblèze, Chabrillan, Ratières, Valdrôme, Puy Saint Martin, Les Pilles, Mercurol.

For the broader travel guide: Drôme.