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Bollene: Nestled in Provence, Bollène is a charming town with a rich history and stunning views. Explore the troglodyte caves of Barry and admire the Romanesque Saint-Martin chapel. Visitors can discover local vineyards and enjoy the peaceful, sun-soaked countryside.  

Valence: Located at the crossroads of the Rhône Valley, Valence is a gastronomic delight waiting for spectators. From Michelin-starred restaurants to charming local bistros, the city offers something for every palate. Its lively markets and peaceful parks provide an ideal setting for savoring local cuisine throughout the Tour de France.

Auvergne-Rhône Alpes Region

Departments : Ain, Allier, Ardèche, Cantal, Drôme, Isère, Loire, Haute-Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, Rhône, Métropole de Lyon, Savoie, Haute-Savoie.

Population: 8 million

Prefecture: Lyon

Surface area: 69,711 km2

Specialities: Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône and Savoie wines, Lyon specialities (quenelles, cervelles de canut, saucisson), potée auvergnate, Savoyard specialities (raclette, fondue, tartiflettes, diots, crozets), cheeses (beaufort, reblochon, cantal, bleu d'Auvergne, Salers, saint-Nectaire...), green lentils of Le Puy, waters (Evian, Thonon, Volvic) verbena, chartreuse.

Sports clubs: Olympique Lyonnais, AS Saint-Etienne, Clermont Foot 63, Grenoble Foot 38 (football). ASM Clermont, Lyon OU, FC Grenoble, Stade Aurillacois, US Oyonnax (rugby), ASVEL Villeurbanne (basketball), Chambéry (handball), Brûleurs de loup Grenoble, Pionniers de Chamonix (ice hockey).

Competitions: women's football world cup, ski competitions (Première neige criterium in Val d'Isère), Tour de France mountain passes, Critérium du Dauphiné.

Economy:  8the European region, high-tech industries, automotive (Berliet), metallurgy, rubber, plastics, chemicals, electronics, agri-food, textiles, digital, banks, universities, administration, wine-growing. Tyres (Michelin). Design. New technologies (Inovallée). Winter and summer  tourism. 

Festivals: Fête des Lumières in Lyon / Nuits de Fourvière in Lyon / Quais du polar in Lyon / Biennale du design in Saint-Etienne / La Chaise-Dieu classical music festival.

Tourist attractions: Old Lyon and Croix-Rousse, Le Puy-en-Velay cathedral, Lake Annecy, Chambéry castle, winter sports in Isère, Savoie and Haute-Savoie, Cantal, spa resorts, Auvergne volcanoes. Caverne du Pont d'Arc. Château de Grignan. Grenoble Bastille. Vulcania. Parc des Oiseaux.

Website: www.auvergnerhonealpes.fr

DRÔME (26)

Population: 508,000

Prefecture: Valence

Sub-prefectures: Die and Nyons

Surface area: 6530 km²

Specialities: stone fruits, aromatic and medicinal perfume plants, lavender and lavandin, garlic. 19 AOC / AOP including 10 wines, 3 cheeses and 6 other products: Grenoble walnuts, Nyons black olives, Nyons olive oil, Provence olive oil, Haute-Provence lavender essential oils, Ardèche chestnuts. Drôme products also boast 9 red labels and 13 PGIs.

Sports clubs: Drôme HandBall Bourg-de-Péage, Valence HandBall, Team Drôme BMX, Saint Vallier Basket Drôme.

Competitions: Critérium du Dauphiné, Drôme Classic (UCI Europe Tour), Corima Drôme Provençale (cyclosportive), Drômoise (cyclosportive), Raid VTT les chemins du soleil (Marathon X Country international).

Festivals: Fêtes nocturnes de Grignan, Crest Jazz Vocal, Saoû chante Mozart

Economy: 44,300 establishments and 13,000 businesses. Leather and luxury goods, agri-food, transport-logistics, etc.

Main tourist attractions: Crocodile farm (Pierrelatte), Château de Grignan, Palais idéal du facteur Cheval (Hauterives)

Websites and social networks: www.ladrome.fr / www.ladrometourisme.com / www.facebook.com/ladromeledepartement

Km 11.1

Rochegude (Pop: 1,680)

Rochegude was the seat of a priory that has now disappeared. The church of Notre-Dame des Aubagnons (11th century), a fine example of Provencal Romanesque art, was listed as a Historical Monument in 2021. In the village cemetery, the 12th-century chapel of Saint-Denis has also been listed since 1926. Rochegude is dominated by its castle, which retains a ruined 12th-century tower, a vestige of the medieval fortress, and has been constantly altered, particularly in the 19th century. It is now a Relais & Châteaux hotel with a renowned gourmet restaurant.  

Km 16.3

Suze-la-Rousse (Pop: 2,100)

Suze castle was built by the Princes of Orange on the site of a hunting lodge given by Charlemagne to his cousin Guillaume de Gellone in the 8th century. The fortress dominated the countryside. During the Renaissance, the La Baume family turned it into a residential palace. Today, the château is home to a wine university. In 2012, a stage of the Paris-Nice race started from Suze-la-Rousse and ended in Sisteron, where Luis Leon Sanchez won.

Suze-la-Rousse castle

Construction: 11th century.

Styles:  medieval and Renaissance.

History: three great Provencal families owned this jewel: the Orange family, then the Les Baux family for six centuries, and lastly the Marquise of Bryas who, on her death, bequeathed the château to an association that sold it at auction. In 1963, the château was acquired by the General Council. Its geographical position overlooking the countryside has ensured that for centuries its owners have enjoyed absolute peace and quiet in the heart of a 23-hectare park known as La Garenne, a reference to the pleasures of hunting and fishing in the days of the lords.

Characteristics: the three-storey château is surrounded by a moat, which is now dry. Medieval in appearance, it is accessed via a fixed bridge across the moat, leading to a main gate. This opens onto a rectangular courtyard with Renaissance-style facades. This courtyard also contains a kitchen with a double-access well and a former chapel. Opposite the main entrance is a reception room and a ceremonial staircase giving access to the two upper floors.

Special features: a games room was built in the mid-sixteenth century. During his stay at the château in 1564, Charles IX was able to indulge in playing jeu de paume (rackets), which was very much in vogue at the time. 

Current destination: the château is home to a "wine university" where visitors can taste wines and learn about oenology.

Listed as: historical monument since 1964.

Km 23.4

La Baume-de-Transit (Pop: 930)

La Baume-de-Transit is steeped in fascinating history, as evidenced by the remains of the castle that dominates the village. The last surviving tower stands over the hilltop. If you climb the metal staircase, you'll have a magnificent view of Mount Ventoux and the surrounding countryside. This landscape is home to numerous truffle fields, where the famous black diamond, so dear to the hearts of the people of Provencal Drome, is cultivated.

Château de la Baume-de-Transit

Construction: 13th to 16th centuries.

History: The earliest traces of the castle date back to the 12th century. During the wars against Aymar de Poitiers in the following century, Simon de Montfort destroyed part of the building, along with the village. Reconstruction resumed at the request of Diane de Poitiers, and the keep was built in the 15th century. It was the scene of further fighting between the Count of Suze and the Huguenots in 1574.

Listed as: Historical Monument in 1980.

Km 29.9

Chamaret (Pop: 530)

From the top of its rocky promontory, the Chamaret Tower offers a magnificent panoramic view of the hills of the Drôme and the Lance mountain, the Baronnies, Mont Ventoux, the Dentelles de Montmirail, the Ardèche mountains and the surrounding villages. In the village, you will discover the remains of the medieval walls, ancient gates and the castle chapel, rebuilt in the 7th century.

Chamaret Castle

Construction: 12th century.

Style: medieval

History: construction began in 1136 under Dodon I of Chamaret and was completed in 1157. In 1254, Amalric de Chamaret, from the younger branch, had his own keep built, now known as Le Pigeonnier (the Dovecote). The eldest Chamaret owned the original keep, the youngest the new tower. The Bishop of Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux and the Adhemar family shared suzerainty. The Adhemar family took full possession of Chamaret in 1506. The northern part of the castle collapsed in 1696 and again in the earthquake of 1772. The tower, built from excellent quality stone, survived. The castle then belonged to the Count of Muy until the French Revolution, when it was used as a stone quarry by the local inhabitants.

Special feature: the square tower reinforced by a buttress is as curious as it is enigmatic. The most widespread opinion is that it was a signal tower used by successive lords for communications. It is thought to have been built on top of the ruins of a Roman tower, already used to keep watch over the surrounding area. At 30-metres high, it offers a splendid view of the Valreas plain and surrounding mountains from its summit.

Listed as: historical monument in 1992.

Km 34

Grignan (Pop: 1,590)

The history of Grignan, listed as one of France's Most Beautiful Villages in 2019, is inextricably linked with its castle and the families who have lived there. Mentioned as early as 1105, the castle town grew in the 13th and 14th centuries under the influence of the Adhémar de Monteil family. In 1239, the Adhémar de Grignan branch settled permanently in the seigneury. Over the centuries, Grignan evolved: medieval fortifications protected the village until the end of the 15th century, and in the 16th century, suburbs, a corn market and the collegiate church of Saint-Sauveur were built. The castle, transformed into a Renaissance palace, reached its apogee in the 17th century with François de Castellane Adhémar and the famous correspondence between the Marquise de Sévigné and his daughter, wife of the Count of Grignan. The collegiate church of Saint-Sauveur, built in the 16th century, and the chapel of Saint-Vincent, embellished in 2013 by the luminous works of Ann Veronica Janssens, are among the town's other treasures.

Château de Grignan

Construction: 15th to 20th centuries.

Style: Renaissance.

History: perched on a rocky promontory, it is a testament to Renaissance architecture and embodies the turbulent history of the region. Mentioned as early as the 11th century as a fortified castle, it was transformed into a sumptuous pleasure residence by the Adhemar family during the Renaissance. In the 17th century, Marquise de Sévigné stayed here on several occasions to visit her daughter Françoise-Marguerite. After being partially dismantled during the French Revolution, the château was rebuilt in the early 20th century by its owner, Marie Fontaine, a wealthy heiress from the north of France, who devoted her fortune to its restoration.

Current destination: since 1979, it has belonged to the Drôme département, which is carrying out an ambitious programme of restoration and acquisitions. Château de Grignan is the setting for a rich programme of cultural events throughout the year.

Listed as: Historical Monument in 1993 / Musée de France   

Madame de Sévigné

Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, known as the Marquise or Madame de Sévigné, was a French letter writer. She was born in Paris in 1626 and died at Château de Grignan in 1696. The letters she wrote to her daughter, Madame de Grignan, have become an essential part of French literature. They are also a remarkable source for analysing intergenerational relationships and their history. Madame de Sévigné made three visits to Grignan, where she admired the views of the Ventoux from the esplanade of the château. She died there on her third visit, when she came to look after her daughter Françoise, who was in poor health. She was buried in the Grignan family vault in the collegiate church of Saint-Sauveur. Her tomb was desecrated in 1793. Since then, legend has it that her skull was cut in two during an expert examination to ensure that she was indeed buried there. In 2005, the vault was opened during work and a skull cut in two was found.

Km 40.6

Taulignan (Pop: 1,630)

Taulignan bears traces of a Gallo-Roman villa and a place of worship that was replaced in the 12th century by the small rural chapel of Saint-Marcel. The village completely surrounded the ancient castle, which occupied the highest part of the village and was surrounded by its own ramparts. The ramparts are fairly well preserved and still have eleven of the fourteen old towers, two of which date back to the origins of the medieval enclosure. The only one of the two original gates to have survived, probably rebuilt in the 15th-16th centuries, is the North Gate or Porte d'Anguille. Many of the houses in the village have beautiful facades dating from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. In the 19th century, Taulignan was a thriving market town, mainly thanks to its silk milling industry, which employed several hundred women. The Silk Museum in Taulignan keeps alive the memory of this industry.

Km 44.3

Montbrison-sur-Lez (Pop: 280)

In the 11th century, Cluny monks built a large church and priory on the remains of a Carolingian church and monastery, themselves built on the site of an ancient Gallo-Roman villa. At the end of the 14th century, only a small 11th-century chapel, rebuilt in the 15th century, still existed. It served as the parish church until the French Revolution. The bases of the pillars on the site bear witness to the importance of the former Cluniac priory (part of the European Federation of Cluniac Sites: www.sitesclunisiens.org ). On the southern flank of the ancient 11th-century medieval village is an orientation table with a magnificent view of Mont Ventoux, the Monts du Vivarais and the whole of Haute-Provence. To the right of the porch of the 18th-century church, in a shed, a large bell cast in 1875, called Claire Immaculée, still awaits its steeple. On the banks of the River Lez, in Pontaujard, are the remains of one of the few Roman bridges in the Drôme, close to an ancient manor house owned by the Hospitallers. The ruins of the old village and castle, on a promontory set against the southern flank of the Montagne de la Lance, are still fine remains.

Km 56

Montjoux (Pop: 320)

Novelist Hervé Le Tellier, winner of the 2020 Goncourt Prize for The Anomaly, bought a house in Montjoux and in 2024 published Le nom sur le mur, in which he evokes the memory of a former owner of the house, André Chaix, a Resistance fighter from the village who was killed in the Second World War.

Km 58

Dieulefit (Pop: 3,200)

A listed tourist resort, Dieulefit boasts a protected environment and heritage, a pottery tradition for which it is renowned, and a climate that has encouraged the establishment of health centres specialising in lung and cardiovascular diseases. The town welcomed refugees during the Second World War and continues to attract many artists and intellectuals. The town's belfry was listed as a historical monument in 1926, as was the church of Saint-Pierre.

Km 69.8

Le Poët-Célard (Pop: 150)

From the thirteenth century to the present day, the village is steeped in history, often linked to the wars of religion, and the shadow of Calvin, who is said to have stayed here, is not the only one to watch over the fortress. On the esplanade, an imposing castle (16th and 17th centuries) overlooks the village built in a semi-circle on the southern slope. Le Poët-Célard has been restored since 1985.

Château de Saint-André

Built in the 16th century.  

History: the current château was built around 1560 by Raymond Blaïn, Lord of Poët-Celard. The inner courtyard appears to have been partly rebuilt around 1740. The four-bay east gallery must have been created at this time (1744 inscription on the second arcade). During this campaign, the south facade must have been fitted with arched lintel windows on the first floor. The other windows in the château clearly date from the 16th century.

Listed as: Historical Monument in 2023.

Km 73.4

Bourdeaux (Pop: 570)

The village of Bourdeaux, located on the banks of the Roubion, is a hilltop village and a Protestant stronghold that has managed to preserve and enhance its natural heritage dating back to the 12th century. Bourdeaux is a county town with a population of 570, whose main activity is farming, which offers a wide range of local produce. The significant development of tourism over the last fifteen years has contributed to the creation and development of a number of tourist attractions, offering a wide range of walking and horse-riding routes and cultural activities. According to legend, Alberte de Poitiers, daughter of the Lord of Bourdeaux, saw her two suitors kill each other for her hand in marriage during a tournament. She died of grief and a fountain is dedicated to her... 

Km 83.7

Saou (Pop: 570)

In the heart of a listed forest, Saou boasts an interesting small heritage, several castles and a belfry (listed as a World Heritage site in 1926).

Lastic keep

Built: 14th century.

History: known as a fortified house since 1493 and refurbished around 1577 by the de Lastic family. During the sale of national assets in 1793, the building was divided into eight lots and badly damaged. The road from the village to the Saou forest, created around 1880, cut through the fortified house and isolated the two towers to the north. One of the towers is now in ruins, while the other, still standing, still has a sundial.

Listed as: historical monument in 1926. 

Km 87.8

Soyans (Pop: 340)

The commune of Soyans is dominated to the north by the 800-m-high Roche Colombe mountain, to the south by the Eson massif and between the two, the Roubion river meanders. Its old village, the 12th-century Romanesque chapel of Saint-Marcel and its castle overlook the commune. You can wander between the ruins of the medieval castle (listed as a World Heritage site in 2013), while enjoying a superb view over the Roubion Valley.

Km 96.1

Cléon-d'Andran (Pop: 990)

In the Middle Ages, the village was surrounded by a fortified wall with two gates: the "portalou" to the north and the south gate. Today, there is no trace of this, nor of the castle, which was completely reduced to ruins. Only the church remains from this turbulent period, built on the remains of the first church. Château de Genas, a classical 17th-century château, was listed as a historical monument in 1989. Privately owned, it can be visited on Heritage Days.

Km 105

Sauzet (Pop: 1,980)

The first castle in Sauzet dates back to the 11th century and was built on the present motte. First destroyed by the Crusades, it was rebuilt at the end of the 13th century before being partially destroyed again a few centuries later. Today, the remains, with the two fortified gates, sentry walk, towers and numerous openings, are the best way to explore this charming little medieval town. However, the town's most interesting building is much more recent, an Art Nouveau masterpiece, Villa Sestier, built in 1902 for Honoré Sestier, a Montélimar solicitor.

Villa Sestier

Built: 1902

Style: Art Nouveau

History: Honoré Sestier inherited this property, formerly known as Château de la Poulette, and decided to do something completely different with it. With the help of architect Nicolas Vernon, he transformed the château into a magnificent Art Nouveau residence in 1902. Equally enamoured of gardens, he enlisted the help of landscape architect Gabriel Luizet to create a refined and remarkable English-style garden, complete with a splendid aviary.

Special feature: this is the most important Art Nouveau complex south of Nancy and north of Barcelona, the two capitals of this style. 

Listed as: Historical Monument in 2012.

Km 109.8

Marsanne (Pop: 1,820)

This is the birthplace of Émile Loubet (1838-1929), President of the Republic from 1899 to 1906. A lawyer by profession, he was elected MP for Drome in 1876. After serving as Minister of Public Works, he was President of the Council from February to December 1892. At the same time, he was Minister of the Interior, a position he retained in the first Ribot government. In 1896, he became President of the Senate. In 1899, as the only candidate, he was elected President of the Republic following the sudden death of Félix Faure. His term of office was marked in particular by the end of the Dreyfus affair, the index card affair and the vote on the law separating Church and State on the initiative of Aristide Briand. At the end of his seven-year term, he retired from political life in Drome. Marsanne is the site of a pilgrimage to the Notre-Dame de Fresneau shrine, where there is a 17th-century chapel built by the father of a young woman who recovered her sight after an apparition of the Virgin and a 19th-century shrine built to accommodate pilgrims. The ruined bell tower of the 12th-century church of Saint-Félix has been a listed historical monument since 1926.

Km 125.5

Grane (Pop: 2,140)

A hillock dominates the village, with its 15th-century bell tower, the ruins of the castle belonging to the Counts of Poitiers and the old quarries that have been converted into a green park, where a rich programme of shows takes place in summer: Les Vendredis de Grane. Here, generations of quarrymen have worked the rock to extract molasse, the warm ochre-coloured Grane stone used throughout the region for the construction of many buildings.

Grane Castle

Construction: 14th century.

History: built at the end of the 14th century, the castle belonged to the Counts of Poitiers-Valentinois for four centuries. The last of the line, Louis II de Poitiers-Valentinois (1354-1419), bequeathed his possessions to King Charles VI on 11 August 1404. At the age of 62, he was taken hostage and held prisoner in his own castle by his cousin John of Poitiers (1390-1447). His capture was aided and abetted by his brother Jean, Bishop of Valence, who was waiting at the gate with an escort of 26 or 27 armed horsemen. In 1447, the counties were annexed to France by Louis XI. By this time, the castle was in ruins. In 1548, Henri II gave Grane and the counties to his favourite Diane de Poitiers. The Wars of Religion brought devastation. The castle became national property in 1792.

Listed as: Historical Monument in 1999.

Km 136.1

Montoison (Pop: 1,980)

Fête des bouviers (herdsmen's festival), also known as Fête des laboureurs (ploughmen's festival), is a festival held in around fifty communes in the Rhône valley in the Drôme département. Since 2019, this practice has been registered in France's inventory of intangible cultural heritage, in the category: social practices, rituals or festive events. Montoison was one of seven communes to apply for registration of this festival.

Km 151.9

Chabeuil (Pop: 3,200)

In feudal times, Chabeuil was part of the possessions of the Prince of Royans, Ismidon II, then Guidelin, who went on crusade with many of the region's lords in 1188. His son, Gontard (who gave his name to the Gontardes hill overlooking Chabeuil), made several donations to Léoncel Abbey and to the Knights Templar in Valence. In 1247, Chabeuil passed to the Dauphins of Viennois. In 1349, the Dauphiné became part of France. At the start of the French Revolution, Chabeuil was chosen to house the Drome prefecture, which was moved to Valence in 1790. Valence airport is in the municipality of Chabeuil, which is also the town where children's author Paul Jacques Bonzon was a teacher.

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