Things to see and do Drôme

Here is an atypical address and a place of spiritual riches and not that… Rendez-vous lovers of words and poets, both bookshop, art gallery, tea salon, meeting space, conferences and debates on three levels of 150 m 2 each: one ground floor and two floors. First of all, the primary vocation: a choice of 8 000 books published by independent publishers. Then the flavours: a tea card that pays tribute to the novel that inspires the authors. So this tea of Russian writers to citrus fruits or that of Italian writers marrying fig, hazelnut and quince. It's this convivial tea bar which welcomes, word to word, over the seasons, dedications, readings and debates. First, the space dedicated to monthly exhibitions, to the second, the annual exhibition. Read absolutely.

It is a valley that, curiously, enjoys growing popularity while remaining virtually unknown. Her popularity, she owes it to her torrent, the Roanne which conquered in a few years an enthusiastic and growing public for swimming. While the Valentinois have grown more and more in summer, the holidaymakers are not left, primarily the Dutch who know the country as their pocket with numerous guides, journal articles and TV spots that boast the charms of the Diois and especially its rivers, Drôme and Roanne in the lead. Result: in the heart of the summer, too high a turnout with consequences detrimental to the cleanliness of the banks and the quality of water downstream. It is a real problem that the mutation of this tourism, which is initially mild, becomes aggressive on the natural environment and on a magnificent site, victim at certain short periods of the year of pure and hard mass tourism. Well, there is much to bet that the vast majority of bathers know Roanne only what they see from their cars, along the small road that leads them to their favorite parking place, then to their favourite road to access to the Roanne and to the favourite water hole in which they are used to dipping.

And yet! What some wonders to discover in this valley! The landscape of course: a enchevêtrement valley tangle, tortured, fragmented, doe, medium mountain summits dominated by Servelle-de-Brette - 1 613 m - to the east, Angèle mountain - 1 606 m - to the south and the mountain of Couspeau - 1 544 m - to the west, vast pastoral areas, a very loose nursery of beautiful hamlets and villages among which Saint-Benoît, Aucelon, Volvent, Saint-Nazaire-le-Desert. Some of the hamlets crossing or around are almost empty. There are bare slopes filled with lavender, others are covered with black pine trees in Austria, in the campaigns for the reforestation of mountain land. In this dry world that the little gem that is Roanne that grows the waters of 4 or 5 tributaries. Then mingled between waves of limestone, in the captured gorges where the picturesque never dément, the torrent assagit by joining the valley of Drôme. This is the unknown country of the Roanne, a secret retreat from the Diois at the gates of the Baronnies.

The main agglomeration of the Roanne valley occupies a Site of choice at the crossroads of three valleys. If some likes to see in the appendix «the desert» a reference to the deforested landscape consecutive to centuries of human pressure on the forest, this origin remains dubious. The resumption of the name of a mountain south of the commune seems more likely. The human presence on these lands dates from yesterday: the caves of Reychas and Arnaud-Arnaud, on the communal territory, have delivered vestiges dating from the chasséens - 4 000 years before J.-C. On the medieval site of the commune, on the Butte slope which dominates the village in the east, it was supplanted from the th century by the current location in the valley. Before 1914, the municipality had a thousand inhabitants. Craftsmen, shops were numerous. There were eleven cafes and cattle fairs were known. It was only after the Great War that the specific decline in all mountain communes began. Today, with 168 inhabitants, Saint-Nazaire continues to play courageously the role of small capital that it has always held in a difficult environment that hardly encourages the men to settle. Hybrid and aromatic plants associated with walnut, honey, picodon and sheep farming are in front of the agricultural scene.

Close to the ideal Palace (3,5 km by following the Minotaure), in the beautiful green landscape of the hills Drôme, 4 végétaux végétaux await you to relax. Other common point with the Factor: The mythology, very present, invites us to discover the history of labyrinths, which propose to us to lose ourselves to better find ourselves, through the game games dealing with mythology and ecology. The riddles are classified by category of difficulty, so that the smaller ones can share these moments of playful quest with adults. Possibility of picnic on site (indoors in case of rain…). Interesting attraction for the many tourists who came to the region (150 000 to visit, each year, the Ideal Palace). Note: the inventor of these labyrinths is also a mosaicist artist: he proposes to discover his art through a mosaic opening open to everyone.

This tourist kiosk, networked with the one in the country of Nyons, is a convenient tourist antenna when you want to discover this small Provençal village that is conveniently located on one of the roads of lavender. With all the good addresses referring to the famous wine produced on the commune.

The Drôme Valley offers a wide range of activities, a rich cultural heritage, arts and crafts and quality local produce. You can discover the Drôme river, which rises in the mountains of the Haut Diois and flows for 110.64 kilometers to the Confluence in the Rhône valley. The region also offers outdoor activities such as cycling, mountain biking, canoeing and hiking. Don't miss a visit to France's highest medieval keep, the Tour de Crest, as well as the many hilltop villages, including Mirmande, listed as one of France's most beautiful villages.

After the global success of the Tolkien trilogy, the return to the wonderful and tales of our childhood, the Wonderful World of the Elves remains the place to escape from our civilization and return to the forest, its legends, its myths and its treasures. In the middle of an ocean of walnut, we discover at the end of the road as a small hidden village where one is pleasantly welcomed by a surprising host who name us from his gigantic sword! Children are in the mood in the atmosphere by discovering the Mare aux Fées, then the Sorcière's House with its stills… The smaller ones relax while admiring the Christmas trees, while the larger ones are already amused in the village of Des with pigs. Of course, there is more to the family at the Maison des Elves where you can find the heroes of this village in all their forms - elves, gnomes, goblins - in spectacular scenery. At the storyteller's house, you'll be lulled into stories before you discover a shop where nothing is missing to take beautiful miniature memories. If every year Santa Claus prepares his orders not far from there, in summer we must not miss daytime and night shows. But the day is not finished, since there are still donkeys to bâter, the picnic to savour and a great walk among trees to discover a magical word - and many hiking trails to go through family! A world that extends well beyond the fence that surrounds it and that you never really leave.

This playful course in the trees is really aimed at the whole family as the toddlers - from 2 years old! - can start climbing in trees. In addition to the monkey bridges and other tyrolean, you can also practise on natural sites via ferrata, climbing, canyoning, archery or adventure raid…

This is the original and experimental garden of Sanoflore (now owned by L'Oréal) established from 1986 on the site. It was renovated in 2018. In a magnificent setting, where the relief of the Vercors blends with the mildness of the Mediterranean climate, an ideal terrain where the plant species of the sun grow, whose essential oils are used in the composition of Sanoflore's cosmetic products, always 100% organic. There is no shop but you can always visit the botanical garden with its 350 aromatic and medicinal plants. Count on a half-hour visit to discover this garden of 2,500^m2 along a charming little river. There are 9 themed gardens along the river. You start with the Mediterranean Garden with its Aleppo pines, cork oaks, palms, cacti, citrus fruits... Then you go through the Alley of the Simple Ones where you can find lemon balm, borage, milk thistle, and medicinal plants with calendula, aloe vera, bear's garlic, the collection of sage and mint. Further on, it is the beautiful and fragrant Lavender Mountain (fine and true) that undulates in the wind just next to the Aromatic Damier. Each plant, each shrub, each tree is labelled so that you can discover its Latin name, history, properties... Also on the menu: the small rose garden, the belvedere, the wetland with its water lilies, the flower meadow, etc. Come in spring, it's an enchantment!

How to enhance the heritage of a city while offering families fun together? We search for, we solve riddles, we eat good local products, we approach a territory differently. Two circuits exist today: On the diois sheep track and travel in the heart of Die.

The last-born in the trees between Romans and Saint-Donat. The last but not least since it has 140 workshops spread over 8 courses adapted to our level, from beginners to the black track! All the classics of the crossing are at the rendez-vous and one particularly appreciates Tarzan's jump and giant tyrolean. Of course, safety is guaranteed as much as possible and you always have fun with your family.

Our teams are on hand to answer your questions and advise you on what to do, where to go, where to eat, how to get there and where to swim. You'll also find souvenirs such as Cliousclat Mirmande perched village bowls, Mirmande postcards, maps of France's most beautiful villages and guidebooks to France's most beautiful villages.