Travel Guide Puy-Saint-Martin

26 km east of Montélimar, and 16 km from Crest towards the Diois region, "Podium sancti martini", an ancient perched defensive stronghold, has expanded up the slope over the centuries to establish itself at the crossroads of the Manas and Montélimar roads. Puy-Saint-Martin is characterized by its location on the border between Dauphiné and Provence. The climate is dry, but sometimes the mistral blows and snow falls, which does not prevent the presence of an Aleppo pine forest. Oliviers, laurels, mulberries and cicadas are the hallmarks of Provence, but it's still a little Piedmont in the pre-Alps. The old village still clings to the slopes of the motte (the "puy", the "podium"). Although only the ruins of the houses and medieval castle remain, you can follow the old streets that lead to the top of the puy, which offers a panoramic view over the plain. This is the "Perched Village" circuit. The old, well-preserved dwellings date from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, while the more recent ones are located on the plain and on the nearby hill (Chanteperdrix).Don't miss a visit to the beautifully preserved village of Manas, just next door. Surrounded by ramparts and wrapped around its 16th-century château, typical of the area with its turret topped by a weather vane, Manas invites you to follow a maze of winding streets and alleyways. Manas is also one of the Drôme's botanical villages on the theme of "rare or little-known shrubs".