Drôme Provençale: Where North meets South

This is a place where worlds converge: where north meets south, where the rugged Dauphiné meets Provence’s Mediterranean charm, and where cool breezes from the Pre-Alps blend with the warmth of the southern sun and the energy of the Mistral. It’s a region where diversity flourishes and different cultures thrive. 

It’s also the kingdom of the olive. Until the 1960s, olive trees with their silvery leaves abounded. Then gradually, grapevines took over, flourishing in a terroir so well-suited to the production of great wines, as demonstrated by the Vinsobres, Grignan-les-Adhémar and Coteaux des Baronnies appellations. Drôme Provençale is a paradise for food/wine pairings, the spiritual home of the truffle – a ‘black diamond’ quickly snapped up by top chefs and discerning foodies. And of course, it’s also the land of lavender, whose flowers in tightly packed rows weave through valleys and ripple across gentle hillsides. 

Top tips for your visit: Stroll through the local markets, taking time to sample local produce and meet the producers, or visit a winery or two and try the region’s most iconic wines. 

Perched high up in the hills, their stone buildings nestling into the steep slopes, the hilltop villages of Drôme Provençale are a sight to behold. Originally constructed in the Middle Ages – around the 11th and 12th century – these fortified settlements seem to call out to visitors, beckoning them to explore their narrow, winding lanes.  Montbrun-les-Bains in the foothills of Mont Ventoux, La Garde-Adhémar, Le Poët-Laval and Grignan are all listed as ‘Les plus beaux détours de France’ – a collection of the beautiful locations off the beaten track.   The village of Vinsobres too, with its hilltop vineyards clinging to the slopes at altitudes of up to 450 metres and facing the majestic Mont Ventoux, is well worth a visit. A great way to rise above it all and get to know this famous Côtes du Rhône Cru. Admire the 100 hectares of vineyard at Domaine de Jaume, for example, then take a tour of the winery and enjoy sampling some of its wines. 

The villages, many of them featuring a castle, are simply begging to be photographed. Two of the best known are Suze-la-Rousse, where the mediaeval fortress houses a wine museum and famous Wine University, and Grignan, where the Marquise de Sévigné often stayed, and where she died. 

Top tips for your visit: Be sure to visit Château de Grignan, whose terrace offers breathtaking views of the region encompassing the Drôme, Provence, Montagne de la Lance, Mont Ventoux and the Dentelles de Montmirail. Best when the weather is good!

The black truffle, this most demanding of fungi, flourishes right across Drôme Provençale, and particularly in Tricastin, France’s leading truffle-growing region. Truffles can be harvested from November to March, but it’s said they’re at their fragrant best in January. 

And although they are, of course, to be found on restaurant menus and in an array of products such as flavoured oils and tapenades, the best place to admire them is when they’re being sold fresh at the local truffle markets. The market at Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, held every Sunday morning from December to March was named a Site remarquable du goût (Site of Outstanding Flavour) in 2013; but the most remarkable has to be the market at Richerenches, the largest wholesale truffle market in Europe. Almost 700 kg of truffles pass through this charming mediaeval village every Saturday from December to March. Everyone who’s anyone in the truffle world – producers, restaurateurs, brokers and traders – are all here at this spectacular market. 

Top tips for your visit: To buy your own truffles, visit Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, but to watch the truffle professionals in action, the market at Richerenches is the place to be! And if you’d like to combine your truffles with wine, head to Domaine de Montine, a winery also specialising in truffle harvesting, which hosts truffle and wine discovery days during truffle season.