Excursions

From Valle Aurea here are 10 themed tours where you can discover the wonderful sights and most beautiful attractions of the Drôme Provençale, L'Ardèche the Vaucluse and Gard.

The Silk Road (1/2 day)

Valaurie - Valle Aurea, Grignan Taulignan Dieulefit (pottery, goat cheese ), Le Poet-Laval, Montboucher-on-Jabron (The Silk Museum), Montelimar (city center, walkways and the Musee de la Miniature), Valaurie.

The Buildings of the Romans (1/2 day)

Valaurie - Valle Aurea, head toward St Paul-Trois-Châteaux by routed D133. At 2 km, take the left route to toward La Garde Adhemar. Turn left below, the Chapel of Val-des- Nymphs, La Garde Adhemar, then down the D158 towards St-Paul-Trois-Châteaux (Cathedral), St Restiut, Barry (great view) and follow the D59 to Suze-la-Rousse (Université du Vin), the Baume de Transit, Montsegur-sur-Lauzon, Chamaret, Grignan, Valaurie.

The Great Wine Trail (1 day)

Valaurie - Valle Aurea, head east to Grignan, Suze-la-Rousse (Université du Vin), Ste-Cécile-les-Vignes, Cairanne, Rasteau Roaix, Seguret, Sablet, Gigondas, Laces of Montmirail, Vacqueras, Beaumes de Venise, Cartpentras and return D8 Valaurie.

Gorges of the Ardèche (1 day)

Valaurie - Valle Aurea, Pierrelatte, Bourg-St-Andéol, St Remèze, Grotte de la Madeleine, Vallon Pont d' Arc. Visit the Grotto Chauvet. Descend L'Ardèche in a kayak or by car via the D290. Visit Orgnac, then head back toward St Martin d'Ardèche, Pont-St-Spirit Bollene, Valaurie.

The Route of the Princes of Orange (1 day )

Valaurie - Valle Aurea, Grignan Castle (Mme de Sevigne), Suze-la- Rousse (Université du Vin), Rochegude (Castle hotel), follow D117 through Uchaux to Orange (Ancient Theatre, Arc de Triumph, Old Orange) then by D68 to Châteauneuf du Pape (Dungeon and superb views of the Rhone Valley) to Avignon (Palais des Papes, the Pont St Benezet Pont d' Avignon, the Palace Square and the Rocher des Doms, the Petit Palais, the atmosphere of the old town). Head back via the A7, Valaurie.

Country of Vincent Van Gogh (1 day)

Valaurie - Valle Aurea, Les Baux de Provence (ruins of ancient castle destroyed and old houses erected on a barren rock, wonderful views), Arles (the Arena, the ancient theater, the cloister and portal Church of St. Trophimus, Alyscamps and Museum l'Arles antique), Tarascon (the castle), Chateaurenard, Avignon, A7 exit Bolognese, St-Paul- Trois-Châteaux, Valaurie.

Mont Ventoux 1909m (1 day)

Valaurie - Valle Aurea, Grignan Castle (Mme de Sevigne), Valréas, Nyons, Vaison la Romaine D538 (Roman mines and the top of the city), Malaucčne the D938, towards the summit of Mount Ventoux to the north slope, Bedouin, Le Barroux, Beaumes de Venise, return D8 Ste-Cécile-les-Vignes, Suze-la-Rousse, Grignan, Valaurie.

Portes des Cevennes (1 day)

Valaurie - Valle Aurea, Bollene, Pont-St-Esprit, Bagnols-sur-Ceze, Pont du Gard (fantastic aquaduct 49 m high), Nîmes (the Arena, the Square House), Anduze (bamboo and beautiful pottery), Ales St Ambroix, Vallon Pont d'Arc, St. Remèze, Bourg-St-Andéol, Pierrelatte, Valaurie.

The Pre-Alps of the South (1 day)

Valaurie - Valle Aurea, Grignan, Valréas, Nyons, Sahune, Remuzat by the D162 to la Bâtie-Verdun, D64-D359-D159 to Montbrun-les-Bains, Savoillan by D72, D41 by Plaisians, Buis-les-Baronnies by D5, return toward Mollans on l'Ouvèze D5, Vaison-la-Romaine, Nyons by D538 ** Valréas, Grignan, Valaurie.

The Road of a Thousand Scents and Colors (1 day)

Valaurie - Valle Aurea, Carpentras, Venasque by D4 until Roussillon, then follow the D2 to Gordes ( La village des Bories, Vasarely Museum), follow the D177 for a visit to the Abbey Senanque, come back and take the road to Fontaine de Vaucluse, the Isle-sur-Sorgue (In March antiques and flea market on Sunday mornings), Carpentras, Valaurie.

Sports and Recreation

• Golf 12 km - Golf Valdaine 18 holes approved FFG (Fédération française de golf); 3 km at Clansayes, Golf de la Drome Provencale, 9 holes
• Tennis - Valaurie, two courts)
• Equestrian Center, Grignan
• Hiking and Rambling, VTT Ardeche
• Canoe/Kayak on the Ardeche in a grandiose setting to beauty wild. Several courses from 6 to 60 km (Canyon in the gorges of Ardeche are not accessible canoeing).

Market Days

Monday

Châteauneuf du Rhône, La Motte Chalancon (July/August) and Tulette

Tuesday

Cleon d'Andran, Grignan, Bégude Mazenc, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux and Vaison la Romaine

Wednesday

Ancona,Buis les Baronnies Valréas, Malaucene, and Remuzat and Montelimar

Thursday

La Baume de Transit, Montelimar, Montsegur, Nyons, Orange, Rochegude and Cairanne

Friday

La Batie Rolland, Chamaret, Marsanne, Pierrelatte St Gervais sur Roubion, Mirabel aux Baronnies Montelimar, Suze-la-Rousse, Visan, and Taulignan Dieulefit

Saturday

Buis les Baronnies Donzère, Montbrun, Sauzet, Venterol (June to August), Valréas, Montelimar, Ste Cecile Vines, and Richerenches Mirabel aux Baronnies (markets for Olives in December and January). A truffle market from November to March on Saturday in Richerenches.

Sunday

St Marcel Sauzet, La Bâtie Roland (last Sunday of the month), Nyons (mid-May to mid-September) and Séderon (June to September). Provencal market on Sunday morning in Valaurie, Nyons and Vaison la Romaine.

Museums

• Buis-les-Baronnies - Maison des arômes (museum of aromatic plants and flowers)
• Grignan - Musée et Atelier du Livre et Typographie (museum of typegraphy and book publishing)
• Montboucher-sur-Jabron - Musée de la soie (silk museum)
• Montelimar - Musée de la Miniature
• Mours St Eusebius - Musée diocésain d'art sacré (Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art)
• Nyons - Distillery Bleu Provence, Archaeological Museum, Museum of the Olive, Les Vieux Moulins
• Le Pègue - The Archaeological Museum
• Le Poet-Laval - Musée du Protestantisme Dauphinois
• Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux - Maison de la Truffe et du Tricastin (Truffle House)
• Dieulefit - Maison de la Terre (ceramic workshops and museum)
• Taulignan - Atelier-Musée de la Soie (workshop and silk museum)

Crafts

Workshops for pottery, decorated earthenware, stoneware, blown glass, stained glass, sculpture, pewter, wood turning, painted silks,fabrics, jewelry, enamel, leather, basketry, furniture, etc.

The workshops in Drôme are very respected, and highly reputable. There is the most diverse collection of workshops in the Rhône-Alpes Region. The local tourist offices are happy to provide a complete list of those in their area.

Attractions

• Dieulefit - Maison de la Terre
• La Garde Adhemar - Garden of Aromatic Plants
• Grignan Castle - Provencal Villagea
• Nyons - Garden flavors, Ancient Grape Press
• Pierrelatte - Crocodile Farm
• Saillans - La magnanerie de Saillans, le Palais du Facteur Cheval

Events

• On-site at Valle Aurea, your host Marie de Valon: painter and sculptor, opens her workshop to her guests.

Early February	Nyons	Fête de phuile nouvelle
	St-Paul-Trois-Châteaux	Fete de la truffe
Easter	Nyons	Grand corso fleuri
Pentecôte	Dieulefit	Marché des potiers
End of June	Die	Fête de la transhumance
July	Buis les Baronnies	Foire de la fleur du tilleul
	Nyons	Olivades internationales
	Saou	Fête du Picodon
	Saint Laurent en Royans	Foire du Tilleul
August	Dieulefit	Fête du picodon
	Lesches en Diois	Fête de la lavande
	Font d'Urle	Foire des bergers
Early October	Montbrun les Bains	Fête de la lavande

 

Links

• www.drometourisme.com
• www.tourisme-paysdegrignan.com
• www.montelimar-tourisme.com
• www.routes- lavande.com