The Gentle Way of Life in the Heart of Drôme Provençal

Linden, lavender, and verbena are among the many fragrances featured in the lines by L'Occitane and that make Drôme Provençale a genuine place where it’s nice to take time to smell the roses. Slightly wilder than Vaucluse, it is a little slice of paradise…

The residents of the Drôme department like to boast that their little corner of the world sits à midi moins le quart (at a quarter to noon). In other words, it has all the beauty of the south of France but without the inconveniences. Sun, crickets, lavender and sunflower fields, gourmet delights, and wines as reputed as they are robust, and yet none of it is tainted by mass tourism. Here, you stop and smell the roses.

Take Nyons for example: capital of the olive and its oils that are so fragrant they will make you forget everything you have ever tried before. La perle noire, or “the black pearl,” is grown with love and passion and popping by some of the mills is enough to make you understand why pressing olive oil should be left to the pros.

Another local treasure is the exquisite diamant noir (black diamond), or black truffle. The harvest starts in November and continues through to mid-March. For truffles aplenty, head over to Grignan. This magnificent town—huddled round Madame de Sévigné’s château—is resolutely timeless. In truffle season, head to the castle’s former farm Domaine de Montine to go truffer (truffle hunting). Hunting for these black diamonds on the five hectares of truffle-filled oak forests promises to be like nothing you’ve ever done before.

Rest assured, Drôme Provençale is worth visiting any time of the year; each season bringing its own treasure trove of pleasures. Drôme in the spring is a sight to be seen with its dazzling orchards that scores of painters have had the pleasure of immortalizing. Between June and August, the fields of lavender take their turn bursting into exceptional colour… This flower with soothing properties can be enjoyed a thousand different ways—essential oils, soaps, candles, vinegars, sugar, and lemonade are among the lavender-tinted treats that await you at Montélimar’s lavender festival.

Of course, it is simply impossible to talk about Drôme Provençale without mentioning how friendly the locals are. The region is teeming with B&Bs, each one more exceptional than the last. There is certainly no better place to experience a more serene and gentle way of life than in Drôme Provençale.