North Provence
Discover the top destinations in north Provence
Not officially part of Provence, the Drome is actually in the Rhone-Alps region of France. But it is so beautiful and so close to the northern villages of Vaucluse that we decided to include it in our guide anyway.
It is often described as what Provence used to be like before tourism took hold and prices went up. The Drome retains the charm and peacefulness of rural Provence, with olive groves, lavender fields and vineyards belonging to the Cote du Rhone wine region. The main towns in the Drome are Montelimar, famous for it's nougat, and Nyons, which nestles within green hills, orchards and olive groves. Black truffles are also renowned in this area, with St Paul Trois Chateau being the centre for these gourmet delicacies. Medieval villages are scattered throughout the countryside, with their castles (both ruined & restored), Romanesque churches and weekly markets.
Banon
Banon sits on a hilltop overlooking lots of farm land, and its most famous regional product, lavender.
Buis les Baronnies
Buis les Baronnies is a sleepy little place surrounded by fertile land that produces lavender, olives, apricots and limes.
Digne les Bains
Digne les Bains lies on the border of the French Alps and Northern Provence, and is the main town in the region of the Alpes de Haute Provence.
Gigondas
This little hilltop village is surrounded by around 1,300 hectares of vineyards, the reason that most people may have come across its name.
Grignan
Grignan is a small village that overlooks the plains of the Rhône valley, just over the border of northern Provence into the Drome region. It's a charming little place but most visitors come here to see its castle.
Le Barroux
Le Barroux stands out from some of its neighbouring hilltop villages thanks to its imposing 12th century castle which dominates the skyline.
Mormoiron
Mormoiron is a small rural village in the north of the Vaucluse region well known for its vineyards, cherry and olive oil production.
Mornas
You can't fail to miss Mornas as you drive down the motorway into the Vaucluse region. As the cliffs rise up to your left you can see the imposing fortress perched on top, overlooking the town below.
Nyons
Nyons is mainly famous for being the most northerly olive growing region in Europe. Sheltered as it is by its location in the Eygues Valley, it is blessed with many days of sunshine, mild winters and hot summers.
Rasteau
The home of AOC Rasteau wines, the village of Rasteau is tiny and can be covered quite easily in an hour's walk.
Sarrians
This small village in the Vaucluse is literally in the centre of things when it comes to wine growing. It has no less than 14 estates and vineyards in its vicinity, producing wines under the Vacqueyras and Côtes du Rhône labels.
St Paul Trois Chateaux
St Paul Trois Chateaux is located to the north of Provence in the Drome region. It's renowned for the production of black truffles whose quality is strictly controlled.
Suze la Rousse
Another medieval town that is dominated by its castle, Suze la Rousse is full of charming cobbled streets and ancient stone buildings.
