France is so big and varied that you can always discover new gems. This time we went in late September, avoiding the tourist crowds but taking a higher risk regarding the weather. We embarked on a lucky journey full of sun through the picturesque landscapes of the Drome and the Vercors regions.
We will go over a 10 days travel by car, divided between the two areas. The article will give you as much info as possible and will go over a catchy range of activities composed of hikes, sport, village visits, and relaxing times.
Day 1: Driving and arriving in Mollans-sur-Ouvèze
Our journey commenced with an 8-hour-long drive from home. It's so much nicer without the busy highways and the queues that you can even enjoy the views at different points of the road. We eventually reached our guests for the next few days at Mollans-sur-Ouvèze.
The small village is located very close to Vaison-la-Romaine and Buis-les-Baronnies. The evening unfolded with a visit of the house, delightful appetizers and a sweet dinner, setting the perfect tone for the days to come.
Day 2: Exploring Mollans-sur-Ouveze and Buis-les-Baronnies
Monday dawned with a visit to the small but charming village of Mollans-sur-Ouveze, where we savored local pastries. Our explorations extended to Buis-les-Baronnies, filled with shopping, since there aren't so many options to shop in this area. We wanted to get a first impression on the famous via ferrata. We will see later how it went.
We decided to approach the Saint Julien rock to get familiar and got motivated for a short but intensive walk. Our path was totally improvised from the starting points of the via ferrata by taking a trail on the right side (south). If you prefer to have a proper map, this 8km long trail around Saint Julien seems great, even though it's a tad longer and technical.
Back at our stay, we relaxed next to the pool and did a small dive. The negative point with this period of the year is the water temperature. The day ended with once again appetizers and a tasty dinner, saving energy for the next day's activities.
Day 3: Mont Serein's Heights and Brantes' Charms
The third day called for an early start as we ventured near Mont Ventoux. The loop walk of the Combe de la Loubatière started from the Mont Serein camping, where we could park easily. It was a wonderful walk, composed of sportive parts and breathtaking views on the near valleys and villages. We finished the tour with a funny encounter with dozens of goats.
After a picnic under the sun, we took the opportunity to continue our sportive day with another hike. During this loop hike next to Brantes we were on the other side of the mountain with a view on Mont Serein. You can't miss Brantes if you are going in this region. It's really an atypical and cute village. We were hungry and decided to rest in Café Suzette for homemade ice creams and ciders. The day concluded with a refreshing swim, followed by a laid-back evening with our kind hosts.
Day 4: The thrills of the Saint Julien Via Ferrata
Wednesday we had made our mind about the via ferrata. We first rented the necessary equipment (15€) at Baronnies Sport with proper usage instructions. The practice requires at least a helmet and a harness, but we would recommend gloves if you are climbing more than one route as well as water, snack bars and a phone.
Before doing a via ferrata, get prepared with the right equipment and a good physical condition.
We joined Saint Julien rock and parked really next to the start of the vias. If it's full, continue a bit further and you will find the "Ravin de Rieuchaud" parking. In front of the sign, you will get a reminder about the safety rules and see the different routes. As of 2023, there are 5 tracks, ranging from beginner to expert. We strongly recommend to first start with the "Pitchouno" (green), the most approachable, taking 30 minutes, to see how you feel. From there, you can really evaluate your level and plan for one or more additional routes with this via ferrata recap.
We did start with the first one and continued with "La Nouvelle Venue" (grey). We had an amazing time, managing our fears and efforts to be able to enjoy the views. As it was passed 1pm, we decided to leave and join Buis-les-Baronnies for lunch. We found a big and beautiful terrace in the name of Brasserie de l'étoile and got a tasty two parts menu. With our satisfied stomachs, we got motivated to do a third climbing track, the "Testouriasso" (blue). It was more difficult to deal with vertigo as we had more than 50 meters below our feet. Definitely scary but we made it!
Great and intense day ending with the usual apero and dinner back at Mollans. It would mark the end of the first chapter of our trip, in the south of the Drome region. We could have done more with some extra days: Vaison-la-Romaine for a shopping day, the Gorges du Toulourenc to have a walk with feet in the water and a visit in Montmirail just to name a few.
Day 5: Nyons Market and Tranquil Retreat in Dieulefit
On Thursday, we bid farewell to Mollans-sur-Ouvèze and set our course for Nyons as it was one of the market days from 8am to 1pm. It is one of the biggest market of the region as the whole old town transforms itself into hundreds of stands. They sell anything from the usual local grocery products to artisanal pieces, art crafts, clothes and much more. After a long walk, we stopped for a picnic lunch with some bread and cheese. Before leaving, we went uphill to see the small church and the view on the big village.
Our journey continued to Dieulefit, where we had booked two nights of luxury at the hotel and spa La Cachette. We could enjoy a fully relaxing time in the spa, switching from the swimming pool to the jacuzzi, the sauna or the hammam. Once reinvigorated, we went for a small tour of the village and sat for a tasty white beer at Chez Pleche terrace. We then went eating in the only opened restaurant without reservation, Au Bureau, for a simple burger. We suggest you book something if you are off-season to be able to have a fancier meal.
Day 6: Dieulefit's market and a Cycling Adventure
Friday commenced with a magnificent breakfast buffet in La Cachette. We went to discover the small market of Dieulefit where we tasted local cheese and bread. We could rent bikes, an electric and a normal mountain bike, to explore the area better. The first cycling part quite chill but the second was way more sportive.
We faced some difficult climbs and dead-end paths to finally reach the elevated and cute, 12th century village of Poet-Laval. The town offers great views, especially from the top. We enjoyed a peaceful lunch time with what we had brought from the market.
We spent the rest of the afternoon resting at the spa to be ready for the special evening. A night full of food pleasures as we had booked a fancy table at Restaurant La Noisette for a sophisticated three parts menu.
Day 7: The Trois Becs and Saillans
On Saturday, we enjoyed another luxurious breakfast, which was so difficult to stop. We left La Cachette and the Drome region with a few extra kilos to join the Vercors region and the famous Trois Becs hike. Starting point is called col de la Chaudière where there is a parking. Try not to arrive too late as it tends to be crowded. In the worst case scenario, you can park along the road or further.
It was a challenging but rewarding high walk of 4-5 hours for a total of 10km. Find the 3 becs walk details on this article from Decathlon outdoor. Most of the walking loop gets you through amazing views from the different peaks, where we could spot the Mont Blanc thanks to the perfect weather. Ensure to bring an extra layer of cloth as it tends to be windy on top. The remaining part of the hike gets you in a nice part of the Saou forest.
Our journey continued to Saillans, a cute village with a catchy center. After a small tour, we chilled in the Café des sports for a fresh beer and continued at a very nice terrace of a recent Wine bar. We could taste local drinks: white wine and Clairette de Die. We were lucky to eat at a nice restaurant, le Coucouri doing its last evening of the season.
We wanted to stay at the recommended Les terrasses de Saillans but it was fully booked already. We instead booked a new B&B at the last minute.
Day 8: Vercors' Wonders - Cliffs, Villages, and Gorges
We were lucky to enjoy the local Sunday market of Saillans where we could oversee some local crafts and buy pastries for breakfast and cheese for later. The main goal of the day was to reach the Vercors and our last habitation. We journeyed on a small detour by the west side of Vercors, exploring Pont-en-Royan's cliff houses first. It's amazing how the view seems to be taken off a fantasy movie.
We made another stop at the touristic village of Villars-de-Lans. It was surprisingly crowded but we had a nice time as we could right away find a table at a terrace, enjoying the bright sun. La Montagne restaurant served us great comforting gratinated mushrooms and potatoes for main and a blueberry pie for dessert.
We drove through the Gorge du Bourn to enjoy breathtaking views and we finally arrived in Gresse-en-Vercors. We booked a room at Aiguillette lodge to try a different kind of experience for our last days. We could meet with the welcoming hosts, do a tiny tour to discover the surroundings and eventually sit and enjoy a savoring meal. We were just the two of us this time, since there weren't other guests. Everything was clean, with charm and the bed was sooo comfortable.
Day 9: Grand Veymont
Monday kicked off with a hearty breakfast made of local and bio products from our hosts. This time we had another folk at the table with us. Hanke, an old and sweet man with whom we could eat and share.
We left for a long day of walk as we were heading to the Haut plateau du Vercors. The 15 km long Grand Veymont hike started from Gresse with a first climbing walk in the trees. We continued with higher and higher paths, with views you can't forget. We made it to the Pas de la Ville and could meet some goats. Our host told us we would see some, but we were so glad to see them se well. We continued our ascension and reached the Grand Veymont, the highest peak of the Vercors.
Bring a sweater or a jacket as it can be windy and cold on top of the Grand Veymont.
We had a windy lunch on top, admiring the valley, other peaks and the raptors. We then took a long way down, tweaking a bit the route to go past a small cascade and a forest. We wanted to have a drink at the Ski station, but it was unfortunately closed. We were lucky to have beers from our hosts in the fridge and could relax playing cards.
Frank and Hélène, the hosts, were very kind to suggest we could eat with Hanke and themselves at their floor. We had a great time sharing tasty plates and interesting stories with their family and friends.
Day 10: Monteynard's Himalayan Bridges
Tuesday was the last day before the drive home. We went to Monteynard for a 12+ km walk across the Passerelles Himalayennes of Drac and Ebron. The water has a particularly beautiful color and the footbridges are a great experience. We were thinking it would be an easy walk to end the holidays, but it turned out way more sportive than planned. That day the boats were not sailing anymore, making the tour way longer.
On our way back, we took another way that wasn't so well indicated. With the Ebron passerelle in your back, take left at the first sign and enjoy a lesser known path with more nature and views on the water. A map like maps.me will help you find it. If you are a little adventurous, We suggest you take it, but bear in mind that we crossed a small snake. Most probably, was he inoffensive and more scared than us.
Back at Aiguillette, we enjoyed another end of afternoon of cards and beers. We also had the chance to eat once again with the host's family. We must say how grateful we are, as it was a very satisfying experience. The location is great, as well as the food and the furniture.
As we reflect on these days, our hearts are filled with gratitude for the great weather, the charm of hidden villages, and the breathtaking beauty that Drome and Vercors generously offered. Each day was a great success, a mix of exploration, sport, sights and unforgettable moments.
We hope you found all the useful info from us, and you got inspired and excited about this one!
Enjoy your next trip!
