An appreciation of the Vallée de la Drôme & the village of Saoû; between the Alps & Provence - March 2024.
"Saoû in the Drôme Provençale, or the gateway to Provence. Here you will also find lavender fields stretching to the horizon & beautiful old villages...
"At the entrance to the village of Saoû, starts the realm of one of the most beautiful forests in The Drôme. Surrounded by a real wall of limestone, the massif is 2500 hectares large and gives life to an exceptional biodiversity...
(View of Saoû from above the Domain du Roc by Alix Oct. 2020 on Tripadvisor. Looking towards the previous photo.)
...A true natural jewel in the valley, the forest goes higher through the ridge path, up to the culminating peak (1589 meters high) of the famous... 'Trois Becs,' Rochecourbe, le Signal and le Veyou...
...'Trois Becs' (seen here) Rochecourbe, le Signal and le Veyou...
View from Route du Roc, Saoû.
The blue shuttered building across the lavender field is Saoû's primary school.
On the left, Maison Lalibela, Route du Roc, Saoû.
Violet Carpenter Bee one of the largest bees in Europe.
Autichamp, Drôme.
La Roche Colombe et Tois Becs seen from Chabrillan en Drôme Provençale.
The town of Crest (Cray ) & the tower that dates from the 11th century.
Model of a skate park that has yet to be built. Saoû.
Field hawkweed Pilosella caespitosa's native range includes a large portion of Europe.
Le Domain du Roc - Maison d'hôtes in the hills above Saoû.
Le Domain du Roc - Maison d'hôtes (guesthouse/bed & breakfast) on the edge of the Forêt de Saoû.
"3 hectares of vines planted in 2019 and the old vineyard of Pas de L'Estang. Driving in organic farming, with a low yield target (35 hL/ha). Manual harvesting."
Jean Louis Saloon "Welcome to the Wild West in the heart of Drôme."
We stopped to look on the drive from Saoû to Valence TGV Rhône-Alps Sud Station.