When I try to share my enthusiasm for the Drôme I am often met with a blank stare, or at best a vague confession of half knowledge. So here’s a little backgound…
Where is it? The Drôme is a department in south-east France, in the Rhone valley, south of Isère and north of Vaucluse – which contains the much better known Baronnies climbing area. To get there, drive down the Rhone valley to Valence (south of Lyons), then bear south-east to Crest on the river Drôme.
It is located in the south-west corner of the Vercors Massif, and includes the geologically amazing Saou syncline (below)
What is to do there? One of the joys of the area is that there are really good options whatever activity you chose…
Climbing: The guide book is ‘Escalade en Drôme – Tome 3 – Vallée de la Drôme & Diois’. There is more than enough single pitch ‘fun’ stuff, at a reasonable grade, to keep you occupied for several trips. Look at the cliffs at Crest, Rocher des Abeilles, Saou (La Graville, Mur de Son etc), Gorges de Saint Moirans to start. If you are more ambitious, there are plenty of multi (2/3) pitch routes at Saou; at the other end of the scale there huge multi pitch outings on the Trois Becs (the three pointy hills at the top of the photo).
Walking: There are loads of ridge walks in the Saou area (some of which can be started from the campsite). Fabulous in spring when the beech forest is coming into leaf. The Trois Becs rise to over 5000′. Go north and east and you get into the central Vercors.
Cycling. Many graded col ascents – the Col de Pas de Lauzun takes you over into the Saou bowl, and the Col de Chaudière (11km climb, 600+ m height gain) takes you underneath the Trois Becs. Then there’s the whole of the Vercors. But if you want an easy day you can cycle west to Crest and the Rhone valley
Finally – the campsite is brilliant! https://www.gervanne-camping.com/. Booking for next year opens 4th December 2024.
We will be there from April 26th 2025 for a fortnight. Please let us know if you intend to join us. Hope to see you there! Andrew & Christina