What to do in Gites de La Chaudière ? 

Leisure,tourist and cultural activities

The Gîtes de la Chaudière are at the crossroads between Vallée de la Drôme and Drôme Provençale.

• Admiring the landscape : I can assure you that even after many years, I still can say : « it is so
  beautiful ! »
• Staying idle thanks to the garden furniture and the deckchairs
• Playing outside in the large garden : you will find toys for children (swings, wood car, balls...)
  and games (« pétanque » a typical French game of bowls, croquet....)
• Playing inside : you willl find games, games for children, books for children and adults
• Hiking directly from the gîtes ; several paths directly from the gites. Fossil-lovers will find
  ammonites (on the paths) and belemnites (in the marls)

• Bathing in the rivers : the Drôme river (15mn), the Roanne river (30mn) and the Gervanne river(30 mn) located in the Vallée de la Drôme, and the Roubion river, located in Drôme Provençale
• Hiking : Les 3 Becs (ridges on the most beautiful perched syncline in Europe), the Couspeau mountain, the GR9, the historical path following the Huguenots exile in the 17th century, the Forêt de Saoû (at the heart of the syncline)
• Discovering the marls, especially those at the Col de La Chaudiere. They are a wonderful playground for children, where you will find belemnites (sea fossils looking like suppositories!)
• Cycling : following the « Drôme à vélo » bicycle tour or mountain-biking on the paths (Gorges de St Moirans tour, departing from the gîtes)
• Rock climbing : on the cliffs of the syncline or in the Gorges de St Moirans
• Canoeing in the Drôme river (with Eva location, Canoë-drome or Yvan-loisirs-canoë)
• Via ferrata (Eva location)
• Hiking with donkeys (with Tzin’âne randos in Bourdeaux)
• Going to the swimming pool in Bourdeaux (city swimming pool and private swimming pool in the camping les Bois du Châtelas - 30mn) and in Crest (30mn)
• Playing tennis in Saillans (15mn) and Crest (30mn)
• Flying in plane and glider in Aubenasson (15 mn)
• Paragliding in Bézaudun sur Bine (17mn)
• Flying in a montgolfiere in Soyans (36mn)
• Horse riding in Saillans (15mn), Aouste (25mn) and Mornans (30mn)

• « Fête Médiévale » Medieval Days in Crest , beginning of June
• “Saoû chante Mozart” festival (Mozart music), in Saoû, from the end of June till mid-July
• Fête du Picodon (local cheese) in Saoû, mid-July
• “Nouvelles du Conte” festival (short-story festival) Bourdeaux, end of July – beginning of August
• “Crest Jazz vocal” Festival in Crest, beginning of August
• Fête médiévale (Medieval Day) “La légende d'Alberte de Poitiers” in Bourdeaux, 15th of August
• Foire aux fruits d'hiver / Winter-fruit fair in Saoû, mid-november 

• Festival Bach en Drôme des collines (Bach music, in the region of Drôme des Collines – North Drôme) : organ of the collegiate church in Saint Donat, mid-July
• Les Fêtes nocturnes du Château de Grignan (Theater in Grignan Castle) : July and August

 With children

• La Magnanerie (silkworm breeding) in Saillans (15mn)
• Tour Médiévale (Medieval Tower) in Crest (30mn)
• Le Jardin aux Oiseaux (bird zoo) in Upie (30mn)
• Jardin des Papillons (butterfly breeding) in Die (38mn)
• Aquarium des Tropiques in Allex (39mn)
• La cité du chocolat de Valrhôna (chocolate museum) inTain l’Hermitage (1h12)
• Le Monde merveilleux des Lutins (playground) in Hostun (1h15) 
• La Ferme aux Crocodiles (crocodile zoo) in Pierrelatte (1h25)
• Parc safari (the largest zoo in the region) in Peaugres (1h38)

• In Saoû
  (30mn), in front of some houses, you will find a black pebble with a red pebble upon it,
  meaning that the artist/craftsman is part of the association called "Désirs des Arts"
  • Tournicoti, Joss Naigeon, woodcarver
  • La Forêt des Chapeaux, Carole Pervier, milliner
  • Aurélie Lamour, photographe r
  • Cécile Arnaud, jeweller
  • Terre à peau, Adélaïde Motte, potter
• In Crest (30mn)
  • Biloubila, Birgit Kirkamm, felt artist, you can see and buy her objects at « Girouette » in
    Crest and at « Brins de Terroir » in Vaunaveys la Rochette (in the direction of Romans,
    outside Crest - 35 mn)
    Poterie du Donjon,  (Pottery) Bérengère Croizy & Nicolas Kuczma,  stoneware and
  • Raku, 3 rue Ste Euphémie (Montée de l'Hôpital) (possibility to see and buy their products
    on the spot and at « Brins de terroir »)
  • Girouette, local art and handicrafts, Rue Maurice Long
  • Brins de Terroir, local handicrafts and products, Vaunaveys la Rochette (in the direction
    of Romans from Crest)
• In Bourdeaux (25mn) :
  • Patrick Chaix, plastics technician artist
  • Terre d'Amandine, potter
  • AB Créations, Bruno Ayzac, woodcarver and stone sculptor...

 Discovery of the local culture and heritage