Exploring Montélimar
Montélimar is a historic city in the Rhône-Alpes region, capital of the Drôme-Provençale département. It is a port city in the middle Rhone Valley, an area famous for its red wine, lavender, olives and almonds, known for its silk, carpets and ceramics, and rich in painted prehistoric caves, Ancient Roman ruins, Medieval fortresses and churches.
Montélimar itself is known for its Nougat ("noo-gah"), a chewy candy made from almonds and lavender-honey. Nougat was invented at Montélimar during the 17th century, and may be based on an even older Greek candy introduced to the region at the time of the Romans.
Maps
- Interactive Map of France
- The Rhône-Alpes Region is number 17 on the map. The Drôme-Provençale department is the light orange southern area.
- Slow Travel Through France
- Very helpful explanation of regions and departments. Drôme-Provençale department is number 26.
General Tourism
City of Montélimar
- The official site for the City of Montélimar. This site is all in French, of course, but scattered with images to give you a taste of the town and countryside. One place obviously worth a visit is the Museum of the Miniature, with permanent collection and visiting exhibitions of everything from architects' models, through Japanese Netsuke, jewellery and manuscript painting, to tiny furniture.
- Montélimar Office of Tourism
- The official tourist site, again entirely in French.
- Tourist Information on Montélimar
- One very useful page in English.
- More Tourist Information on Montélimar
- Another very useful page in English.
- Le Club Des Internautes
- Features a cyber café which may be of interest. Also has rich calendars of different kinds of events at Montélimar, as well as other useful information. Click on "Entrée" and scroll past the cafeacute; for links. Then check out the link to "Festivités" for music, sport and more; and look at "Foires et Marchés" for links to fairs. Montélimar has an internationally important guitar duo competition every July.
Cycling
- St James Velo Club, Montélimar
- Go cycling around Montélimar! Site in French lists places to stay, weather, and suggested routes.
- Cycle Provence
- Very tempting day-by-day description of a nine-day cycling tour of Provence that passes through vineyards and lavender fields, explores châteaux, and ends in Montélimar. You can register for this year's tour online.
Nougat
- Le Chaudron d'Or
- The Golden Cauldron - nougat manufacturer in Montélimar. Find out all about nougat, and then buy some from this enjoyable and very typical kind of French site. Click on "discover" for the English version.
- Diane de Poytiers
- Another Montélimar nougat manufacturer. An exquisite site with an English version, and you can buy the nougat online too. When you visit them in Montélimar, take a tour with free samples.
- Montélimar Nougat
- This English site will tell you (among other things) how many tons of nougat are produced in Montélimar every year, and then it will give you a recipe to make some yourself.
Lavender
- History of Lavender
- Interesting summary in English, with a few more detailed pages.
Cheese
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Picodon
- A small, soft goats' milk cheese produced locally. Very attractive, richly illustrated site in French.
- Banon Cheese Factory
- A very old local creamy cheese, wrapped in chestnut leaves and tied with raffia. Apparently so delicious that the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius (86-161 A.D.) died from eating too much of it! Beautiful site in English.
- Brousse
- A creamy cheese often recommended as an accompaniment to the Provençale vins rosés. French page with embedded link to translation.
- Roquefort
- This famous creamy blue-cheese is from the southern Provençale region. English page.
Wine
- Local Wines
- Beautiful site in French, with information and images of the local wines.
- Côtes du Rhône Wine Region
- Confusingly, Montélimar is not considered part of the Provençale wine region. This site will set it all out for you, in English, and list some of the greatest wines (and cheeses).
- French Wine Regions
- Useful map to help distinguish the Rhône and Provençale wine regions. Scroll down for a link to the information on Provence. This is another part of the wine site above, and still in English.
Music
- Festival Voix et Guitares du Monde
- Every July, this is the biggest guitar festival in the world and includes competitions such as the Concours International de Guitare en Duo. This site will tell you how to enter.
Entertainment
- Crocodile Farm at Pierrelatte
- About ten miles south of Montélimar, Pierrelatte has a crocodile sanctuary with some 500 crododiles! Very chic site with an intro using Flash (click on the English flag)—or go straight to the Welcome Page.
Camping
- Camping Near Montélimar
- An attractive, family-run camping ground by the lake—bring your tent or rent a mobile home. Site is translated into English and has some dramatic local views.
Accommodations
- Accommodation in Montélimar
- Guaranteed lowest rates on the web—great deals and last-minute deals in motels and three-to-five-star hotels. Link to "Last-minute reservations" includes Montélimar; Link to "Hotel reservations in Montélimar" probably worth rechecking. Site is in English.
- La Roche Colombe
- Luxury self-catering or bed-and-breakfast in a historic farmhouse near Montélimar. This is an English site.
- La Magnanerie
- Self-catering in an old farmhouse about eight miles east of Montélimar. English site.
- l'Ancienne Ferme Condillac
- Self-catering and bed-and-breakfast accommodation for individuals and groups in a series of appartments and lodges in an old farmhouse about six miles north of Montélimar. Site is in English.
- Le Mas de Rabaste
- A beautiful farmhouse bed-and-breakfast about six miles south of Montélimar. Site is in English.
