Mollans-sur-Ouvèze Villages of the Drôme Provençal Worth Exploring

I have never lived in a village in France. I lived in a city (Paris), but I’ve always lived in the countryside in Provence. Never far from a town, but not actually in one.

As we are working out a plan for a full-time life in Provence, I thought it wise to spend some time living in the Drôme to see how I like being there, not just cycling through. I found a lovely little gite in the charming village of Mollans-sur-Ouvèze. We ride through it regularly; I’ve been to this village countless times and always thought it looked so pretty. And it really is an amazing little spot. Continue reading here for the original article by A Table en Provence.

Mollans-sur-Ouvèze

Located about 10 kilometres from Buis les Baronnies, Mollans is on the Ouvèze, a small tributary of the Rhône River. The village core dates from at least Medival times, first appearing in texts in 992.

The town is small, with only 1065 permanent residents (as of 2020). But as Paula mentions in her post, “It has plenty of amenities, including an organic food store with an excellent selection of items, two boulangeries, a couple of bars, a butcher, a Saturday evening market, and a funny little grocery with pretty much everything you need.”

Town Hall (Mairie)
18 Rue Porte Major
26170 Mollans-sur-Ouvèze

Worth Seeing:

Dauphin fountain (circa 1713) and its semi-circular covered washhouse as seen in the town’s emblem.

Chapelle du Pont, also known as Notre-Dame-de-Compassion, with its remarkable corbelled roof over the Ouvèze.

Penitents’ chapel is now an exhibition hall.

L’Eglise Saint-Marcel, the interior furnishings are listed as a Monument Historique.

Ruins of an old fortress that dates back to the 12th century. It is not open to the public.

The Drôme Provençale

The Drôme Provençale, despite the name and the Mediterranean landscapes, is technically part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and not Provence. Driving through this départment, you will see olive groves, lavender fields, grapevines, charming hilltop villages and even a castle. Named after the Drôme River, the départment feels like Provence, where time stood still. Mollans-sur-Ouvèze is one of many villages of the Drôme Provençal worth exploring.

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Paula Kane

From a background in advertising and design, Paula Kane has forged a career that combines her love of good food and wine with her expertise in marketing to produce highly successful culinary events across Canada. Paula first travelled to France 20 years ago and has been returning ever since. She received a scholarship from the James Beard Foundation to attend Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, from which she was graduated in 2009. She has completed the International Sommelier Guild Wine Fundamentals and recently, the Hautes Etudes du Goût program in gastronomy from which she was awarded a Masters degree from the University of Reims in Champagne, France. For the past ten years, Paula has spent part of her year in the Vaucluse where she cycles, cooks, drinks wine, explores and shares her discoveries with others on her website A Table en Provence. Recently she launched an online magazine —Olive + Sweetpea— dedicated to all things she is passionate about: food, wine, travel, home and women trailblazers.