La Garde-Adhémar is a commune in the Drôme department (Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesFrance).

The history of this town is linked to that of the Adhémar family, who gave it its name.

It is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France), located 18.3 km (11.3 mi) south of Montélimar.

Tourism and main attractions

  • Medieval village (registered site): remains of ramparts (13th century), alleys, vaults, houses from the 12th century to the 18th century, medieval fountain.
  • Saint-Michel Church (Historic Monument) in Provençal Romanesque style (12th century): nave with pointed cradle, two opposite apses in a cul-de-four, crossing covered with an octagonal dome on squinches, octagonal bell tower (rebuilt in the 19th century).

  • Remains of the Renaissance castle of Escalin.

  • The Simiane hotel (private property) faces the Saint-Michel church. Built on ancient ruins, it dates from the 16th century. It owes its name to its owner, Pauline de Simiane, granddaughter of the Marquise de Sévigné who mentioned the property in her letters.

  • Chapel of Penitents: frescoes from the 16th and 17th centuries.
  • Chartroussas Castle (19th century).

  • Calvaries.
  • The Val des Nymphes is located to the east of Garde-Adhémar, between arid limestone hills. It is a green valley made up of meadows, orchards and century-old oak trees. Its name comes from a Gallo-Roman cult of nymphs near the springs. Ruins of the Val-des-Nymphes chapel (Historic Monument), former Benedictine priory from the 11th and 12th centuries: Roman-inspired facade, cul-de-four apse.

Shortest distances by car

From Paris: 5 hr 59 min (631 km) via A6

From Lyon: 1 hr 48 min (170 km) via A7

From Marseille: 1 hr 34 min (148 km) via A7

From Nice: 3 hr 2 min (307 km) via A8 and A7

From Toulouse: 3 hr 27 min (374 km) via A61 and A9

From Monaco: 3 hr 18 min (330 km) via A8 and A7

From Andorra: 5 hr 17 min (501 km) via A9

From Madrid: 10 hr 35 min (1,078 km) via A-2 and A9

From Moscow: 34 hr (3,141 km) via E30/M1

From Belgrade: 15 hr 56 min (1,554 km) via E70 and A4

From Istanbul: 26 hr (2,503 km) via A4

From Bern: 4 hr 31 min (474 km) via A1

Main information

Area: 27 km2

Population: 1 136

Coordinates: 44°23′38″N 4°45′17″E

Language: French

Currency: Euro

Visa: Schengen

Time: Central European UTC +1

See here France travel guide

See here Spain travel guide

See here Pyrenees travel guide

See here Andorra travel guide

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