Department of Drôme (26)

The Drôme département is located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of south-eastern France, on the left bank of the Rhône river. The river of the same name flows through it.

The Drôme

Originating mainly from the Dauphiné and Provence regions, the département was created in 1790 during the French Revolution, with a number of changes up until 1793, notably the annexation of the Comtat Venaissin and the creation of the Vaucluse.

Since 2016, Drôme has been part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, created by the merger of 2 neighbouring entities, the département having previously been attached to Rhône-Alpes.

The region

With a surface area of 6,530 km2 and a population of 508,006 (2016, Drômois) and a density of 78 inhabitants/km2, Drôme lies to the east of the Rhône valley, in the foothills of the Pre-Alps, between the Vercors, Diois and Baronnies.

The department is made up of 10 inter-municipal bodies (2 conurbations, 8 communities of communes), with the main towns being :

Valence (Préfecture), Montélimar, Romans-sur-Isère, Bourg-lès-Valence, Pierrelatte, Bourg-de-Péage, Portes-lès-Valence, Livron-sur-Drôme, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, Crest, Nyons (Sous-préfecture), Chabeuil, Tain-l’Hermitage, Loriol-sur-Drôme, Saint-Rambert-d’Albon, Donzère, Saint-Marcel-lès-Valence.