Buis-les-Baronnies is an agreeable small town in Provençale Drôme, some thirty kilometres south of Nyons. It is located in the Baronnies Provençales Regional Nature Park and is surrounded by pastures, lavender fields and olive groves. In the distance, Mount Ventoux towers proudly over the landscape.
To soak up the welcoming atmosphere of Buis-les-Baronnies, try to come on a Wednesday or Saturday morning. Indeed, the market place with its charming fountain is a real invitation to discover the flavours of the region. Surrounded by 15th-century arcades, the stalls exude the sweet smell of Provence and display a thousand colours. All around, you can observe the Gothic style of most of the arcades and the colourful façades of the picturesque square.
Then head for the typical side streets of the old town, an ideal way to discover the architectural heritage. Buis-les-Baronnies is filled with buildings and historical relics that make it an appealing place to be. The old houses and remains of the old town walls from the 14th century are reminders of the medieval era. The House of Plants (Maison des Plantes), devoted to the aromatic and medicinal plants of the Baronnies, is based in an old tower in the ramparts.
Other monuments not to be missed: the Ursuline Chapel and its Renaissance door, or the Chapel of the Hermitage of St. Trophime, built on a rocky peak in the 17th century, three kilometres south of the town centre.
