Donzère
Encyclopedia
Donzère is a commune
of the Drôme
department in the Rhône-Alpes
region
in southeastern France
.
It is a town located in the south of Drôme and on the left bank of Rhône river, next to Montélimar.
For the anecdote, the "Robinet", place name of the Donzère gorge where the Rhône shrinks because of the cliffs, derives its name of a former landowner: Robin Berton nicknamed Robinet.
It is usually admitted by geographers and climatologists that the Donzère gorge, along about 3 km (1.9 mi), signals the northern boundary of the mediterranean climate in the Rhône valley. So, Donzère marked during a long time the northern boundary of the olive groves, but in recent years and consequence of the global warming, this limit seems slightly back northward next to the Cruas gorge, on the north of Montélimar.
Somewhat protected from mistral thanks to its hills located in the north, the village opens on the plain of Tricastin where born the mediterranean ambiance and cultivations.
The privileged location of Donzère in the Rhône valley (high place of passage) surely explain its recent economic and demographic dynamism.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of the Drôme
Drôme
Drôme , a department in southeastern France, takes its name from the Drôme River.-History:The French National Constituent Assembly set up Drôme as one of the original 83 departments of France on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution...
department in the Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in southeastern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
It is a town located in the south of Drôme and on the left bank of Rhône river, next to Montélimar.
Geography
The name of the townusually refers to the Donzère-Mondragon canal, which is an important artificial derivation of the Rhône. Donzère is also known for its gorge, which is the last shrinkage of the Rhône valley before its course joins Mediterranean sea.For the anecdote, the "Robinet", place name of the Donzère gorge where the Rhône shrinks because of the cliffs, derives its name of a former landowner: Robin Berton nicknamed Robinet.
It is usually admitted by geographers and climatologists that the Donzère gorge, along about 3 km (1.9 mi), signals the northern boundary of the mediterranean climate in the Rhône valley. So, Donzère marked during a long time the northern boundary of the olive groves, but in recent years and consequence of the global warming, this limit seems slightly back northward next to the Cruas gorge, on the north of Montélimar.
Somewhat protected from mistral thanks to its hills located in the north, the village opens on the plain of Tricastin where born the mediterranean ambiance and cultivations.
The privileged location of Donzère in the Rhône valley (high place of passage) surely explain its recent economic and demographic dynamism.
Demography
Sights
- The caves of the Donzère gorge.
- The Molard villa, which includes the largest known wine cellar of the Roman world with a capacity of 2.500 hl.
- The Saint-Philibert church (12th century) built by the Cluniacs.
- The preserved battlements, with the fortified gates of Argentière and the font (12th century).
- The Renaissance castle of Claude de Tournon (16th century), bishop of Viviers and prince of Donzère.
- The manor house Bouvier de Robinet (18th century).
- Old houses (from the 15th to the 18th century).
- The clock tower.
- The Chapel Notre-Dame-de-Combelonge (from the 15th to the 17th century).
- The round table.
- The former chocolate factory of Aiguebelle, with murals of the New Testament by Loys Prat.
- The suspension bridge nicknamed "bridge of Robinet", built in 1847 according to the technique of Seguin.
- The Virgin vow statue built after World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Personalities
- Félix Clement, painter of the 19th century, Prix de Rome.
- Loys Prat, painter of the 19th-20th centuries, Prix de Rome, Félix Clement nephew.
- Maurice-René Simonnet, politician of the 20th century, French minister, deputy and councillor of the Drôme, member of the Constitutional council, dean of the Law Faculty of the Lyon III University.