The best traffic-free bike rides around Le Poët-Laval

Roche-Saint-Secret-Béconne is a rural and tourist village located amidst exceptional vegetation, notably lavender fields in July.

From here you can see the castle behind the lavender field.

A grand avenue in the middle of a village? This Allée des Promenades, surrounded by plane trees, marks the last few meters of the Le Petit Train du Picodon railway line. This street, which is relatively large for such a small village, was still surrounded on both sides by large villas and private parks at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, you don't see much of that anymore: large bushes block the view of the large properties. Part 11 of the Petit Train du Picodon bike tour.

The station at Le Poët-Laval is no bigger than a small shelter. But this modest building is the nucleus of a new settlement called Gougne. This district was created mainly because of the railway line from Montélimar to Dieulefit, the Le Petit Train du Picodon (1893-1936). It transported people and goods, mainly products from the local ceramics industry. During the First World War, this station was also a transshipment point for the transport of artillery shells. Part 10 of the Petit Train du Picodon bike tour.

The Vallée du Jabron meanders through the heart of the western foothills of the French Alps, tightly embraced by mountains to the north and south. The Petit Train du Picodon once ran through the countryside from 1893 to 1936, a train that exuded more romance than speed at just under 15 km/h. The valley, which is very narrow between La Bégude-de-Mazenc and Le Poët-Laval, widens out here in both directions. Part 8 of the Petit Train du Picodon bike tour.

The most beautiful view of the Jabron. The river in the heart of the Drôme connects Montélimar on the Rhône with Comps in the mountains north of Dieulefit over a length of 39 km. At the beginning of the 19th century, ceramic, wool and silk factories were built along the river. The Jabron was the backbone of this industrial development, it provided energy in the form of hydropower and supplied the manufacturing processes with the necessary amount of water available all year round. Since the river is not navigable, the railway line was built. Part 7 of the Petit Train du Picodon bike tour.

From Montélimar to Dieulefit, Le Petit Train du Picodon climbed around 300 metres in altitude. Barely noticeable today, the gradient led to a disaster. On October 18, 1897, a train started rolling backwards during a shunting maneuver in Dieulefit. Despite many attempts by the staff to brake the train, it only managed to stop halfway to Montélimar, here in La Bégude-de-Mazenc. Finally, a curve was too tight. Two carriages derailed. Fortunately, the passengers were able to jump off beforehand. Only a brakeman, who tried to stop the train until the very end, was killed. Part 4 of the Petit Train du Picodon bike tour.

When you think of train station buildings in France, you immediately think of magnificent arrival halls. But the reality in Begude-de-Mazenc? Rather rustic. The modest brick building, located not far from the M. Loubet park, served as a train station from 1893 to 1936 - without pomp, but with charm. Passengers waited patiently on simple stone benches for the Petit Train du Picodon, while at least believing they were safe from the notorious Mistral. The municipality had hoped for at least a toilet - they only got a small room. Fortunately, the street was wide enough to allow the trains to cross. Functionality, instead of grand architectural dreams! Part 3 of the Petit Train du Picodon bike tour.