Donzère

Commune of Drôme-Provençale, located between the Massif Central and the Alpes, halfway between Lyon, Montpellier and Marseilles, Donzère profits from a remarkable natural framework.

Marking the exit of the procession which bears its name, this commune symbolizes for much " true doors of the sud".

It is generally admitted by the geographers and climatologists that the procession of Donzère, length of almost 3 km, marks the septentrional limit of the true Mediterranean climate in the valley of the Rhone in terms of sunning and of cultures. Donzère marked thus a long time the Northern limit of the culture of the olive-tree, which pretence to go up, consequence of general climate warming, slightly towards north during the last years, with the height of the procession of Cruas, the north of Montélimar.

As much the arguments so that Donzère can be prevailed more than the others and rightly of the name " Carry of Provence" as well for its climate as its accent South. Enough protected from the mistral by its hills located at North, the city open on the true plain of Tricastin where are born the cultures and the atmosphere authentically Mediterranean.

This is towards 1833 that the idea of constuire a toll bridge " in wire of fer" (according to the Seguin technique)  is made day.

All the access at this same place, since 1806, two trail ferries crossed the small arm and the " extremely fleuve".

The opening to the public took place on August 30, 1847.

This bridge measures 300 meters and is made of three spans. (span left bank: 96,95 m; median span: 94,46 m; span Right Bank: 96,09 m). These spans are supported by 8 cables (4 upstream and 4 downstream).

The architecture is neo-classic: 2 pylons forms of the triumphal arch carrying a simple cornice like decoration and two median piles with double pillar.

This bridge underwent many misadventures: destruction partial of the apron by the risings of the Rhone, mistral and during the war in 1944

As many villages of France, Donzère was equipped by a feudal castle, ramparts with turns and strengthened doors.

Castle middle-age it remains almost nothing: two arched cellars; on the other hand, part of the ramparts and some of the doors and turns arrived to us.

The later ramparts of construction are visible since the east, about at the place where the part of XII finishes. They curve towards the west, bordering all the Champ de Mars, where they appear with the sight in several places, between the houses. On this section, the most remarkable part is the door of Font, which opens on the beginning of main street. It preserves the essence of its defense forces: loopholes, machicolation, covered way…

Its name comes from what was borrowed it to go to seek of water to the old fountain, the source which still runs out in the street Sarcey de Sutières…

In the house of 19 Main street, two curious stones dug of three cavities of different size are. They intrigue as far as few communes can make proud to have stones to measure cereals.

In Drome, only Stars, Deserted Saint-Nazaire it and Donzère preserved them. These stones were posed in 1563. Their capacity is of 40,5 liters, 15,5 liters and 7 liters. These measurements were specific to Donzère and did not correspond to measurements in force with the time. It was necessary at the time transaction to specify it " with the measurement of Donzère"

They were placed in front of the house of "  honourable Thomas Valantin" , in the center of the village, " along Large Rue" where was probably the market and the fairs (three during the year: on October 6 for Holy Foy, on November 3 for Restitut Saint and on January 17 for Saint Antoine). They were used until the advent of the metric system declared legal in 1799 but only applied about 1802.

Located at the beginning of Main street, the tower “Chenivesse” is a beautiful building of Renaissance style whose construction is gone back to 1510 and who shelters a large spiral staircase. Its name, it owes it in its current owner, Georges Chenivesse, Donzérois of birth, which inherited his father it. This last, baker with the current site of bakery Tightens, had acquired it with the contiguous house in 1928. The tower constituted a late addition with a block of buildings which is distributed today between numbers 5,7 and 9 of Main street, and which belonged to Suffise, a family of rich person cabinetmakers of the area.