The Diois
The Diois, at the border of the Alps and Provence, is surrounded by many passes and offers an exceptional biological and climatic diversity. Its climate hesitates between the rigors of the nearby mountains and the mildness of the Mediterranean. Alternately, the vast fields of spring primroses, the dazzling colors of summer lavender, the ocean of autumn light and the winter snow-capped tops change the landscape according to the seasons. Immutable in this changing landscape: Glandasse 2041 meters high overlooks proudly all the valley.
The Vercors Regional Natural Park
In the Vercors Regional Natural Park, l’Herbier du Diois benefits from an authentic nature, preserved since 1970! Over 206.000 hectares of forest, plains, rivers, pastures and crops are thus protected from possible destructive human activities. Consequently, a unique rich fauna and flora: 72 species of mammals including the wolf, 140 species of nestling birds including vultures and over 1800 plant species with 75 wild orchids. Among our suppliers many enjoy a live natural environment very far from pollution sites, and major urban centers.
The Drôme: first French organic department !
Traditional agricultural land including aromatic herbs (lime, lavender, thyme, hyssop, savory, lemon balm, mint, sage) the diversity of soil and climate make the cultivation of many plants possible. The Diois region is a pioneer area for organic farming .Thanks to l’Herbier du Diois via the farm Touret, an organic development settles down on the slopes of the Vercors in 1979. Today organic crops or in conversion represent 30% of local agricultural land (against 2.5% nationally) involving a large group of producers (650 in the Drôme in 2010) and processors over 300 in the department) in medicinal and aromatic plants mainly. Our company is located in the municipality of Châtillon-en-Diois where more than 60% of the lands are organic crops. The municipality and l’Herbier du Diois have just obtained a national bonus by EnR France league for its solar energy production, in relation to its population (250 kW for 575 inhabitants). The Biovallée project
The Diois is now at the heart of the Biovallée project which aims at making the Drôme a national benchmark for sustainable development. Launched by the communities of the municipalities Val de Drôme and the Diois, this initiative joins in the Rural Excellence Centers proposed by the State. One of the objectives of the project is to obtain 50% of the farmers with organic cultivated lands in 2015: suggest organic or local food in catering before 2015: not destroy farmland for urbanisation; or cover from 2020 the household energy consumptions by the local production of renewable energy.
L’Herbier du Diois is therefore quite naturally in this great project. Moreover, its new ecological building received a help of 62 000 Euros in the framework of Biovallée as organic processor. |
