The Vercors Drôme Terroir Guide: Specialties to Taste

For a successful vacation, focus on the happiness of your taste buds!

Let's be honest: one of the biggest worries about the holidays is eat badly, to end up with a tired steak and fries or a salad that has only known vinaigrette in photos.

Good news: in the Vercors and Drôme, this fear does not exist. Here, terroir is not a marketing concept: it is a religion. Consider this article your anti-fad prescription: a selection of local specialties that will make your taste buds as happy as your calves after a hike.

Local stars: cheese and charcuterie

It is impossible to start anywhere but with the Vercors-Sassenage AOP Blue, a creative sweetness that reconciles even the most skeptical with blue cheeses. On a piece of fresh bread, at the summit of the Grand Veymont, it erases all aches and pains. And for the most gourmet: melted on a bed of potatoes, accompanied by a little local charcuterie, it transforms into Vercouline, raclette with Vercors sauce. A word of advice: try it and you'll love it.

Each year the Blue Festival celebrates this iconic cheese and brings together producers and enthusiasts around this ancestral specialty of the Vercors massif.

But in the Vercors, we love variety. Don't come to our place without tasting the famous Saint-Marcellin PGI ! A small cow's milk cheese with a runny, soft, and creamy center, it's the other cheese star of the area. At the table, in a salad, on toast, or at a picnic, it always finds its place. In short, it's hard to get tired of it.

Lucie Moraillon

And for those who prefer more rustic flavors, head for the abomasum, this herby pork meatball covered in caul fat, whose origin is gently disputed between the Drôme and Ardèche, a bit like the “pain au chocolat” or “chocolatine” debate. Eaten hot or cold, with a salad or some steamed potatoes, it embodies the generosity of the Drôme pork traditions (and Ardèche, let’s give credit where credit is due…).

A true summary of the Vercors gastronomy : simple, authentic and warm.

Ravioli, nuts and honey: treasures of the earth

Make way for finesse with the Dauphiné IGP Ravioles. Be careful, nothing to do with ravioli! These little cushions of dough stuffed with fresh cheese are perfect for all your cravings: immersed for a minute in the simmering water, simply accompanied by a little butter and comté cheese; browned in a pan to add crispness to a salad; gratinated with fresh porcini mushrooms; or even slipped onto a pizza. Yes, yes, on a pizza! We promise, you have to taste before judging. Here, ravioli is both a local specialty and a must-have in the fridge for quick meals.

The history of ravioli is closely linked to the ravioli machines, these women from the beginning of the 20th century who made this specialty famous by going from house to house preparing these little bites of paradise for special occasions. Today, this tradition continues thanks to iconic producers like Saint-Jean Ravioli, which continue to keep all the local know-how alive.

To learn more about the history of raviolieuses, see our article In the land of ravioli.

Royans is also the kingdom of PDO walnutsCrunchy and subtle, never bitter, it can be nibbled on its own, used as oil for salads or added to a dessert.

Vercors trout: guaranteed freshness

The spirit of Vercors in a glass *

Terroir can also be drunk. Craft beers local ones multiply, each reflecting the pure air and water of the mountains.

Our partners :

👉 Slalom Brewery : Here, everything starts with pure Vercors water, malt, and 100% organic hops from the surrounding area. The brewery offers a permanent range of five beers, but don't stop there: the unique brews, "beer of the moment" style, change according to the team's desires. Some have even already made it to posterity! And for those who prefer to keep their heads cool, the pure lemon juice lemonade and the Ginger Pom' are there to refresh the taste buds.

👉 The Tangent : This craft brewery focuses on local purity: organic beers, lemonades, and sodas are made from water from the nature reserve and the spring of the Trou de l'Aygue cave. But La Tangente isn't just a drink: it's a welcoming place where a bar, restaurant, and live music café come together, in a friendly and festive atmosphere, perfect for toasting in good spirits!

In the category “Vercors specialties to drink”, impossible to miss the Nut wine. Made from Grenoble walnuts harvested while still green, it is prepared according to a secret recipe, passed down from generation to generation and specific to each family. The result? A unique aperitif, perfect to start a meal... or simply toast with friends!

A little further south of the Vercors, you will also discover the Clairette de Die AOP, sparkling and sweet, which goes just as well with a country picnic as with a nutty dessert.

* Alcohol abuse is dangerous for you health. Consume moderately.

During your visit to Drôme: a gourmet stop

Operation “Fill the Chest”

Your gourmet mission: bring back a little bit of Vercors in your suitcase. You don't need a treasure map for that:

Conclusion: dare to taste the culinary adventure

The terroir of Vercors Drôme is not just a list of products: it is an invitation to travel differently, with the palate as much as with the legs. Vercors-Sassenage blue , tasty trout, impossible to leave without a taste memory.

So, it's your turn: stroll through the markets, push open the doors of the cooperatives, and let your taste buds write their travel diary.

And to extend the discovery, dive into our Vercors Market Guide…or meet the local queen in our article: In the land of ravioli.

FAQ – Specialties of Vercors Drôme

What is the must-have culinary specialty of Vercors? Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage AOP, a mild and creamy cheese, is the ultimate must-try.

Where to buy local Vercors specialties? In the markets, in the Vercors Farms, or directly for sale at the farm.

What drinks can you taste in Vercors and Drôme? Local craft beers, whiskies brewed with pure Vercors water, and walnut wine made from Grenoble walnuts.

What sweet treats to bring back? Mountain honey and Pangea are classics of the Vercors.