In Grignan, renting a bike makes perfect sense. The silhouette of the château stands guard over a patchwork of lavender, vines and truffle fields, and the narrow roads undulate just enough to set the pace without breaking the momentum. Get on your bike, and as soon as you leave the village, the air smells of garrigue and warm stone.

A first ride? The village loop via Colonzelle and Chamaret: a dozen quiet kilometers, a few false flats, dry stone walls and watering holes in the shade of plane trees. Count on 1 h to 1 h 30 in stroller mode, with a photo break when Mont Ventoux looms on the horizon. Want to stretch out? Head for Richerenches, truffle country, along small oak-lined roads: a rolling escape, perfect for a morning.