Saint-Uze is a small town in the northern Drôme, tucked into the valley of the Galaure a few kilometres east of the Rhône at Saint-Vallier. For two centuries it was a pottery town. The clay here was excellent, and workshops turned out stoneware and earthenware in huge quantities, from jugs and pots to tableware, giving the place a long tradition in ceramics. Look for old kilns and potters' marks around town; the craft shaped the place.
The Galaure valley is a pleasant, green corridor running east into the low hills of the Drôme des Collines, a rolling country of orchards, walnut groves and small farms. Just up the valley lies Hauterives, home to the Palais Idéal of the Facteur Cheval, the extraordinary hand-built palace of a country postman, one of the most unusual sights in France.
As a start and food stop, Saint-Uze is modest but useful. Saint-Vallier, a few minutes away on the Rhône, has more choice, with cafés, bakeries and restaurants. The food of the Drôme is honest and good: caillettes, a kind of herb and pork patty, ravioles from Romans, walnuts from Grenoble, and peaches and apricots from the Rhône valley orchards in summer.
The riding here is a mix of valley roads and hill routes. The roads along the Galaure are gentle and pleasant, while the routes climbing into the hills offer more bends and views over the Rhône valley and towards the Vercors. Surfaces are generally good, and traffic is light away from the main routes. Fuel is available in Saint-Vallier.