Die (Drome)

Geography

The territory of Die belongs to the Regional natural park of Vercors and the Country Diois (the Community of 52 communes including 4 cantons).

History

At present, no vestige of Gallic time was found in Die. It seems that a small agglomeration located in edge of the Roman way, connecting the Rhone and the Durance, knew a fast extension: the surface urbanized towards the end of the 1st century is about 35 hectares.

At the beginning of the 2nd century, the town of Die ( Dea Augusta Vocontiorum ) account of many monuments and acquires a statute of Roman capital, substitute Luc-in-Diois in this function for the people of the Voconces. The title of colony seems to be to him decreed towards the end of or in the current of the 3rd century whereas, as show it recent excavations, the agglomeration is in crisis and of the peripheral districts are already abandoned. A monumental door is set up on the road in direction of the Alps.

The city is surrounded then of a rampart, between 285 and 305, which strengthens an urbanized surface of 25 hectares. The monumental door, dismounted stone by stone, is inserted in the fortification.

The first attested bishop is Nicaise, in 325, alone representing churches of Gaules to the Concile of Nicée. The diocese will be joined together in 1276 with that of Valence.

The Museum of Die and Diois, in the downtown area, shows the many ones and imposing vestiges of the Roman epoch, but also tells the prehistory of the Diois, the Middle Ages of this episcopal city and the devastations of the wars of religion.

Administration

Demography

Local life

Economy

Die is a town of less than 5000 inhabitants. It clung in the years 1960 and 1970 to its small industries in inescapable decline, the piece of furniture and the shoe. Consequently missing the historical turning point by tourism of mass, it will avoid thus involuntarily the plague of it. Today Die profits from important estival tourism, Scandinavian and foreign populations (Netherlands) residents primarily in the camp-sites around the valley of Drome. As for winter tourism, composed regional visitors, it relates to the ski (championship of France of ski Handisport), the excursion in rackets, the races of huskies (international competition of Alpirush) at the ski station of the collar of Super Rousset (located in the Massif of Vercors 1300-1700 meters). It is with the collar of Rousset that in 1992 a competition of race of mountain took place.

The Cooperative wine cave Clairette of Die which is the largest employer of the Diois have the idea a few years ago to adopt the name of mark " Jaillance" to be recognized better competition, identified better by the consumers and to thus optimize his power in the sale and export.

In addition to the farmers, wine growers, the economic fabric is composed still much of very small companies, craftsmen, people receiving benefits of tourism and trade of proximity. Die is also the economic and social center of all Diois, having of the schools and the training centres (lifting work). The public services and administrative also make it possible to make live this valley.

Administrations on the spot

Sub-prefecture
Offices of Station
Station the SNCF
Tax office

Teaching

Nursery school and primary of Chabestan
private Elementary school Notre-Dame
College and Lycée of Diois
Greta

Health

Hospital public, maternity

Sports and leisures

The Dioise area contains many ski stations, the principal one being that of the collar of Rousset, which enormously attracts tourists during the winter vacation. One finds also many stations of canoes and/or kayaks, which propose routes more or less long, this due to the river (Drome) which follows closely the road, facilitating the departures and the arrivals of boats.

2 football clubs are based has Die:

- the FC Diois which evolves/moves in the 2nd division of district

- the Olympic one of Die which evolves/moves in the 3rd division of district

A great competition separates these 2 enemy clubs.

Gastronomy

Pale of Die known of Pline Old the as of 77, AOC in 1942.
Creaming of Die recent Creation, AOC in 1993.

Famous characters

Nicaise, first known bishop in Die, represents with him only Gaulle with the Concile of Nicée in 325.
the countess Beatritz de Dia, Trobairitz of the 13th century.

Tourist monuments and places

Gallo-Roman Ramparts of the
Saint-Marcel Door 3rd century (carries principal from the city)
the Musée of Die and of Diois (Museum of France) present of astonishing archaeological collections and histories (open from April to October)
Cathédrale Notre-Dame (porch of the 11th century)
Romance Mosaïque known as of the four rivers , in the Saint Nicolas's Day vault of the episcopal palate, where it was used as carpet of furnace bridge. She is the notation symbolic of the universe.
protesting Temple, carries carved (old catholic vault of the Jesuits)
Maisons of time Renaissance, in particular district Saint-Vincent
the tower of Purgnon, vestiges of a episcopal castle transformed into vault mariale at the 19th century.
a tower of the 11th century is visible in frontage in the street of Armellerie.
Of many Roman inscriptions, of the capitals and medieval sculptures, is employed again in the frontages of the urban houses.
Abbey Notre-Dame de Valcroissant, an old Cistercian abbey of the 12th century, ruined at the time of the wars of religion. Today, integrated in a private farm.

To see in the surroundings

the abbey of Valcroissant
the village of Pontaix
the garden of the butterflies
the Claps (rock crumbling on the Drome river)
the solid mass of the Glandasse
the Collar of Rousset
the basic ski station of Urle
the Cross of Justin (by the way of the Forty Laces)
Valdrôme, ski station subsidized by the General advice of Drome
the high valley of the Drome, with the villages of Beaurières, under the Col of Pulls up , and of Valdrôme, charming site.
the commune of Luc-in-Diois
the castle of Beaurières
the village of Saint-Julien-in-Quint
the commune of Châtillon-in-Diois, medieval village

Events

Twice a year, association Dea Augusta publishes the review of local history Chroniques of Diois . Number 7 appeared at the beginning of July 2007. Association '' Dea Augusta ''.
Meetings of Ecology to the Daily newspaper (10 days at the end of January)
Festival of the Transhumance Diois-Vercors (in June)
the Rally Ground of Diois, each beginning of summer.
East-West Festival. Annual until in 2004, the East-West festival becomes biennial and will devote its edition 2008 to the literature except borders. It will be held on ten days at the time of the second fortnight of September. Site : East-West festival.
Festival of Pale (at the end of August) the

Twinnings

Die is twinned with several cities, among which:

, to see
, to see
, to see

See too

Common of Drome
By-pass Die

External bonds

Random links: