Bourg-de-Péage, French commune in Drôme
Bourg-de-Péage is a small commune in the Drôme department located on a river bend near the Isère river, surrounded by mountains. The town developed around a stone bridge built in the 11th century that originally included a chapel, tower, and hospital serving travelers and traders.
The town began in the early 11th century as a toll station at an important trade bridge where taxes were collected on goods crossing the river. In the 19th century, felt hat-making flourished as a local industry, but declined when imported Australian rabbit hair made local production uncompetitive.
Bourg-de-Péage was historically known for hat-making, especially felt hats made from rabbit hair starting around 1810, and this craft heritage remains part of the town's identity. Today, visitors can taste local tradition at the Pascalis bakery, which has operated since the 1800s and serves a special sweet bread called pogne that locals still enjoy.
The town is easily accessible by highways, train stations, and bus services connecting to larger cities like Valence and Lyon. The Bois des Naix park with about 5 kilometers of walking paths and a fitness course offers visitors options for walking, exercise, and outdoor relaxation.
The Bois des Naix was developed from marshy land along a small stream between 1803 and 1824 by Count Dedelay d'Agier, who created the park to provide winter employment. Since 2009, the park has featured an orienteering course where visitors can navigate using maps and compasses.
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