Walnut plantations in cheese country

The first stopping point on the tour is Tullins, which was a major town in the Middle Ages and lies at the heart of walnut-growing country.

A marked historical walking tour takes in the gothic church and the former hospital dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries, including a chapel with a gothic pietà and a remarkable 16th-century triptych.

The museum of agriculture relates the history of farming in the region and the effects of mechanisation since the end of the 19th century.

Next head for Vinay, "walnut capital", dominated by the chateau of Montviany (not open to the public). Stop off at Notre Dame de l'Osier where, in 1657, the Virgin Mary appeared for the first time to Pierre Port-Combet. Since then, the town has become a popular place of pilgrimage. Visit the basilica and the chapel of Notre-Dame de Bonne Rencontre.

Further on you will come to Saint Marcellin. Formerly one of the main towns of Dauphiné, it is still undoubtedly the main town of the South Grésivaudan.

This is where Saint Marcellin cheese is made and a museum, the Musée du Fromage, recounts the history of its production and the region's cheese dairies.

A few kilometres further on, nestling around the 15th-century Château de Clermont (not open to the public), the town of Chatte is home to several tourist attractions: one of Europe's largest outdoor miniature railways and the "forest of giant mushrooms and insects".

One of the Isère valley's last remaining oil mills is still in use and is open to the public.

Continue towards Saint Antoine l'Abbaye. This is a very attractive medieval village backing on to the walls of the former abbey of Saint Antoine, a magnificent gothic building dating back to the 12th and 15th centuries.

Further on you will come to La Sône. Its chateau and 12th-century market hall/church are of special interest in this village overlooking the river Isère. Take a trip on a Mississippi-style paddle-steamer for a different view of the river, going up to the cliffs of the Vercors and offering a glimpse of the flora and fauna living on the banks.

Visit the "Jardin des fontaines pétrifiantes" (garden of petrifying waterfalls), a magical park where flowers and vegetation are naturally turned into stone by the calcareous deposits from the waterfalls.

Return to Grenoble via the N532.

Worth seeing:

Meunier distillery, offering guided tours and liqueur tastings

The walnut drying loft at Cognin-les-Gorges

The Nan Gorge

Worth tasting:

Pogne de Romans, a cake flavoured with orange blossom

Grenoble walnuts and associated products

Saint Marcellin, a soft cheese

Ravioles du Royan, pasta stuffed with fromage frais, comté cheese and parsley