Within easy reach of the Rhône valley, but away from the hustle and bustle of the Mediterranean coast, the Buis region has remained an idyllic spot.

Buis-les-Baronnies, situated on the right bank of the river Ouvèze, has been inhabited for a very long time.
The name « Buis » first appeared with the Boxanis tribe, part of the Gallic Voconces federation, and seems to have links with the forest. Some say that the first dwellings were beside a large boxwood (« buis » in French), next to a spring and the village grew around it.

Buis first attained renown thanks to Hannibal, the Carthaginian leader during the Second Punic War (218 - 201 B.C.) who is reputed to have brought his elephants to drink at a fountain there (the fountain now bears his name) and to have led them through the Ubrieux gorges, which had to be modified for the occasion.

The village’s authentic history begins in the 11th century, with the Barony of Mevouillon. The lords of this barony were under the German Holy Roman Empire. Buis became the capital of this little state, and grew, becoming the seat of a bailiff’s court and then of a district. The two baronial families, of Mevouillon and Montauban, were at first opposed to each other but then became allies. They were annexed by the Dauphins du Viennois in 1302 and 1317.

In 1349, the Dauphins’ territories were annexed to the French Crown, by the Delphinal Statute. We can mention in passing those who distinguished themselves during the religious wars of the 16th century : Charles Dupuy Montbrun, Lesdiguières, Pape St Auban.

In 1641, by the treaty of Péronné, King Louis XIII gave lands, including Buis, to Honoré II of Grimaldi, Prince of Monaco, to compensate him for possessions taken from him in the Kingdom of Naples and the State of Milan.

The Dominicans first arrived in Buis in 1309 and their first convent, which was outside the walls, was pillaged and destroyed in 1562.

In 1643, the Ursuline nuns settled in Buis and built their convent church in 1679. The church door still exists and is known as the « Renaissance Door »

In 1791, the local population refused to accept the curate’s authority, and then that of the district. As.a result of this, all the administrative posts were transferred to Nyons. Buis lost its predomination in this field and never got it back.

In 1811, at Napoleon’s request, plane-trees and mulberry-trees were planted. The mulberry-trees have disappeared but the plane-trees are still there.