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Ardeche
The region of Ardeche, Rhone Alps, borders the Languedoc, Provence and Auvergne, with a climate that tends to be as varied as the landscape.
With a population of just over 10,000 at an altitude of 200 meters, Ardeche has been part of a nature reserve since 1980’s and since then been attracting tourists from all over the world.
The highlight of its natural wonders is the incredible Pont d'Arc with a 66 meter opening in its rock face located in the south of Ardeche.
The adventures in South Ardeche don’t stop there. Due to geological changes and fast-flowing river, narrow gorges have created one of the most stellar canyons in France. The splendor of these gorges is accessible by ordinary visitors either by canoe or white-water rafting right on the waters. Or for a more serene route, join the locals for a woodland jaunt on foot along the many trails on the riverbank.
For a slower pace, the region’s castles, spa towns, and rolling vineyards should promise a most memorable visit.
Guests can visit the cliff-top village of Balazuc, with its ochre houses overlooking the Ardeche River. The Prehistoric Caves at Chauvet discovered in 1994, welcome travelers wishing to see first-hand the ancient caves that display magnificent paintings and engravings. While primed for more health-inclined visitors, the Spa Town Vals-les-Bains invites a warm soak any one of over a hundred medicinal springs.
The Archede capital Privas covers an area of 550,000 hectares in the East, home to a rich culture and gastronomic delights. The region is the leading producer of chestnuts often sampled in local fare, as such chesnuts abound in soups, ragouts and gratins and more commonly sampled as local luxuries of marron glace or sugar-crystallized chestnuts. In fact, a charming dessert called Mont Blanc named after the famous mountain in Archede is made with pureéd chestnuts formed into a mound and topped with whipped cream.
