Delicious local products and fine dining
Enjoy Southern Ardèche’s world-famous local products, including chestnuts, goat cheese, wine, olive oil, honey, and more
Give your eyes and taste buds a treat at local restaurants and farmers’ markets (Les Vans, Ruoms, Joyeuse, l'Argentière)
An historic rural heritage
Explore fascinating villages with features typical of the region, including dolmens, stone-walled terraces, and delicately cobblestoned roadways (Gravières, Joyeuse, Les Assions, Ribes, Payzac and Valgorge).
Activities
Ardèche offers a multitude of activities. Stroll through an historic town, shop in an outdoor market, enjoy a delicious meal, kayak down a rushing river, admire a prehistoric site, hike through a breathtaking landscape. Southern Ardèche is a world apart.
A wild landscape and welcoming climate
The Cévennes Plateau, with its forests (Païolive Forest), mountains (the Tanargue Mountains), and pristine rivers (Chassezac Gorges), gives plenty of scope for staying active. Walk or hike its nature trails (Des Lauzes and Tour de Tanargue hiking trails), bike along its deserted roads, go climbing or paragliding on its slopes, enjoy fishing, swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking, rafting, or canyoning on its many waterways, or take in a horseback ride in idyllic surroundings.
Southern Ardeche is relatively hot and dry in the summer, rainy in the fall, especially in October, with mild winters and a lovely springtime.
Southern Ardeche is relatively hot and dry in the summer, rainy in the fall, especially in October, with mild winters and a lovely springtime.
Local crafts
Southern Ardeche has been a focal point for all types of craftspeople for decades. Well-known French glassblowers, potters and woodturners have settled there, inspired by its history, culture and landscape.
Ceramics, jewellery making, glassblowing, sculpture, leatherworking, woodworking, and stone working are a few of the crafts you’ll find in the area.
Joyeuse is well known for its artists’ workshops and shops, overflowing with creations expressing the unique French ‘art de vivre’.
Ceramics, jewellery making, glassblowing, sculpture, leatherworking, woodworking, and stone working are a few of the crafts you’ll find in the area.
Joyeuse is well known for its artists’ workshops and shops, overflowing with creations expressing the unique French ‘art de vivre’.
A rich local culture
A number of events celebrating the local customs and products of Southern Ardèche occur throughout the year, including fairs, food festivals, sports and artistic events, and more.
