Local Area
One of the most amazing, hidden, unspoiled areas in the South of France is the Ardeche. It is the intersection of Provence, Rhone-Alps, and Languedoc-Rouissillon - some of the most beautiful regions of France, as well as home to many of its finest wines!
In addition to the world-famous Ardèche river gorges and Vallon Pont d’Arc, there are so many other spots to choose and discover all the multiple facets of Ardèche – simultaneously sumptuous, savage and friendly.
Les Vans and the olive groves, Joyeuse and its magnificent mediaeval streets, Largentière and its historic buildings, Ruoms near the Ardèche river gorges, Aubenas, the market centre for the whole of southern Ardèche, Vals les Bains and its famous thermal spa, Privas, the capital of Ardèche and “marrons glaces” (delicious crystallised chestnuts), Annonay, where hot air balloons were invented, Lamastre in the hills and Tournon, a bustling market town and shopping centre on the river Rhône. Just some examples of the wealth of things to discover here plus the breathtaking views, landscapes, rivers, caves, museums and vineyards.
MEDIEVAL TOWNS
Ardeche is home to many beautiful villages, Vogue, Balazuc, Viviers, Alba-la-Romaine, Vals-les-Bains, Usez. This is also a region full of historical significance, and St Laurent has its own beauty and history. Earliest historical reference is to its church, founded in 673, in Pope Thomas II's Charte Vetus. Just under 1,000 years later, St Laurent was on the front line of combat during the Wars of Religion in the late 1500s, and it is believed that our home was built in the relative stability that followed.
CHARACTERISTIC MARKET TOWNS
Don't miss the morning and night markets! They start around 8:00 a.m. and close at noon - so get there early, and then join the rest of the market goers for a leisurely lunch! During the summer, there are markets every day in one of the nearby towns.
UNSPOILED NATURAL BEAUTY
There are huge caves and spectacular grottos, majestic valleys, canoeing and white water rafting, spelunking, mountain climbing, gliding and parasailing, and on the many quieter streams, fly fishing. Also nearby is "la Grotte Chauvet", evidence of one of the earliest European settlements.
The wildlife is beautiful & varied, with red squirrels, badgers, foxes, wild boar, bats, owls and songbirds. St Laurent is located on the basaltic plateau of Coiron. Seen from above, the plateau's shape resembles an oak leaf, with deep river valleys cut through the volcanic rock and in the heart of it all you will find The Art Farm.
The Art Farm is located at the Col de L'Escrinet, a famous bird watching site where many beautiful birds migrate over the valley and onwards to the North. Some days we simply relax in the sun watching the eagle saw overhead.
Also nearby is The Cevennes, France’s largest national Forest, relatively undeveloped largely due to the destruction of the area by French kings over 600 years ago in response to local defiance, particularly from the Cathars. Most of the vegetation is pine forest, but there are also beautiful groves of hardwood trees - particularly chestnuts! It is regarded by the French as an area of outstanding national beauty and is favored by the French themselves for their holidays.
CHESTNUT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
Ardeche is the world chestnut capital. The beams of the house are chestnut, many of the trees outside are chestnut.
Enjoy "marrons glaces" (candied chestnuts) at Sabaton in Aubenas, Laurent Faugier, simply a salad l'Ardechoise (with chestnuts & goat's cheese) or go wild for chestnuts at Privas annual chestnut festival.
An account of the festival - The festival, called Castagnades d’Automne, celebrating chestnuts grown in the Ardèche. I don’t think I have ever seen a single item celebrated in such an over the top fashion. After I had been there a little while and we’d gotten coffee and walked through the Saturday market, we saw that this giant chestnut roaster had been set up outside the Hotel de Ville. It was basically a rotating cage above a fire, full of chestnuts. Later in the day, it was opened up and free chestnuts and wine were distributed to all while a band played. It was amazing! And I ate too many chestnuts. Actually, following the free chestnuts we had a chestnut themed meal at a local restaurant. It consisted of a chestnut kir, a chestnut and cheese tartine, and a chestnut cake. On Sunday I also had a chestnut crepe and sampled chestnut spice bread at the market. If I had wanted to, I could have eaten chestnut pasta, bought chestnut flour, or chestnut sausage.
ARDECHE ADVENTURES CLICK HERE for more on Ardeche Adventures
The Ardèche river in particular is renowned across France for exhilarating canoeing and enchanting villages like Voguë, Balazuc or Labeaume. Relaxing towns also stand along the way, such as hilltop Aubenas and valley-bottom Vals-les-Bains, the latter a gentle spa town. There are further spas at Neyrac-les-Bains and St-Laurent-les-Bains. For refreshment, also visit the dramatic caves beside the southerly stretches of the Ardèche river. In the very south, the département becomes more gentle, with lavender fields, olive groves, and generous vineyards.
The southwestern corner of the area beyond such laid-back towns as Largentière and Les Vans has been declared a Parc Régional Naturel. Out west, the area also claims the source of the Loire, trickling down from the atmospheric height of the Mont Gerbier-de-Jonc, a 1,551 metre volcanic cone offering spectacular views.
As well as caneoing and potholing around the Ardèche, the area is renowned for having been the birthplace of hot-air ballooning, thanks to the Montgolfier brothers, who invented their pioneering method of flight beside the town of Annonay, which celebrates their invention.
Europe's largest (non-competitive) cycling event starts out from St-Félicien not far off. There are more relaxing ways of appreciating the département too, for instance taking the steam train from Tournon.
As regards gastronomy, lovers of marrons glacés should beat a path to the Maison Faugier at Privas and the Maison Sabaton at Labégude. Excellent goats' cheese is made in these parts. Hearty local Ardèche dishes include patés from the mountains and caillettes (meat balls mixed with spinach). In the south, fine olive oil is made. Amongst the many delicious wines produced beside the Rhône are St-Joseph, Cornas and St-Péray. Fine fruit liqueurs are also on offer. For much more information on the département de l'Ardèche, read the Cadogan guide to the Rhône-Alpes.
Many of the Ardèche's vast, colourful caves down in the south are open to the public. The most impressive include the Grottes de St-Marcel and the Grottes de la Madeleine.
This area is famous for hiking trial with a huge network of interlinked rural trails, ideal for walks, mushroom hunting, horseback riding, or mountain biking. The 2009 tour de france passed The Art Farm this year.
LOCAL WINES
There are many local wine growers, and local "caves", (collectives), in the villages. Southern Ardeche is home to the Cote du Rhone appellation, the oldest wine growing district in France...try the Louis Latour "Grand Ardeche". Vals-les-Bains is also home to a great local brewery - Bourganel.
In addition to the gluttonous gorging of chestnuts, there were other events. Like the “garcons” from the cafes that ran a “race” from cafe to cafe where they picked up drinks and tried not to break them. I saw them later in the day and it seemed like a lot of them had drank all their drinks and were breaking them on purpose.
Closest Airports:
Closest Train Stations:
For directions to The Art Farm please email - info@theartfarm.info
Car Hire
To explore this area as much as possible during your stay it is best to have a car: there are international rental agencies at Valence TGV, including Alamo, Avis, Budget, National, Europcar, Hertz, and local agencies such as Carrier. Make certain you reserve BEFORE you arrive - rental rates are much better when you reserve from outside of France.