ARDÈCHE / DRÔME STORY ANGLES 

The ‘departments’ of Ardèche and Drôme are both located in the region of the Rhône-Alpes in France.  They have little in common with their neighbouring Alpine ‘departments’ and have more similarity with Provence to the south.  These ‘departments’ straddle the Rhône River with the Vercors and Alps to the east and the Massif Central to the west.  Easy to reach by road from the UK and also by TGV and Eurostar, new travel options have become possible recently with the introduction of low cost flights to Nîmes, St. Etienne and Montpellier to enhance the services already extant into Geneva and Lyons.  Great holiday destinations at any time of the year, these unspoilt areas of France have much to offer.   

ARDÈCHE 

 Gastronomy – a bouquet of flavours 

o       Annonay’s Puppets - are tiny figures of animals, and of hot air balloons (!), made out of butter, sugar, flour and eggs with peel and pink colouring, by the Maison Chabert and are eaten only once a year at Easter.  The recipe is a closely guarded secret. 

o       The Bugne – is a sugary delight eaten at Christmas time only and only in St. Jean -le-Centenier at a festival to start the Christmas markets. The Bugne Brotherhood awards a prize for the best bugne and the collection of toys for children in need begins. 

o       Terre Adelice – a company specialising in fruit sorbets using real fruit and no additives, preservatives etc.  Local produce is used wherever possible with sorbets flavoured with tarragon, rosemary, verbena and even goats milk cottage cheese!  Local fruits include quinces, figs, plums, rhubarb and tomatoes. 

o       Caramels, sweets and chocolates – are popular all over the region but those from the Atelier des Douceurs de Jean-Louis Pascal are especially renowned.  His shop is a gourmet’s paradise. 

o       Chestnuts – one of the most important local products, chestnuts are used in many ways – even in beer and liqueurs! Probably the most famous use of the fruit is to make ‘marrons glaces’. The Ardèche is the main producer in France. 

o       Bilberries – the Ardèche is the largest producer of wild bilberries too.  There is a bilberry festival held every year in the Cevennes area of the ‘department’.

In fact the area is the second producer in France of berries. 

o       Cheeses – Picadon as in the Drôme, as well as Goudoulet – cows milk cheese with a mild flavour and Coucouron. 

o       Wines of the Ardèche – very unusual and very good – from the St. Joseph, both red and white and Condrieu which is excellent with fish and foie gras.  Côtes du Rhône Villages and Cornas red as well as a sparkling Saint-Peray come from the Ardèche.  A new AOC label has recently been awarded to the Cotes du Vivarais. 

 Fragrances of the Ardèche 

o       Foxgloves are grown for digitalis and as in the Drôme there is a long tradition  of gathering medicinal plants although their whereabouts are kept secret! 

o       The Flycatcher of Tanargue – a rare dwarf perennial that lives in boggy areas – so beware! 

o       Oaks, broom, gentians, anemones, clematis, honeysuckle …the list of wild flowers and plants that cover the region is endless. 

o       Eleonore Cruse – the Rose Lady, who discovered an old book of roses and decided to grow them!  She is now known as the expert on old roses and her rose garden is a reference point for the business.  Her garden is open once a year in June when many rare varieties can be viewed. 

o       Geraldine Holt – an Englishwoman who has created a Country Priests Garden in the heart of the Ardèche.  She writes books about the plants of the region and how to see them.  She collects rare varieties of herbs and plants and is now known as the expert on cooking with them and growing them. 

o       Pascale Quinon – learn how to cook with wild flowers and plants with Pascale. Stay at her house with fabulous views over the countryside. 

 Culture and Heritage 

o       Villages of the Ardèche – such as Alba La Romaine and Balazuc are essential places to visit to gain an idea of the history of the area.  These two are signatories to a quality charter that lays special emphasis on the warmth of welcome given to the visitor. 

o       Prehistory – the Ardèche like Brittany, Périgord and the Pyrénées has an exceptionally large number of prehistoric sites to be explored, the first people having arrived here 350,000 years ago.  

o       The Chauvet Cave - with its fabulous cave drawings is a World Heritage site.  This is the oldest painted cave in the world. 

o       The Soyons Archeological Site - covers 75 acres and includes a museum that introduces the history of mankind from the Neanderthals to the Middle-Ages.  Current excavations show how archaeologists work today. 

o       The Huguenots in the Vivarais – In the 16^th century, the Ardèche turned Prostestant following the Calvinist line, although the religion was not accepted until 1789.  In the meantime the Huguenots were persecuted.  For example, the services were secret and one can see today the Huguenots Cave at Vallon Pont d’Arc where congregations could gather. 

 A Natural Playground 

o       Summer sports – the Ardèche is a favourite spot for canoeing on one of four rivers catering for all levels of difficulty.  Rock is important in the area and climbers have over 20 miles of inclines to indulge them. Walking, trekking, fishing, horse-riding, mountain-biking, cycle tours and canyonning are all possible and hot-air ballooning and pot holing are popular. 

 Areas and Towns 

o       Green Ardèche – the north of the department, is divided by verdant valleys, there are vineyards and orchards.  Annonay, the largest town in Ardèche.  

o       Privas, the administrative centre of the ‘department’ is next to the Eyrieux Valley, famous for its peach trees. 

o       Ardèche Mountains – is a highland area rising to the peaks of Mont Mézenc and Gerbier de Jonc, where the Loire river rises before flowing down to the Atlantic. 

o       Ardèche Cévennes – The Cévennes massif produces marvellous scenery, springs and spas such as Vals-les-Bains, lively markets in places like Les Vans and a unique forest – the Païolive Wood with its ancient oaks and limestone outcrops. 

o       Southern Ardèche – the Mediterranean part of the region with warm weather and moorland creating a heady mixture.  Many underground caves and rivers exist in this area, but there is also the Ardèche River with its famous natural bridge – the Pont d’Arc. 

o       Monts d’Ardèche Natural Park – was the idea of the chestnut farmers of the area as the Park encloses all their land.  Their brainwave has meant the strengthening of the product with the area from which it comes and so when it comes to chestnuts there is no more experts than the people of the Monts d’Ardèche. 

o       Ardèche Gorges – are famous the world over. The limestone scenery has been carved out over 110 million years.  The gorges form a fascinating geological camera that is traversed by over 90,000 people a year. 

o       Ray-Pic Waterfalls – classified as a feature of outstanding natural beauty as early as 1931, with water pouring over a 200 foot basalt lava flow. 

o       Issarlès Lake – looks as though it should be part of the Mediterranean with its deep blue colour and enormity, over 255 acres in size and 450 foot deep! Lying at 3300 feet this is good place for summer water sports. 

o       Rhône River – forms the eastern boundary of the Ardèche with the two main stopping points being the towns of Tournon and Viviers –sur-Rhône.