Guide to the Ardèche and Properties in Department 07

The Ardèche department in South-East France is well known for its mountainous scenery and dramatic gorges. Every summer tourists flock here to kayak down its rivers and hike up its mountains. This is also the home of the major annual road cycling event, L'Ardéchoise.  The Ardeche department (number 07) lies within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and borders the departments of Drôme, Haute-Loire, Loire, Vaucluse, Gard, Lozère and Isère. The dramatic landscape embraces the deep ravines and valleys of the Ardèche river and the heights of Mont Mézenc and the Massif Central, which lies to the west.  Privas is the capital of the Ardeche and the smallest administrative capital of any department in France. It is not the largest settlement in the Ardèche, however, and is in fact fifth in size, the largest in terms of population being Annonay.

There are many beautiful villages to explore which are full of character and history. One of these is the charming village of Alba-la-Romaine which has an impressive castle and an old town where many of the buildings date back to the 16th and 17th century.

The main visitor attractions in the Ardèche, however, are related to its picturesque and dramatic landscape. They include the Gorges de l'Ardeche, and the Regional Natural Park of the Monts d'Ardèche.

The town of Vallon Pont d'Arc is a favourite with tourists and in high season its many cafés and restaurants are buzzing with people soaking up the sun and the atmosphere of this lively resort as they take a break from their outdoor pursuits.

When it comes to cuisine, the Ardèche is renowned for its sweet chestnuts which are used to make marron glacé and crème de marrons which features in many local recipes. Another local speciality is the crique, similar to a Swiss rosti and made with grated potato and seasoning. Are you looking for a property in Ardeche or the Rhone?