Our Tourist Office Ardèche mountain

For those who love venturing into nature, our region offers a multitude of marked hiking trails suitable for all levels. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced hiker, you are sure to find a walk that meets your needs and allows you to admire the exceptional landscapes of our area.

1. Peaceful walk along rivers and waterfalls
2. Sports course in the mountains for the most daring
3. Hiking around lakes and bodies of water

Also, don't forget that the Montagne d'Ardèche is ideal for mountain biking. By mountain bike you can discover our region from another angle and enjoy its spectacular panoramas!

Winter is also a good season to come and explore the Ardèche. The snow then covers the landscape, providing a majestic setting for your snowshoe or cross-country ski escapades. For an original experience, you can even try a dog sled outing and share a unique moment with these exceptional animals.

The Croix de Bauzon resort offers 11 downhill ski slopes, as well as a play area for children and a circuit dedicated to cross-country skiing. You can also try Nordic ski touring. Finally, treat yourself to unforgettable laughs thanks to the sleds and snow buoys!

The Chavade Nordic area, for its part, allows you to taste all the joys of snow: snowshoe hikes, traditional tobogganing or snow tubing, cross-country or hiking skiing, biathlon, outings with dogs. sled.

The winter activities program appears every year in December. Don't miss the one for the 2024 winter holidays!

Throughout the year, Ardèche offers a wide range of cultural, festive and friendly events. Local markets, regularly organized in our picturesque villages, will allow you to discover and taste local products.

Discover the two star products of the region, which benefit from the AOP (Protected Designation of Origin) label: Fin Gras du Mézenc beef, Picodon cheese and chestnuts, of course!

Fin Gras du Mézenc AOP is a seasonal beef, coming from animals raised exclusively on grass and hay on the Mézenc terroir. The appellation concerns 194 breeders applying the ancestral breeding methods of our region. AOP meat is only distributed in 142 traditional butchers, from February to June.

Picodon AOP, a goat cheese with a distinctive character, is made from raw goat's milk. It reflects traditional farming methods and a close connection between producers and their land. Its aging process, which varies in length, gives it subtle to pronounced aromas, making Picodon a cheese appreciated by both amateurs and connoisseurs. A true symbol of the region, it plays a vital role in the gastronomic identity of the Ardèche Mountains.

For its part, the Ardèche AOP chestnut comes in three specialties: fresh chestnut, dried chestnut and chestnut flour. Production, harvesting and processing respect traditional methods and are carried out in the AOP geographical area, according to precise specifications. Many products are also made from Ardèche AOP chestnuts: jams, creams, cakes, etc.

Ardèche is rich in terroir and a living gastronomic tradition. During your stay, don't miss the region's unmissable specialties:
• maôche, a specialty of the Ardèche plateau, made from sausage meat and stuffed cabbage cooked in a pork belly;
• abomasum, a charcuterie specialty made from pork, vegetables such as spinach, salads, herbs and aromatics;
• goat's or cow's cheese, particularly artisous cheeses, made on the Velay plateaus from raw milk;
• local charcuterie, particularly tasty and renowned.
And do you know the Bistrots de Pays de la Montagne d’Ardèche? These establishments guarantee you quality service and “Goûtez l’Ardèche®” labeled products for an authentic gourmet experience.

Throughout the seasons, the Montagne d'Ardèche vibrates to the rhythm of the local festivals and events that enliven our territory. Concerts, shows, children's activities... you're bound to find an event that suits you! Don't hesitate to consult our events program to plan your outings and stock up on souvenirs.

The local associations, very active and passionate, organize concerts and dances during the season, as well as occasionally throughout the rest of the year. The tourist office organizes the "Nights of the Mountains" festival, which offers four concerts of varied musical styles, scheduled between July 14th and August 15th in four different villages. Book your tickets online starting at the end of June.

Find all the events in the Ardèche Mountains here.

For swimming enthusiasts, the Montagne d'Ardèche has no shortage of spots where you can cool off. Whether in the crystal clear waters of the rivers, the emerald-colored lakes or the natural swimming pools, you will always find an ideal place to take a dip. If you are a thrill-seeker, opt for a canyoning descent.

To fully enjoy your camping holiday in the Ardèche , we offer a wide selection of accommodations to suit all tastes and budgets: campsites with spacious and comfortable pitches, and warm and functional chalets offering all the necessary comforts. Whatever your preference, don't hesitate to check out our offers and book your next cozy retreat now!

The Montagne d'Ardèche and Haut-Vivarais, to the north, offer a superb panorama from Les Boutières and Mont Mézenc, the highest point of the department. The Middle Vivarais, with its steep and rocky landscapes, unfolds in the center, while the south or Bas-Vivarais is occupied by the Ardèche basin.

The Ardèche is also the birthplace of the Loire, the longest river in France, which rises at Mont Gerbier-de-Jonc in the Ardèche Mountains. Finally, it boasts thousands of hectares of forest, including the Mazan forest, as well as green pastures in the Mézenc massif.

A contrasting department par excellence, Ardèche also stands out in terms of climate. Indeed, while the north offers temperate conditions, the mountainous regions are extremely cold and windy in winter. The south of the department, for its part, enjoys a Mediterranean climate.

One of the advantages of this variability lies in the choice of activities it allows. From winter sports to water sports, from hiking to mountain biking, from climbing to caving, there is something for everyone.

The Montagne d'Ardèche, very popular in summer, remains a little haven of freshness when the heatwave stifles the south of the department: swimming in lakes and rivers, hiking and other activities are practiced in the open air, allowing our visitors to take a big breath of rejuvenating fresh air.

Tourism occupies a preponderant place in Ardèche with nearly sixteen million overnight stays estimated in 2023. Ardèche is also the leading department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in cycle tourism and green tourism. The three spa resorts, the villages of character and those labeled “Most beautiful villages in France”, the Global Geopark label and the listing of the Chauvet cave as a UNESCO world heritage site, the presence of the largest animal park in the ARA region are all assets for Ardèche. The Gerbier-Mézenc natural area is also a candidate for the Grand Sites de France label.

Although a rural department, with only 59 inhabitants per square kilometer, Ardèche is also a lively territory, which brings together numerous associations and has a dynamic economy. The services sector brings together more than half of Ardèche businesses and 70% of jobs, followed by commerce (14 jobs), construction, industry and agriculture.

Much more than a tourist destination, Ardèche is a department where life is good. Who knows, maybe your visit to the Montagne d’Ardèche will make you want to settle there for good!