Saint Martial

Typical of the Ardèche mountains, the village of Saint-Martial combines terraced crops and traditional houses. Slate roofs, a form of schist present in Ardèche and Lozère in particular, are characteristic of homes in the region. As for the terraces, they made it possible to exploit the land despite a steep terrain. They were used a lot until the 1970s and constitute a typical Ardèche landscape.

With the gradual abandonment of crops, the forest is gradually regaining ground, to the delight of green tourism enthusiasts. This is in fact the main asset of the village of Saint-Martial today: 3 hectares of nature with varied landscapes, from the famous Mont Gerbier-de-Jonc to the valleys carved out by the rivers of Pradal, Eysse and Escoutay… without forgetting Lake Saint-Martial!

Created in 1974, Lake Saint-Martial now welcomes many visitors each year. It has a beach, a water sports center and numerous leisure facilities. On 13 hectares perched at an altitude of 800 m, this body of water is ideal for cooling off after a hike in the Ardèche mountains or for enjoying the joys of relaxing at the foot of the volcanic juices.

Lake Saint-Martial is perfectly designed to allow you to spend relaxing moments with your family. You will find there in particular:

• a supervised swimming area in summer, with pontoon and diving board;
• a nautical base renting paddles, pedal boats, canoes and windsurfing boards;
• a play area for children;
• football, volleyball and tennis courts;
• picnic tables.

For lovers of leisurely walking, a 1,5 km long walking route allows you to go around the Saint-Martial lake in the shade of the trees. As for fans of fishing activities, they can practice floating line fishing at Lake Saint-Martial from May 1 to September 30, on Wednesdays and weekends.

Like any self-respecting green destination, Saint-Martial has developed an attractive accommodation and service offering. Sheltered from the major tourist spots of Ardèche, discover charming gîtes, intimate guest rooms or a family campsite with all the services!

As for catering, your stay in Saint-Martial is an opportunity to discover local products and Ardèche specialties: Fin Gras du Mézenc, cold meats and goat cheeses, mountain honey, chestnuts, porcini mushrooms... The village is home to various snack bars and restaurants , as well as local shops (tobacco bar, bakery, cured meats) and a market which is held every Tuesday. In season, the Gerbier-de-Jonc market is set up every day at the foot of the mountain!

The charming village of Saint-Martial is an ideal starting point for your escapades in the Montagne d'Ardèche. The surrounding area is full of ideas for outings and walks for young and old:

• visit to the Clapas farm;
• hikes on Mont Gerbier-de-Jonc or Mont Mézenc;
• walks along the rivers;
• mountain bike and horseback riding;
• botanical trail…

Two hiking routes are particularly interesting to discover near the lake and the village of Saint-Martial: the Chemin du Facteur (14 km) and Le tour des hameaux (12,8 km).