Self Catering in the Ardeche, South of France

We left late from the UK, driving through the night, destination Ardeche, South of France.

In a warm, beautiful part of the South of France, set in the idyllic mountains of the Massif Central, is the Ardeche region which is a mountainous area leading up from the Rhone valley, south of Lyon, opposite the Alps. The Ardeche - South of France, is famed for its rustic charm – set away from the main tourist destinations, it is not so easy to access. This helps to maintain its authenticity, and traditional French way of life. The nearest airports from the UK are Lyon and Nimes – approximately 2hrs drive away from the centrally located medieval town of Aubenas. The nearest main train station is Valence, on the French high-speed TGV line, just over 1 hr drive from Aubenas.

Our destination in Ardeche - South of France, was just around the corner from Aubenas. We were to stay in luxury accommodation, of which there is limited choice in this part of Ardeche. Accommodation comes in many guises – there are plenty of holiday rentals in the form of gites, which are usually basic in nature. On top of this in Ardeche there are many campsites, many of which are located along the course of the Ardeche River. Of course there are plenty of hotels and villas, bed and breakfasts, guest rooms as well as houses to rent.

The Ardeche river meanders its way through the Ardeche gorge, flowing down towards the Rhone river and onto the South of France. It is a large natural canyon carved out of the rock from thousands of years of water flowing through it. It is part of a larger national park. Dotted along the side of the river are located plenty of camping accommodation. Campsites in the Ardeche - South of France, usually contain plenty of activities as well as accommodation alone. For those located along the rivers there are activities such as canoeing and kayaking, activities that are packed full of fun! The Ardeche river in the South of France in the summer, is wonderfully warm, and there are many places along its banks that attract sunbathers, paddlers and swimmers . It is a safe place for children and adults to swim as the rapids are shallow and not very fast. You can even see people bringing their pets for a swim!

Canoeing or kayaking gently down the river discovering all the wildlife along the way is a magical experience. Swimming with wild ducks feeding only a few metres away was a wonderful experience! A famous point along the river not to be missed is the Vallon Pont D’Arc, a natural stone bridge across the canyon. It is about 30m high and 50m wide. One of the natural wonders of the South of France.

In Ardeche - South of France, there are plenty of other sports to do as well. Locally, in Aubenas, there is go-karting, as well as quad-biking. Mountain bikes can be hired. The mountains offer excellent trails for mountainbiking. There is no shortage of walking locations for ramblers either. There is canyoning – the donning of a wetsuit and following the trail downstream of a mountain river, jumping down waterfalls etc – not for the fainthearted! There are even tours of the Ardeche region to be had in a microlight. There you can view the full and varied landscape of the South of France from the air! Then there are the more leisurely activities of sightseeing, the fabulous tasting and eating of the rich variety of regional cuisines as well as the multitude of locally grown wines to be appreciated. In the summer, there are many festivals to attend, celebrating all aspects of the region including some music festivals.

We arrived early in the morning, after a 12 hour comfortable drive, and were introduced by the concierge to our luxury accommodation, a restored 14th century farmhouse, converted to beautiful stone-walled apartments. All the mod cons were there as well as a large welcoming pool! We stayed in a large 3 bedroomed apartment, which was perfectly designed to sleep up to 8 people. All the apartments had their own balconies or patios with the use of the communal pool and petanque/barbecue area and yet were quite independent from one another. There were only 4 apartments in all which kept the place busy but yet very cosy.

We had a choice when choosing our holiday in the South of France. We ultimately chose the Ardeche region, as well as the higher end of the market, as there were 8 of us and we all felt we deserved a bit of luxury for the hard work we had all put into our previous year’s work.

The South of France has always been a favourite destination for our family as well as with our friends. We first went down to the South of France when we were in our twenties and we stayed many times in some of the more famous up market places of the South of France such as Nice and St. Tropez. As we got older and started families, we moved more over to the other side of the South of France, which was quieter, but easier for us with children, staying in self catering places along the Atlantic coast. It was only fairly recently that we discovered Ardeche - South of France. When I say Ardeche - South of France, well it is in the South of France but you only get the weather of the South of France up to a certain point in Ardeche. Go North of Aubenas by only 20 miles or so and the temperature drops by a few degrees. The heat in the summer from the Mediterranean South of France tends to form a bell curve going up the Rhone valley between the two sets of mountains, the Alps and the Massif Central. The Ardeche catches that bell curve and the South of Ardeche in particular can get very hot in summer. In fact the vegetation reflects the Mediterranean climate as you can find palm trees as well as mimosa, oleander, olive trees, fig trees etc…

Looking for accommodation for large family groups was not an easy thing as there are lots of self catering holidays advertised in the Ardeche, South of France. However, the criteria in choosing our self catering accommodation was finding an up market package away from the normal tourist trail that could offer the kind of relaxing holiday we were looking for whilst not miles from local life. We certainly found it in the luxuriously furnished stone farmhouse that was offered as a self catering holiday. It could easily accommodate several families whilst allowing members of a large group to be comfortably independent from each other and still be together. An idyllic retreat and although tucked away in the countryside with magnificent views over the Ardeche mountains it was only a few miles away from the medieval town of Aubenas, in the most southerly part of the Ardeche region, with its profusion of restaurants and activities whether cultural or water linked.

So self catering it was and for us sun seekers, in the South of France, in a luxurious environment with a large pool and stunning views at a very attractive price in an area far away from the over crowded places usually attached to the South of France.

What we will certainly keep in mind is the fact that should we wish to celebrate a family event such as a special birthday or a special anniversary we can choose this place. It can comfortably sleep up to 26 people. Large family accommodations are very difficult to find whether you want the Ardeche region in the South of France, Provence or along the Cote d’Azur. With plenty of bathrooms and toilets throughout the 4 apartments, it is very comfortable for large families and other large groups.

Ardeche-South of France is quite unique in that it is the only Department (like an English county) in the whole of France where there are no autoroutes, no passenger trains and not one commercial airport. Every French Department has a town which is the administrative capital. The town of Privas, to the North of Aubenas, is the capital town of the Ardeche and the only capital, in the whole of France, which does not have a railway station.

To be continued…….

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