The essential podcasts for your holidays in Ardeche
Listen carefully for information on what you are about to see!'
Welcome to Ardeche in your Ear, the essential podcasts for your next holiday.
Many people travel with a camera, but Hervé takes a microphone. In this series, he will lead you on a journey of discovery through the southern part of Ardeche, a warm and friendly region which promises a great lifestyle in outstanding scenery. So listen carefully to find out what treats you have in store, from natural sites to leisure activities, special events to heritage attractions, not to forget meetings with our local artists and crafts people. Just be prepared for Ardeche to amaze you!
A circle and a thousand fragments
Today, we’re taking you to the heart of Ardèche, on the watershed line between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, which hosts an open-air art trail stretching over a hundred kilometers. The village of Mazan l’Abbaye is home to a contemporary work by the artist Felice Varini, famous for his anamorphic art : “A circle and a thousand fragments” invites visitors to see the village’s architecture with fresh eyes and to stay curious and attentive to every detail as they explore the abbey ruins. Eléonore Jacquiau-Chamska, production manager for the art trail that runs through the Monts d’Ardèche Natural Park, and the artist Felice Varini tell us more about the watershed art project and this particular work.
Lavender craft and family memories
In this episode, we are heading to Saint-Remèze in the south of the department close to Vallon-Pont-d’Arc. There we are going to visit La Maison de la Lavande where you can find out all about this amazing flower with its evocative fragrance and medicinal properties. The story of the centre dates back to 1922 when César Brun bought a sheep farm where he started to harvest wild lavender. In the late ‘30s, he began to cultivate fine lavender and bought his first still. By the ‘90s, the farm buildings had stood empty for some 20 years, but in 2002, they were restored by new owners and transformed into the Lavender Museum. Then in 2015, César Brun’s great-grandchildren bought the estate and added various new activities including an educational beehive, an immersive 360° show about ‘Marius, the child of the lavender fields’, and a treasure hunt for children. The museum, shop and café are surrounded by lavender fields and essential oils are extracted on site for use in a wide range of products. We hear from Adrien who drives the little lavender train on tours around the estate to find out more about the origins of lavender cultivation and the distillation process. And we speak to Nathalie, great-granddaughter of the founder, about the family sheep farm and all her happy memories.
From North to South on the ViaRhôna
In the last episode of the current season, we’re taking you on a journey from the north to the south of the department along the ViaRhôna, an easy cycle track that crosses the Ardèche for 93km on its journey from Lac Léman to the Mediterranean. The journey begins at Tournon-sur-Rhône where we meet David Faure, creator of two unique barges, Slow Food Café and Bed and Bicycle, that are moored side by side just a short walk from the town centre. Open all year, Slow Food Café serves local produce and homemade dishes that are both healthy and full of flavour. And right next door to the cafe, the Bed and Bicycle barge has been beautifully restored to combine cosy comfort with industrial décor in its five spacious cabins. Cyclists can stow their bikes securely overnight in a refurbished container where they can also recharge their e-bikes and carry out any necessary repairs.
Our second stop is a La Voulte-sur-Rhône, a strategic half-way point along the Ardèche section of the ViaRhôna and awarded the ‘Accueil Vélo’ label by the Ardèche Buissonnière tourist office. It’s a lovely place to take a break from the route and visit the village, or to make a detour on two other gentle cycle routes, the Dolce Via and La Payre. But you can’t talk about the Rhône Valley without thinking about vineyards, so then we carry on southwards to Bourg-Saint-Andéol and the Cousignac vineyards where Hervé meets Raphaël Pommier, music-loving winemaker and big fan of his local area.
Crossing Ardèche from north to south on the ViaRhôna is a delightful way to appreciate its diversity and contrasts, to step down a gear and enjoy the journey, and to help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint.
