The Auberge du Lac in Saint-Marcel-les-Annonas
at the gates of Pilat Regional Natural Park and 6 km from Annona, the most populous town in the Ardèze and the cradle of hot air ballooning, Saint-Marcel-les-Annones is a charming 4-star house owned by the Collectionneurs, with a charming view of Lake Terne. Twelve floral-inspired rooms, an infinity pool, traditional cuisine by a master chef, and lakeside companionship with Canadian accents that reflect the sky. To outline it, or as a digestive walk, take the Chemin de Ronde, a nearly 4km path lined with cedars of Lebanon and some redwoods that skirts the lake. Light sleepers will definitely note this, as some rooms face the road, and are also very well insulated.
The natural side. Arguably the least known part of the destination, the green Ardèche or Haute Ardèche in the north of the department is El Dorado for those escaping the tourist rush. Here we meet green villages, forests and forests, lakes and rivers, vineyards, from which several peaceful villages emerge, gentle valleys and mountains that rarely rise above 1300 m. A hot air balloon setting, of course.
Cost: from €89 per night for 2 people. Breakfast: €14/person. Menu: 41/48/64 euros.
Auberge du Lac, Le Ternay, 07100 Saint-Marcel-lès-Annonay. Such. 04 75 67 12 03.
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Mother Biquet in Saint-Pon
In Southern Ardeshe, 7 km from Alba-la-Romain, in the village of Saint-Pon, the 3-star Logis de France, La Mère Biquette is a rural hideaway between vineyards and chestnut orchards at the end of a small winding road. Ideal for a relaxing short stay, this old renovated basalt farmhouse has 15 rooms, a 4ha swimming pool in a pleasant shaded and flowery garden and a restaurant serving regional cuisine. We take the opportunity to discover from Saint-Pon (fewer than 300 souls) the lost village of La Roche Cherie and its curious chapel perched on a neck. On the same theme, less than 2 km away, the charming village of Sceautres, built at the foot of an imposing pass, whose ascent (15 minutes, easy, with a handrail) allows you to dominate the surrounding landscape.
The natural side. The Coiron Plateau, east of Saint-Pon, an atypical microregion composed of ancient lava flows dating back 8 million years. Taking the small signposted tourist road from Privas to Villeneuve-des-Bergs, in about twenty kilometers you will discover a wild landscape of meadows and highlands, surrounded by wooded masses marking the peaks, a few scattered farms and villages.
Cost: from 70 euros per night in a double room. Breakfast: €12/person. Menu: 26/32 euros.
Hôtel La Mère Biquette, Les Allignols district, 3055 route de Sceautres, 07580 Saint-Pons. Such. 04 75 36 72 61.
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Domaine de Chalvêches in Faugères
In the Ardèche Cévennes, Faugères, a pink sandstone village nestled in a cirque, offers a preserved environment where Domaine de Chalvêches invites its guests to forget the hustle and bustle of the world and reconnect with nature. The address, which is between a bed and breakfast and a four-star hotel, offers accommodation with hotel services scattered around the hill, in addition to three classic rooms in the main building; for those who want to experience the luxury of being one-on-one with nature. And for those who want to feel their philosopher-naturalist side Thoreau way, a new chalet, 80 m.2: It is offered with a kitchen from this season. A small paradise with swimming pool, spa, bar and wine cellar, snack area and evening restaurant La Paillotte in an old stone tower from 1870 (May to September only).
The natural side. The Monts d’Ardèche Regional Natural Park, its hilly and green landscapes with terraces planted with vineyards and its rural lands lined with footpaths that you can cross thanks to the sheets required from reception. And also, the strange Paiolive wood, an ancient forest that runs through the gorges of the Chasesac.
Cost: from €205 per night for 2 people in a safari tent. Breakfast: 22 euros.
Hôtel Domaine de Chalvêches and Spa, 07230 Faugères. Such. 04 75 35 76 16:00
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Villa Walbaum in Vallon-Pont-d’Arc
Famous for its arch, the starting point for canoe trips in the Ardèche gorges, Vallon Pont d’Arc is also famous for its vineyards. Founded seven generations ago, the Walbaum estate invites you to stay in the heart of the Ardèche vineyard in the IGP Ardèche area. Villa Walbaum, a former family home with the appearance of a Palladian villa recently converted into a magnificent 4* hotel, offers 12 elegant rooms, fine dining in the evenings, an outdoor pool and a range of oenological experiences. Protected by centuries-old cedars, wood, olive trees and springs, the building fascinates with its unspoiled nature and intimate atmosphere. In terms of wellness, the hotel has partnered with the new Séquoia Redwood spa at Thermes de Vals-les-Bains.
The natural side. the estate, which stretches over 60 hectares, made up of vines, olive trees, forests and banks along the Ardèche River, and which you can contemplate from a canopy by ordering a tasting on a century-old wood (supervised activity, 2 hours, from €45 ).
Cost From €165 per double room including breakfast.
Domaine de Walbaum, 615 route des Estrades, 07150 Vallon-Pont-d’Arc. Such. 04 75 88 01 70.
Hotel du Couvent in Vagnas
Still further south, on the edge of the Gard, a beautiful stone building at 2000m2:Around an inner courtyard planted with hundred-year-old lime trees, a four-star hotel has been located since June 2918, which promotes an escape from the world. The sense of peace and tranquility inspired by the former convent founded in the mid-19th century, which remained until 1992, is emphasized by the large vaulted corridors and the modern decoration of the 29 rooms. As for the restaurant La Table de la Boissière, open only in the evening, it sits in an old dining room with a menu that smells of aromatic herbs and edible flowers from the garden. Pool, in room massages, shop selling local produce and soon 500m spa2: complete the offer.
The natural side. The magnificent gorges of Ardèche, 30 minutes away, or about twenty minutes, less impressive but more peaceful, the gorges of Cez, below Garde. An unknown sanctuary of biodiversity, there is also a river with clear and peaceful waters, Cèze; waterfalls; caves, including Salamander Cave; typical villages; lavender fields…
Cost: from €195 per double room. Breakfast: €18/person. À la carte from €56 starter/main course/dessert.
Hotel du Couvent de Vagnas, La Boissière, 07150 Vagnas. Such. 04 87 22 00 30.
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Source: Le Figaro
