Situated in the Monts d'Ardeche, our house is at the centre of a small terrace built into the mountainside and just 5 minutes walk into the centre of the village of St Pierreville. All of the windows and a Juliet balcony on the first floor have stunning views and look out over the village surrounded by chestnut woods, the valley with a river running through it and the mountain ridge opposite. Both for a relaxing holiday of sunbathing and al fresco dining in a peaceful rustic setting and an ideal base from which to go hiking, biking, kayaking, swimming and rock-climbing; not to mention tasting the wines of the Ardeche region, the Rhone valley and the Clairette de Die in the Drome; the blue -shuttered house in St Pierreville fits the bill.
The house......
The house is on 3 floors:
On the ground floor is a comfortable lounge/diner; a well-equipped kitchen with washing machine, fridge freezer, gas cooker with electric oven, microwave and a dishwasher; a pantry area with storage and a cloakroom with toilet and wash basin.
Stairs to the 1st floor.
On the first floor is a double bedroom with kingsize bed; a second bedroom with bunk beds and a single bed and a small shower room with wash basin and separate toilet.
Stairs to 2nd floor.
On the second floor is a converted attic double bedroom with kingsize bed and en suite bathroom. The back door leads onto the first of the garden terraces from this floor.
The house has broadband and a CD player. There are also a number of board games, plenty of fiction on the bookshelves plus books and maps about the area and folders of information about places to visit.
A small number of children's books are available in the bunk room.
The garden.....
Behind the house our garden rises in 5 terraces which include a herb garden, a decking area with table and chairs for alfresco meals, areas for sunbathing or sitting in the shade of our cherry and chestnut trees and plenty of space to play boules or badminton. Sets are available at the house. Also available is a selection of garden furniture and loungers which can be used on any of the terraces, but which should be returned to the first terrace at the end of the stay. There are also 2 barbecues for use on the 1st terrace....1 small and 1 medium-sized and a number of lanterns with night lights for use on the 1st and 2nd terrace in the garden. Both terraces are good areas for enjoying a meal and/or drinks outside.
Guests can park their vehicles on the top terrace if they wish to have secure parking and can access this terrace from the small road behind the property.
There is also a parking area opposite the school which is just down the road.
Also on the small road behind the property is a field with goal posts which is available to the general public and a games court.
It is important to note that because our house and garden have a large number of stairs and steps, people with limited mobility may find it difficult.
Children should be supervised in the garden since it is terraced and has several sets of steps.
The house is most suitable for couples and families.
We operate a non-smoking and no pets policy.
No stag or hen parties.
Bed linen and towels are provided, but we would ask guests to bring their own swimming towels.
The village.....
It is a 5 minute walk into the centre of the village where guests will find a baker, a butcher, a small shop/newsagent and the post office in The Mairie plus 3 restaurants/bars.
There is a market every Sunday morning in the village square and often live music. After your shopping you may like to sit with a coffee or an aperatif and enjoy the music. There is a small gallery in the square where local artists display their pictures, sculptures and pottery and are usually on hand on Saturday and Sunday mornings to answer questions. There is also a newly opened pottery on the square exhibiting beautiful artifacts to buy.
A larger gallery can be found down in the valley at Pont d'Aleyrac. Posters advertising exhibitions here can be found in the village square and it is a pleasant walk down to the gallery on a path to the right of the baker's.
In addition a number of local artists welcome visitors to their ateliers.
Details of opening times are provided at the house.
Since St Pierreville is a centre of chestnut production, there is a chestnut museum in the village. There is also an atelier called Ardelaine specialising in wool production which you can visit and which also has a boutique selling beautiful woollen goods, a cafe and an excellent restaurant, often with visiting musicians.
Transport.....
Having your own transport is essential since the village is 14 kms from the nearest town of St Sauveur where there are 2 small supermarkets, a pharmacy, fuel and a cashpoint at the CA bank along with various other shops, restaurants and bars. Driving to St Sauveur takes about 20 minutes.
There is also a good and lively market in St Sauveur on Saturday mornings with all of the usual stalls plus a fantastic cheese van selling wonderful local mountain cheeses and a large olive stall.
As you travel down towards St Sauveur on the left and just before you reach the town, there is a lovely river beach with cafe, loos, picnic area and plenty of parking. There are rocks to dive from and deep water for swimming, but also a shallow area for younger children to play in. A lifeguard is on duty during July and August and there are often evening entertainments too.
Buses can be caught in St Sauveur northwards towards Le Cheylard and southwards towards Valence and buses also run regularly to and from Privas, the Ardeche department capital.
Getting there.....
Airports at Lyons, Avignon and Nimes are all about two and a quarter hours drive away. Marseilles airport is about 2 hours drive away.
Eurostar travels direct to Paris or Lille and then you can take a TGV train to Valence TGV station.
The closest destinations are Valence and Valence TGV . Both are one and a quarter hours drive from St Pierreville.
It is possible to pick up a hire care from the airports and the stations mentioned.
Detailed directions can be provided for guests who are driving.
Things to do and excursions.....
The walking around St Pierreville is fantastic and varied in length and difficulty from a gentle stroll along the river to some serious mountain hiking. There are a number of maps and directions at the house in French and in English. It is great mountain cycling territory too with some off road tracks, but for those who prefer a more gentle cycling gradient, there is La Dolce Via which follows the old railway line along the river Eyrieux. Bikes can be hired in Les Ollieres and St Sauveur. There is also a great cycling route along the river Rhone with cycle hire at La Voulte.
There is kayaking on the river Eyrieux and an outdoor adventure centre on the river Eyrieux between St Sauveur and Les Ollieres complete with zip wires over the river and rock climbing. (About 25 minutes drive away). Details are available at the house.
Just to the south of Le Cheylard and on the main road between Le Cheylard and St Sauveur is a large lake and water sports complex with outdoor swimming pool and water chutes. It is about 45 minutes drive from St Pierreville.
A little further afield and about 75 minutes drive from St Pierreville are the following:
Mont (mountain) Gerbier....a conical volcanic mountain with great views from the top. It is a tough climb, some of it using ropes, but it is well worth the effort.
Entrance and parking free.
Mont Mézanc, higher than Gerbier, but a much easier climb. Entrance and parking free.
The lake at St Martial with a sandy beach, swimming and pedalos. Entrance and parking free.
The Ray Pic waterfalls....a lovely woodland walk to get to them. Entrance and parking free.
The Ardeche gorges and the Pont d'Arc are about 90 minutes drive away.
The city of Valence is an hour away; Grenoble just under 2 hours.
A smaller and more manageable town is Montélimar, renowned for its nougat.
The cities of Lyons, Nimes and Avignon are about two and a quarter hours away by motorway.
