The Parc Naturel Régional des Monts d’Ardèche (PNR) was created at the turn of the century in recognition of the exceptional character of the Ardèche region, thanks to its art of living, the richness of its heritage and the beauty of its nature.
Monts d’Ardèche Regional Park
Officially inaugurated in 2001, the Monts d’Ardèche Regional Nature Park is one of France’s 51 regional nature parks.
It originated as an initiative by the department’s chestnut growers, who wanted to create a strong regional identity around chestnut growing.
Which territory?
Initially, it covered thewest of the department, but over time the area has expanded to include a number of communes in the Haute-Loire. The area is defined by strong characteristics in terms of lifestyle, landscapes and rural know-how.
Calling all nature lovers: some real treasures await you!
If you’re a keen walker, there are 4,300 kilometres of paths open to you…
And there’s nothing lacking for a complete approach to geology: all the eras of history are represented, dating back 550 million years.
- Maps of the Monts d’Ardèche Regional Nature Park, general information and geosites :
What face? Between diversity and unity
The park is home to a range of different landscapes: the Boutières, the volcanic Sucs of the Mézenc massif, the Vernoux plateau, the Haute Cévenne and the southern Cévenne to the south.
It covers an area of 228,000 hectares with around 77,000 inhabitants in almost 150 municipalities.
As for the flora and fauna, which flourish from the depths of the southern valleys to the windiest ridges, many varieties and species are represented.
Spring daffodils, rare and fragile orchids: even on the walls of old houses, diversity makes its appearance throughout the villages and landscapes.
A special character
The mark of man is obvious: he has had to, and has been able to, come to terms with a harsh but generous nature. This is reflected in the quality of the landscapes.
Everywhere you look you’ll find terraces, little hamlets clustered together on the slopes, an abundance of chestnut trees that give rise to a host of chestnut specialities and traditional festivals such as the famous castagnades in autumn (more than a dozen are organised in the area after each harvest).
You can also see the ingenious systems invented to manage water, not forgetting the mills and windmills and thebreeding of Fin gras du Mézenc, the name given to the beef so appreciated by gourmets thanks to the specific rearing conditions that respect both animals and nature.
What activities?
With 4,300 hiking trails, 16 interpretation trails, 28 themed houses and museums, plenty of places to swim and take part in river activities, and a huge range of outdoor activities, the Monts d’Ardèche Regional Nature Park (PNR) is the ideal place for nature-loving holidaymakers to discover.
Official website
The official website of the nature park allows you to discover the Monts d’Ardèche, the life of the region and the actions undertaken, depending on whether you are a local resident, elected representative, professional or visitor:
