During the French Revolution, the department changed its name three times before becoming the Ardèche, named after the largest river that flows through it. A brief history of how the region came to be known by its current name.

The origins of the Ardèche

The creation of the Ardèche department, like that of the rest of France, dates back to 1790, a pivotal period in the development of the country’s modern territorial organisation.

A distinctive feature of this unique region is that, over the course of a few weeks between January and March of the same year, the department borders on three different appellations from north to south, before settling along its main river.

The Vivarais region

On 26 January 1790, an early decree referred to the department of Vivarais. The name refers to the historical region that was gradually incorporated into the Kingdom of France between the^13th and^14th centuries. It broadly corresponds to the geographical boundaries of the civil diocese of Viviers in the province of Languedoc.

• Map of the Diocese of Viviers (1781)

The source of the Loire

A few days later, on 7 February 1790, the department known as Sources de la Loire was divided into seven districts, with France’s longest river serving as a reference point; its source lies at Mont Gerbier de Jonc on the Ardèche plateau.

River Ardèche

Finally, on 4 March 1790, the department of Ardèche was established by royal charter, named after the river of the same name that flows between Astet and Saint-Just-d’Ardèche.

• Map of the Ardèche (1790–1793)

Today, the Ardèche department is part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and has:

• 335 local authorities
• 17 inter-municipal bodies (3 urban areas and 14 communities of municipalities)
• 3 parliamentary constituencies
• 17 cantons

The area covers 5,529 km² and has a population of 334,231 residents, as recorded in the 2023 census, equating to 60 inhabitants per^km².

Map of the Ardèche today: EPCI and population

And before the French Revolution?

The map of the Academy, produced by four generations of the Cassini family, was compiled in the 18th century. On this interactive map from the IGN, you can find detailed information on the towns, villages and localities of a bygone era:

Communes of the Ardèche

As of ¹ January 2025, the department comprises 335 towns and villages. Here is the list of municipalities in the Ardèche:

• Vivarais↗ &Ardèche↗, Wikipedia
• Map and list of public establishments for inter-municipal cooperation (EPCI) in the department, Prefecture ↗
• Ardèche Departmental Archives↗