I could tell you living in Ardeche is difficult. I could tell you living in the countryside requires sacrifices... It would pretty much be a lie. You do have to adapt to certain realities and slightly change your habits. In a few months, or in a few years, we will realize life here is not always a bed of roses... But for now, after nearly 6 months living here, preparing for the opening of our bed and breakfast in the heart of southern Ardeche , the balance is - according to an extremely unscientific assessment - 99.9% positive! Here are 5 perks of living here:

1. Calm

Apart from the occasional nonchalant woof from the neighbor's dog, we are fortunate to live in an environment bathed in calm, without any traffic noise or any technological avatar. Now wait a minute. I said calm, not silence. Birds chirp from early morning, our neighbors knock on the door to bring us quiche cheese and mushrooms quiches or homemade chestnut jam, the local boar's groink-groink is not uncommon, sometimes the winds howls in the trees... Noises that make you sigh with relief, whereas in the city the sigh is of exasperation.

2. Kindness

It's everywhere. At the supermarket. At the hair salon. In the street. At the neighbors. Mre than kindness, let's talk about simply acknowledgong the very existence of others, which has become scarce in our societies. In Ardeche, you don't meet that many people in a day. So when someone crosses your path, you are more than happy to socialize. To share a glimpse of happiness or a moment of sorrow. Also, mutual assisrance is part of life here. Not only offered with a good heart, but also given without any second thought, just because... well, helping each other is the normal thing to do.

3. View

Let's face it, the view from our terrace, our living room, our bedroom... is breathtaking. The whole valley is unveiling from our guest rooms, covered with forests, revealing the Alps in the distance. But more, the whole region is filled with opportunities to discover splendid panoramas. From our home, you can go deep into the Ardeche mountains, explore small rivers and waterfalls, swim there... You can also wander into the Ardeche Gorges side, and discover more arid landscapes... and charming traditional villages to fall in love with.

4. Climate

Gardening wearing only a T-shirt in February? Sure. Postponing a walk to the next day because a small cloud is blocking the sun, telling ourselves that the weather will be "better" tomorrow? Totally reasonable. Southern Ardeche offers an incredibly mild climate. This winter, snow fell once. Two days of white. The temperatures are close to zero in the early morning, we are of course not in a tropical country. But the mild winter is balancing the heat of summer. Come and see us in winter, there is no one there, and the countryside is beautiful!

5. Food

But wait a minute. There is a huge downside to Ardeche. Many restaurants close in winter. And it's a shame, because between chestnuts, pâtés and terrines, honey, fresh vegetables, there is enough to make our taste buds happy every day of the year. Fortunately, we can stock up and cook it ourselves!

You need proof all this happiness? You can always take a look at our photo gallery... But the best thing is to come and see for yourself!