The houses that you will find on offer are mostly located south of the town of Aubenas, from the plateau and the Ardèche Valley all the way to the first slopes of Cévenne.

We are in the heart of the Bas-Vivarais, known as the Ardèche Provençale. Our sun-drenched landscapes are reminiscent of Provence with garrigue, holly oaks, box tress, summer savory, wild thyme, blackberry bushes, vineyards, olive tree groves...
To the West, there are more chestnut trees, heather, jennets... The whole area is one of contrasts and diversity, everything blending together in perfect harmony. It is a region famed for its beautiful stone houses. The stonemasons use the local quarries for this type of vernacular architecture.

There are basically two styles of houses that can be found in the territory that our offices cover :
• the Bas-Vivarais style house
• the Cévenne ardéchoise style house

Panoramic view to the north of Joyeuse, click here

The Bas-Vivarais style house, is generally to be found from from the plateau dominating the Rhône valley all the way to Cévenne, is made out of limestone, which is not only easily sculpted but also convenient for building walls. These houses are constructed over vaults which make out space underneath them for stables and cellars. Over the vault the terrace dominates the outside, and is accessed by way of an outside staircase. You enter, from the terrace, directly into the kitchen, which constitutes the heart and soul of the home.

The Cévenne ardéchoise style house is generally constructed in an area which has steep hills and fabulous terraces. The diversity of the raw materials that are used by the stonemasons when building the houses (granite in the higher reaches and shale in the valleys of the Beaume and of the Drobie, yellow or pinh sandstone on the first hill ridges), is what gives the whole region its unbelievable versatility, seemingly forever changing, whilst maintaining a general style, instantly identifiable as that of this extraordinary area.