Les Roulottes du Travers

After a few days out and about on whatever form of wheels you prefer, make some/much time to investigate the history of the region at its old châteaux and other buildings and its towns and villages. The nearby city of Aubenas is probably best known for its 14th-century château (now the town hall) housing collections of paintings and sculptures; also have a look at the 16th-century Gargoule house next to it, the Saint Laurent church, and the 17th and 18th century Saint-Benoît cathedral. The old villages of Vesseaux, Ucel and Saint-Privat are also well worth a look. Another top option is the city of Privas, an excellent spot for excellent walks as it has easy access to both the Rhône valley and the Ardèche gorges. It's also famed throughout France for its marron glacé and for its chestnuts: the cracking chestnut festival in autumn has a market with nutty products including pasta, bread, liqueur, flour and sausages, along with a mammoth chestnut roasting in the town centre where visitors can try roasted nuts and local wine – for free.