Antraigues-sur-Volane
View of the village, seen from L'Angelot.
This authentic French village (only 500 inhabitants) is classified as "Village de Caractère". It is simply breathtaking. It does not really matter from which direction you enter the village: from every angel, Antraigues looks like a fairytale village. It is far away from mass tourism, yet very vivid. An ideal choice for people who like rest, but who are not keen on being separated from the world. The artists Jacques Brel, Georg Brassens and Jean Ferrat adored Antraigues.
The village dates from the 11th century and it was built on a hill of basalt stone which was caused by the eruption of the nearby volcano of Aizac when it had its last eruption about 30.000 years ago. There she is: Antraigues-sur-Volane, a unique hill-top village in the valley, surrounded by mountains and three little rivers: the Mas, the Bise and the Volane.
The village square (see above during a summer concert) is the old outer garden of the castle of the Count of Antraigues. One can linger
through the medieval alleys where some artists have their atelier. From spring till fall you can enjoy the pleasant terraces in the village. Every hour of the day the locals play 'jeu de boules'. Only at a stone's throw from the village square lies l'Angelot. People who would like to sample from the typical cuisine ardèchoise will find the small restaurants most enjoyable. If you feel like stretching your legs, or exercising your muscles, you can easily reach the municipal tennis courts, swimming pool, since those are also at very short distance. On top of all this, Antraigues is the ideal starting point for a walk through the region. Your car will not be needed here....jpg)
The village is located in the "Regional Nature Park of the Ardèche Mountains" which means that no industry is allowed and permission for building new houses is limited. This gives this region an idyllic calm atmosphere.
