ABOVE: Ardeche Chestnuts

Regional Foods - The Ardeche

From its lavender fields on the lowlands of Côtes du Vivarais, to its array of vineyards and mountainous chestnut forests, the Ardèche boasts rustic charm and rural landscapes. The humble ferme auberge epitomises the food scene and serves seasonal delights straight from farm to plate (often there isn’t even a menu; you eat what’s fresh). There are 15 of these in the Ardèche, a considerable number for one region.

Terroir is the area’s buzzword. Although it’s a national obsession, nowhere is it more relevant than here. Local wine-maker Raphaël Pommier believes local hero, Olivier de Serres practically invented the concept in the 16th century: “He was experimental and taught wine-makers and farmers to grow new things, according to their soil and environment”. The practice of producing ‘biodynamic’ foods, hailed by the likes of Michelin-starred chef Raymond Blanc and celebrity cook Nigella Lawson, was invented by de Serres, who thought grape-growers and farmers should pay attention to the soil, the moon and the air to reap the best produce.

Subsequently, the Ardèche has become a place of gastronomic pilgrimage for foodies throughout France, and Paris in particular. The combination of Mediterranean climate, mountains, caves and ancient volcanic rock mean that the terroir has much to offer. Foodlovers, like us, come to explore the region’s fine ingredients, from chestnuts to kiwi fruits.

For example, there are 27 varieties of olives, 23 wine cooperatives (20 million bottles of Ardéchois wines are sold every year with 40 per cent exported) and you can find everything from historic rare breeds of vegetables to kiwi crops.

For truffle aficionados, the areas of Vallon Pont d’Arc and Orgnac l’Aven are held in high esteem. Pommier suggests seeking out two vintage potatoes called violine de bonée and vitelotte. He says, proudly: “In the 16th century, the farmers grew the medieval truffole. We still grow these old tubers and they are rare breeds. These are very special and you will only find them here.”

Yet it is the 65 varieties of chestnuts, châtaignes, that are the most celebrated edibles. When we visit, they are discussed almost obsessively in conversation and, when in season in autumn, they are eaten in every dish possible (think châtaigne soup, châtaigne custard and châtaigne cake among the myriad).

Fifty per cent of France’s chestnuts are grown in the Ardèche. Indeed, the chestnut forests are breathtaking. Weaving past the gorges and caves at the foot of the Cévennes mountains, we are amazed by the orange and gold-leafed trees as we climb up and up to the village of Rocles. The granite soil (chestnut trees don’t like chalk), high altitude and Mediterranean sun – it is 400 metres high, yet only 300 kilometres from the coast – make it ideal terroir for the groves.

Châtaigne farmer, Sébastien Debellut, invites us to devour three of the most popular ones in a tasting. As we pop the sweet delights in our mouths, he says: “The bouche rouge is sweet and meaty, good for cooking with. The sardonne is perfumed and the comballe is very sweet so best for confectionery.” To the delight of the growers, the Ardèche chestnuts received AOC status in 2006.

The region is also renowned for its fine cheeses. Heading to the Rhône river that comes alive with kayakers and holidaymakers in the summer, we arrive at the restaurant La Vivarais in Viviers where Picodon, a local AOC goat’s cheese, is served after the main course. The curds are drained and salted for 14 days so the soft cheese is creamy and mild, although more characterful, as we experienced, if it’s aged a little longer.

Another gourmet’s treat, which locals rave about is pisadou made with layers of pastry, chestnut cream with vanilla seeds, chunks of marron glacé and hazelnut. Bizarrely the Chinese have discovered this little gem and now import it.

We also seek out caillette, the coveted Ardéchois pâté made of pork, ground spice, provincial herbs and greens. Resembling a plump sausage, it is wrapped in a thin intestine. Caillette is so influenced by terroir, the recipe varies within kilometres. In higher climes, locals make it with cabbage. Those on the hills use spinach, and lower down by the river, it is made with salad leaves. We enjoy a punchy, garlic, meaty affair, but I am quickly told by fellow diners that purists expect it to be 50 per cent meat, 50 per cent greens and no garlic. To discover the finer intricacies of this pâté, enthusiastic gastronomes can head to the caillette fair, held in autumn in the town of Aubenas.

However, the biggest and most exhilarating of all harvests is, of course, the grapes. With 17 main grape varieties grown in the region, there is a caveau in nearly every town, and the area boasts two AOCs. Additionally, the vins de pays area boasts as good a wine as its AOC neighbours.

First, we try some of the AOC wines from the 700 hectares of Côtes du Vivarais. Because the lowlands are split between limestone plateaux and the gorges, the vines grow next to truffle oaks and terraced farms. The area is best-known for its light, red wines and characterful rosés.

Then we cover some of the 1,200 hectares that make the AOC Côtes du Rhône in the south-eastern corner of the Ardèche, near the picturesque riverside town of Bourg Saint- Andéol. The vines produce mainly grenache, syrah and mourvèdre grapes. Thanks to its fertile ancient hillsides and welldrained stony soils near the river, its red wines are relished.

The vin de pays we discover is so varied in terroir, it has four main soil types, covering areas as diverse as lowlands where olive trees flourish, to mountainous forests. We stop at Louis Latour’s 350 hectares of vineyards, outside the small village of Alba-la-Romaine. The Burgundy wine-makers were so attracted by the chalkclay soils and rugged region, they created a vineyard to grow limited yields of chardonnay. Louis Latour is renowned for producing some of the best chardonnay in the world. We enjoy a glass of Grand Ardèche. With its honey and oaky tones, it’s a joy and is the perfect end to my stay in the Ardèche.

ROASTING A CHESTNUT PERFECTLY
With a knife, slit the outer casing horizontally on the flat side of the chestnut; the chestnut has two skins, an outer shell and the inner membrane. Place on a baking tray, flat side up, in the oven for 20 minutes. Test for tenderness by inserting a knife. You can add a little water to the oven as a humidifier. Note, when a chestnut is whole in the shell it is called a marron. A chestnut is called a châtaigne when the inner nut is split in two.

MORE INFORMATION
For chestnuts: Visit www.chataigne-ardeche.com

For wines: www.ardechewines. com offers an overview of the regions and their history and the annual wine festival in April in Viviers gives people a chance to meet the wine-growers firsthand. In the UK, www.christopher piperwines.co.uk and www.directwine.co.uk sell some of the regional delights.

For restaurants: Try the Auberge du Bout du Monde in Alba-la- Romaine. Visit www.tastethe ardeche.com and www.ardeche-guide.com For hotels: Hôtel le Digoine, Bourg Saint-Andéol, an 18thcentury château on the ancient silk route (www.digoine.com). We also recommend Hôtel Helvie in Vals-les-Bains (www.hotelhelvie. com).

Tourist board: 4 cours du Palais, F-07000 Privas. Tel: (Fr) 4 75 64 23 93, www.ardeche-guide.com