Published on 29 April 2022
After a first day of adventures, we are back to conquer the treasures of Ardèche Hautes Vallées.
Our day starts in Le Cheylard, in the heart of the Jewel Valley. Why this name? This is what we will discover at the Jewel House, the museum that tells the story of the jewel in Ardèche Hautes Vallées, from its appearance in the nineteenth century to its contemporary production.
We embark on the discovery of exhibition spaces accompanied by an audio guide. He embellishes the visit and explains how the jewel arrived in the region, the times it went through, the different manufacturing techniques… Interactive games animate the visit for children in particular. In short, the Jewel House is a mix between tradition and modernity, both in what is explained and in the way of telling it.
After seeing all these jewels in the window, we only want to get some real ones! At the exit of the museum, the shop of the craftsmen jewelers offers us a beautiful overview of the creations of each one. We can also visit their own shop to see more.
We continue with a second visit, the Arch of Trades, to learn more about this valley and its rich industrial heritage. Indeed, there is not only the jewel to discover here! We walk there in a few minutes, time to enjoy the old town and its cobbled streets.
The permanent exhibition of the Arch of Trades teaches us in a very interactive way how the territory has been shaped, the trades that have contributed to the history of the region, from silk casts to jewelry, textile and bottling factories present today.
All these revelations made us hungry! We decide to picnic at the top of the Rock of Chevillière just accross the museum. After a climb of a few minutes, we eat with an aerial view of this old town and the Dorne River that crosses it. Notice to amateurs, this rock is a climbing site with 13 routes!
The sun starts to warm us up, we leave to cool off on the Ardèche plateau to reach Lake of Devesset at more than 1000 meters of altitude.
There a nestle of nature awaits us: pine scents, lapping water, fresh air. Many activities are available to us: swimming, pedalo, sailing, walking or cycling around the lake…
The day ends quietly, we did not see it pass. Between heritage discoveries and nature adventure, the whole family enjoyed it!