Joyeuse (Ardèche)

Joyeuse (Ardèche) mini guide

The stone houses and cobbled alleyways are set high (180m) on the side of a hill.  The 16th century Renaissance castle which now serves as the town hall offers views over the newer, lower areas of the town, the River Baume winding through the valley and the hills beyond.

In the small streets of this historic town you can find restaurants, galleries and specialist shops; a silk printer, a jewelry designer, a carpenter a and leather worker.  There are also three very different museums; The History and Legends Centre, the Museum of Character and Humour and the Chestnut Grove Museum which shows how important the chestnut has been to the life and economy of the whole area.

In the busy high street and around the market square there are more shops, restaurants and pavement cafes.  There is a large and lively market on Wednesday and an additional one on Sunday evening in the summer. Joyeuse also hosts an Antiques fayre and a "Salon Gourmand" in the Autumn celebrating local food and produce.

A short stroll from the market is a bathing area created by making a small dam in the River Baume.