Vivarais

Vivarais is a historic region of south-central France. It roughly corresponds to the upper valley of the Ardèche River and largely aligns with today’s Ardèche department, with portions extending into neighboring Haute-Loire and Lozère. The traditional capital of the Vivarais was Privas.

Geographically, Vivarais lies in the western Massif Central and features a rugged landscape of limestone gorges, forests, and plateaus. The Ardèche Gorge and the surrounding countryside are among its defining landscapes.

Historically, Vivarais developed as a distinct political and cultural entity during the Middle Ages and Early Modern period, with ties to the broader Languedoc region though it stood inland. The region possessed local privileges under the Ancien Régime. In 1790, during the French Revolution, the provinces were dissolved and the Vivarais was incorporated into the new Ardèche department.

In modern usage, the name continues to denote the historic heartland of the Ardèche. The area attracts visitors for outdoor recreation and its natural heritage, including the Ardèche Gorge and the Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc Cave, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Agriculture and tourism remain important to the regional economy.