Montgros

An 18th-century former silkworm farm, at the end of a private lane, ringed by ten hectares of oak and meadow. No neighbours, no noise — just the wind in the trees and the dry light of southern Ardèche. People come to Montgros for the silence, the space, and the view that reaches more than 80 kilometres from the inner courtyard.

The house unfolds across two independent wings on two floors. Five spacious double bedrooms — three of them under old beams — plus a children's room with bunk beds and a cot. Several bathrooms, refurbished in 2021 and 2024. The grand living room, a TV lounge and a dedicated office let everyone find their own corner or come back together. The kitchen is built around a central island, with two dishwashers; the dining room opens onto the courtyard. Ten can stay without ever crossing paths — a house built for big tables, with friends or extended family, linen and towels provided.

Outside, the 6 × 12-metre pool steps down the hillside, with its small children's basin and east-south-west orientation. Hiking trails (PR and GR) start right from the estate; so do mountain-bike loops. Morning coffee in the sunlit courtyard; an afternoon in the water or in the private woods; evenings at the big convivial table.

Banne, one of Ardèche's perched stone villages, is minutes away. The shops of Saint-Paul-le-Jeune and Les Vans are a short drive. The Ardèche gorges, the Païolive forest, the Cévennes national park are all within reach. This is a family house — we have kept it that way.