L’Auberge de Thorrenc

 Living where I do on the Riviera, I am surrounded by noise. My apartment is next to a building site with its attendant jackhammer noises. The noise of the constant knocking down and rebuilding in Monaco all floats up to my terrasse. The screaming of scooters and assorted excited schoolchildren is never far away.  So last night, to be in the middle of the Ardeche countryside was pure bliss.

Leaving the busy motorway we found ourselves in the midst of the apricot growing countryside. The signposts showed the wine route of the Rhone, the river meandered quietly alongside us, the slopes of the vines gently rising to stone and iron crosses at the summit.

We drove slowly through the late afternoon dusty towns, just beginning to awaken after their long lunch breaks and preparing for the business of the humid evening. The overall effect of all the closed houses with dilapidated shutters always makes me wonder and try to figure out what treasures are hidden behind the peeling paintwork and dull masonry. The interior lives of the small town French people has long been a fascination. Their determined effort to allow facades to slide into disrepair is often a ruse. Rather like the Italians, they avoid outward show, creating a foil for colourfully decorated apartments with lush courtyards teeming with life and movement.

Our destination was the hamlet of Thorrenc. Thank goodness for satnav. Thorrenc is so well hidden. It’s less than a one horse town, reached only by an overgrown single track road. I assure you it’s worth the trip. Clustered around a pretty river complete with picturesque bridge is the Auberge’s assorted chambre d’hotes. The exterior was mellowed stone with all the woodwork painted a subtle blue. Inside we found a beautiful en suite bedroom, subtly decorated, spotlessly clean and most welcoming.

Dinner did not disappoint either. The short walk up past the Maire’s rustic cottage office to the Auberge’s restaurant was punctuated by the noise of crickets and the barking of a distant dog. We were greeted and taken up stone steps to a hidden terrasse bedecked with fairy lights and a wisteria covered pergola. There was seating for several couples and two tables for parties of four and six. The owners had worked hard to create an understated rustic ambience and had succeeded admirably.

The food was excellent, from the homemade bread and tapenade nibbles, through the tiny bouches of beef with fresh horseradish to our chosen courses from local produce. We even had desserts which is very rare for us.. I managed to tuck away a homemade apricot crumble with almond milk which was to die for.

To sit outside, surrounded by mellow stone walls, eating amazing food and hearing the quiet buzz of other diners’ conversations and laughter was a wonderful contrast to the hustle and bustle business that surrounds my everyday life.

The peace continued through the night until we were abruptly woken by loud peals of thunder and then the sound of torrential rain. I don’t mind it one bit when I’m safely tucked up in bed. And…  it had all gone by the morning. On opening the blue shutters my senses  woke to the fresh smell of lush, newly watered vegetation. I could just make out the scent of roses. This was topped only by the smell of fresh coffee brought to our bedroom in a gorgeous wicker picnic basket. Included was a simple, but tasty breakfast of fresh croissants with a dish of homemade apricot jam and a bottle of local fruit juice. I also had the additional treat of a fresh fig that my husband had picked from a tree he had passed the night before.

The whole experience was a real ‘time out’.

For anyone wishing to get away from it all, at a very reasonable price, I strongly suggest the picturesque L’Auberge de Thorrenc.

Auberge de Thorrenc – Restaurant and Chambres d’hotes.
Le village – 07340 Thorrenc

Tel +33 (0)475 342 102
www.auberge-thorrenc.com