The region of Ardeche in south-eastern France has a long history of exporting its produce. The Chestnut trees that grow here amazed me, because they are practically non-existent in the U.S.. Here I am standing next to a famous Chestnut tree over 300 years old — the trunk was massive. Grapes for wine (second picture) and olives are the other two most important agricultural products. There used to be far more olive trees than there are now, but in the 1950s many died after a particularly hard frost.
One crop used to bring wealth to Ardeche that no longer does: mulberries. Hundreds of years ago they were grown and used in silk production here, when the demand for this fabric was much higher.
