Viviers, Ardèche

Viviers is a city in the department of Ardèche in southern France. It is the smallest city in France by area and population.

The administrative and religious capital of Vivarais, the town of Viviers, on the right bank of the Rhône, in southern Ardèche, retains an important heritage from its rich past, including many listed monuments. These include the Town Hall, in the former bishops' palace; the 18th-century Hôtel de Roqueplane, now the seat of the diocese; the Cathedral of St Vincent, Romanesque, flamboyant Gothic and 18th-century in style, with its choir decorated by Gobelins tapestries and its marble high altar; the 16th-century Knights' House with its Renaissance façade, decorated with medallioned busts; and the Grande Rue with the elegant mansions of Beaulieu and Tourville, both dating from the 18th century.