Canoeing in Ardeche:
Pale-green waters with start-and-stop rapids that twist and turn down 30km of spectacular wilderness: the Ardèche River (up to WW3) has carved its way over the same limestone plateau since the Alps were forming 60 million years ago. The rock formations, some cliffs in the Ardèche canyon rise 300 meters straight up, make kayaking one of the best finds in France.
We started a 2-day trip at Vallon and passed under the Pont-d'Arc (see picture above), a gigantic natural bridge high. Two wilderness campsites (no road access, no services) have been designated along this route, at Gaud (where we stayed) and at Gournier. The "gorgeous" formations you pass, Les Trois Eaux, La Dent Noire and Les Templiers, as well as numerous rapids make you want to keep on going even beyond. We ended our trip in Sauze, 30km from Vallon. You could easily spend 3 days from Vallon to Sauze, the 1st night in Gaud and the 2nd night in Gournier, plus having plenty of time exploring the canyon.
However, 4 cautionary notes:
- The route is too popular on summer weekends, school vacations, any day in July and August (avoid these periods)
- The rental gear in Vallon is mostly substandard, bring you own gear
- The route is closed to children under age seven
- The water level is higher in spring making the rapids more challenging
