The Ardèche
Southern Ardeche: nature destination
Ardèche is a region rich in landscapes diversity.
The famous Pont d’Arc, the Ardeche river canyon, the typical villages, Ardèche, Beaume and Chassezac rivers, the Cévennes foothills, numerous caves & sinkholes. This preserved nature make Ardeche the first french department for countryside tourism.
Our campsite, located in southern Ardèche, has mobile homes and tent pitches. It is ideally located to discover all these remarkable sites.
Sites to visit in Ardèche
The Pont d’Arc, 15 km far away
The Pont d’Arc, located on the town of Vallon Pont d’Arc, is a natural arch of about 30 meters high, scored great site from France.
The Pont d’Arc span the Ardèche river and marks the entrance to the Natural Reserve of the Ardèche Canyon.
Ardeche Canyon
The Gorges of Ardèche truly begin to Vallon Pont d’Arc and the Pont d’Arc.
The river sneaks into the gorge along a canyon during about twenty miles, ending at Saint Martin d’Ardèche in the southern part of the department.
Many tourists descend each year the ardeche cayon in canoe.
The typical villages
The villages of Balazuc, Vogüé and Labeaume are classified most beautiful villages of France, a visit to these villages is mandatory!
The Labeaume village is accessible on foot from the campsite by the river trail of “La beaume” (walk 8km round trip).
The department also accredits the most typical villages with the label “Village of character”, now more than twenty villages have been given this label in Ardèche.
Rivers
The Ardeche spring is 1467m high above sea level, near the neck of “La Chavade”, it join the Rhône in to the extreme south of the department.
The main tributaries of the Ardeche are Chassezac, La Beaume, and Volane.
The descent of the Ardèche in canoe is opened to the public between May and October.
Many canoe rental companies are present in southern Ardeche.
La Beaume river goes along the campsite, it is possible to canoe on it during spring time when the flow is sufficient.
Caves
The Chauvet – Pont d’Arc cave discovered in December 1994 at Vallon Pont d’Arc shows rock paintings dating back to 32,000 years BP.
The Chauvet – Pont d’Arc cave is the oldest cavity with prehistoric rock painting known in the world.
A cave reproduction will be open to the public in 2014.
The Ardeche offers many other caves open to the public: the Orgnac sinkhole, the cave of the Madeleine, of St Marcel d’Ardèche…
Unspoilt nature
The department of Ardeche is a rural department.
The department has retained its unspoilt, natural rivers and typical paths that lead to equally typical villages.
Markets
The southern Ardeche offers many markets to visit in the morning or evening where you can discover the traditional local products. The most famous markets are those of “Joyeuse” and “Les Vans”, 5 and 10km far from the campsite.
The Platanes campsite in the small town of Rosières is ideally located for discovering the numerous landscapes in the 20 kms surrounding: from the mountain of the Cevennes foothills to the Mediterranean scrubland of the Ardeche’s Gorges.
