KAYAK in the Ardeche river

Ardeche in kayak: photo and travel diary

Below some of the most fascinating photos of our two-day Descent of the Ardèche river, in the south of France, and a fun and interesting travel diary . This is just a part of a wonderful Camper travel itinerary between France and Spain . Take us a look!

Alla fine del diario del nostro viaggio in Francia eravamo arrivati a Sainte-Marie-de-la-Mer, in Camargue. Our itinerary continued driving with pleasure for the colorful French countryside - which alone would have deserved a vacation - up to Vallon Pont d'Arc. This town is crossed by the Ardèche river, which from here, for 32 spectacular kilometers, flows on the bottom of an impressive canyon. The best means to admire the ardeche gorges is obviously canoeing . There are numerous travel agencies that rent kayaks and then retrieve tourists downstream at the point of arrival. There are also several routes to choose from: from the shorter, eight kilometer itinerary, to the one that runs through all the gorges, divided into two days with a camping night.
We selected the latter possibility. The cost of the canoe for two days was 35 euros each, while a night at the campsite (to be booked in advance, on the high season weekends, unless you have the toaster to camp without permission) it came 10 euros ... not It is an expensive adventure.
We left immediately before lunch, so feed on the river. The ardeche was large and quiet, with occasional second rapids. The water was green, the steep gray canyon walls. Unfortunately, being Saturday, there was a lot of great people to accompany us in the canoeist itinerary: more than a river looked like a playground. Too bad, because that spectacular and wild nature deserved greater peace.

The rapids were simple, but could not be underestimated. At the first, for example, a little lady cut my way. In order not to invest her bang against a rock and turned to me, taking knees and elbow against all the rocks of the bottom aside two. I raised myself and started again.
Since captivate at least once it was normal, having a diving camera was particularly useful. When a kayak was rented, a pond bin was also received, but it would have been very inconvenient to keep the camera and extract it to every spectacular landscape ... also because, along the way, there were continually panoramas so beautiful that they were worth the journey alone .
After a few kilometers we met the most impressive rock arch that can be imagined . He crossed the canyon, from one wall to another. Under the natural bridge they passed the river and canoes, but there was safely space for a transatlantic (which however would have been out of place).
We stopped to contemplate the grandeur of the landscape, so we resumed paying by following our long canoeist itinerary. The crowd is thinned as we went there in the gorges: most of the tourists did short traits. The landscape, on the other hand, became increasingly fascinating. On the beautiful Anse of the river protruded cliffs and trees, at the foot of granite walls high hundreds of meters. At one point, I stopped looking around and stayed only. There was an idyllic peace . While I contemplated the panorama I didn't know where I was: it could be Canada like Tibet. I felt part of the nature and the world ... it is difficult to describe, but it was really a moment of ecstasy.

Unlike that in Canada or Tibet, however, the temperature was really ideal: it was very well in costume and dive into the river was a pleasure to cool off. Only in the late afternoon became slightly colder. Furthermore, at that time, he began to take some fatigue. Our campsite seemed never to arrive. Hungry how much Muslims an evening of Ramadan, we saw the vegetation like vegetables and the rare other canoeists like chicken thighs . Idyllic contemplation continued in that wild and silent environment, but we also had primary needs.

After about one million kilometers, we met the first of the two authorized campsites on the Ardeche. Our unfortunately was the next one. We paid for another half hour and finally landed. There seemed to have traveled for months.
There was already a lot of people camped and intent on cooking meat on the grid - we were practically the last ... perhaps because along the way we had fooled a lot, exploring every corner of the river. We mounted the tent and pulled out the feeding bins from ponds. We had a lot of stuff, but in our hungry eyes seemed just two snacks. We used the grid and the charcoal provided by the campsite and cooked the meat on the grill.
After dinner we went down to the beach on the river and in the peace of the night in the gorges we smelled a cigar, to seal the right moment. A tradition, for us, when we are traveling.
The morning after we packed the tent and the rest and we left along the itinerary. The landscape was always fascinating and the climate very hot. There were curious limestone rock formations. Approaching upon arrival, the current of the river, already poor, did practically non-existent. There was some people began to be there. We had lunch and played at the captures of each other: it was a good way to cool off, among other things.
We arrived at the tired and satisfied finish line. We had to wait more than one hour before being loaded on a bus that took us to the starting point. We mounted on the van and shooting down.

In conclusion, the descent of the ardeche is truly spectacular. If possible, you should enter it in midweek days, to avoid crowding. Perhaps it would be interesting to try it in May, when the water level is higher and the rapids are funny. Of course, in July, with the heat, it is a real pleasure to dive and swim in the river.

There were several hours of cars before arriving at home. Between the visit of the Basque Country and the Descent of the Ardèche, it was a week to say the least intense. A journey to renowned countries for tourism, yet in its own original way , thanks to the spirit of improvisation , to the continuous desire to go further, to explore everything, and to the choice of destinations never trivial.
Obviously, a huge thank you went to the camper van, our mobile home, which ended the beautiful proud and satisfied holiday. Absolute freedom is a utopia, but he knew he had smelled. Then I spoke of sailboats and he worked out, jealous: it is still an open question between me and him what is the means of transport and more freedom.
And so, deliro tired but happy after a 3000 itinerary Kilometers, even this journey ended. It was time to rest and think about the next holidays. Because even relaxation and routine have their value, but when some opportunities happens to be grasp, you don't have to miss it!
If you like these wild trips or if you want to find more photos of this and other destinations, as well as advice and New Itineraries, visit our FB page and put it like: