Gorges de l'Ardeche
The Gorges de l'Ardeche are in the Ardeche department of the Rhone-Alpes.
One of the most stunning scenic highlights of France, they are usually accessed from the town of Vallon Pont d'Arc at the upper (north-west) end of the gorges.
The gorge runs about 40km eastwards from Pont d'Arc (itself a few kilometres east of the popular resort of Vallon Pont d'Arc).
Visit the gorges de l'Ardeche by canoe
Perhaps the best way to explore the Ardeche gorges, and to get a real sense of their grandeur and beauty, is by descending in canoe from Vallon Pont d'Arc to Saint-Martin d'Ardeche - about 35 kilometres, with cliffs either side up to 300 metres in height. The tourist office recommend April, May and September as the best times of year to make the descent.
This is a very popular trip, and several canoe companies operate along the river. After reaching your destination you are collected and returned to your car.
scenery along the gorges de l'Ardeche
Visit the Gorges de l'Ardeche by road
Running along the northern edge of the gorges, and with numerous very impressive viewpoints, is a road that is very popular with visitors. There are lots of places to pull over and take in the scenery and take hundreds of photos, each better than the one before.
One particular highlight - and one of the few to be less obvious from the road - is the Belvedere de Madeleine. The last great viewpoint at the western end of the gorges, you need to walk a few metres off the road along a track to reach the viewpoint. I haven't listed all the viewpoints here for the simple reason that although they are marked on maps they are not marked along the route itself, so identifying which is which can be confusing and is probably unnecessary anyway.
scenery along the gorges de l'Ardeche, and the Pont d'Arc
Note: unlike the Gorges du Tarn, there is little in the way of towns and villages to explore along the way. I noticed a sign for a naturist beach...I'm not sure how that works when there are hundreds of canoes on the river, perhaps it is slightly tucked away out of view, I didn't check it out.
To add to the excitement of a visit the erosive forces of the river have also carved a large number of canyons and caves into the rocks. Highlights among these are the Grotte des Tunnels; the Pont d'Arc (a natural stone arch over the river, and very popular swimming beach); the Museum of the World at the 'Aven de Marzal'; the Grottes de la Madeleine; the Grottes de Saint Marcel; and the Aven d'Orgnac (probably the best caves in the region, and a designated Grand Site of France). So there is always somewhere cool to escape from the heat outside.
Visit Gorges de l'Ardeche (Rhone-Alpes, Ardeche) travel, gites and hotels
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The Gorges de l'Ardeche hotels listed feature descriptions, guest reviews, ratings, location maps, online booking etc. as well as the 'best-price' guarantee. The search for hotels in Gorges de l'Ardeche is provided by booking.com. General holiday / vacation options- See Rhone-Alpes gites for Gorges de l'Ardeche holiday rentals - Holiday villages in Rhone-Alpes Holidays nearbyLooking for something close by? See a wide choice of hotels, holiday villages and holiday rentals at: Places to Stay near Gorges de l'Ardeche Gorges de l'Ardeche Car HireFind locations offering car hire nearby at Gorges de l'Ardeche car hire VisitSee Visit Gorges de l'Ardeche for places to visit near Gorges de l'Ardeche including: a detailed map, villages in bloom and most beautiful villages DiscussAsk questions or leave a comment about Gorges de l'Ardeche in our Rhone-Alpes forum Airports near Gorges de l'ArdecheAvignon airport at 78 km Marseille airport at 140 km Montpellier airport at 103 km Nimes airport at 71 km Gorges de l'Ardeche property for saleSee Rhone-Alpes property for sale
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Places to visit near Gorges de l'Ardeche, France
Explore places of interest within about 70 kilometres on a map at places near Gorges de l'Ardeche.
Some places to visit within 30 km: 
21 km: Aigueze (Most beautiful village) 22 km: Ailhon (village of character) 28 km: Alba-la-Romaine (village of character) 23 km: Aubenas (town) 11 km: Balazuc (Most beautiful village) 27 km: Banne (village of character) 30 km: Jaujac (village of character) 27 km: La Roque-sur-Ceze (Most beautiful village) 11 km: Labeaume (village of character) 4 km: Pont d'Arc (scenic stone arch) 26 km: Saint-Montan (village of character) 0 km: Vallon Pont d'Arc (Attractive village) 16 km: Vogue (village of character)
See also Gorges de l'Ardeche (version Francais)
