Kayak et le camping voyage en Ardèche.

We are off to the Ardèche region in the south of France again this year so if you want to learn to canoe in nice warm water surrounded by spectacular scenery, then come and join us.

The Ardèche region is named after its 78 mile long river which is a tributary of the River Rhône. The river forms the largest natural canyon in Europe and the caves that dot the cliffs show many signs of prehistoric habitation as arrowheads and flint knives are often found here. The source of the river lies 4,813 feet above sea level in the Massif Central, near the village of Astet, and it flows into the Rhône near Pont-Saint-Esprit, north-west of Orange.

The valley of the Ardèche is very scenic, in particular the 18 mile section known as the Ardèche Gorges. The walls of the river here are made from limestone cliffs reaching 980 feet high, with the most famous feature being a natural 197 foot stone arch spanning the river known as the Pont d’Arc (arch bridge). Carved out by the river over millennia it is classified as a Great Site of France.

The area has been inhabited by humans at least since the Upper Paleolithic age, as attested by the famous cave paintings at Chauvet Pont d’Arc. This limestone cave, which is named after its discoverer, is located in the Gorges de l’Ardèche and contains early Stone Age cave paintings of great variety and expressiveness. Since the cave is not open to the public, photographs of the paintings are displayed in an exhibition in Vallon-Pont d’Arc. The plateau of the river also features extensive standing stones of dolmens and menhirs, erected thousands of years ago.

With its rivers and streams, the Ardèche has become a favourite place for canoe and kayak enthusiasts from around the world. A kayak and camping trip down the gorge is not technically difficult and very popular in the summer, and Pro Adventure is off to the region again this July for five days of canoe and kayak paddling, including short journeys, a full gorge descent and camping out under the stars. The trip is suitable for all.

This is the perfect place to unwind, relax, have fun, eat great food, paddle amazing rapids or just enjoy paddling about. The whole aim of the five days is to ensure you enjoy yourself, learn how to paddle (or improve your paddling), and try some of the local restaurants. Our friendly, experienced instructors will teach you as much as you want to learn at a pace that is perfect for you. We can’t stress enough that the week is a holiday based around paddle sports.

The first day will be spent around the arch, covering the necessary skills to get you able to paddle your craft confidently. Day two will be a river trip from Balazuk to Ruoms – a stunning day trip through gorgeous scenery with amazing fun paddling.

There follows a three day trip down the gorge, camping at Gaud and Gournier, where you experience the wonderful views, amazing rapids, fantastic wildlife, and enjoy the chance to practise all you have learnt.

You can get a taste of what we got up to last year on our website here:
https://www.proadventure.org/outdoors/Ardeche-Holiday-Week-Option-1-17.html

A 25% deposit will secure your place in 2015, with the balance due two months before the trip.