On the road to Vallon Pont d’Arc

We’ve travelled to Vallon Pont d’Arc today, where we’re staying for a week to do some pack rafting in the Ardèche Gorge. On the way we had a little detour to visit a waterfall, Cascade de la Beaume. It was a lovely walk through woodland, in dappled shade along a babbling brook. The rivers in the area have cut through the volcanic plateau and in places basalt columns can be seen. In one spot on our walk the river has undercut the cliff, which has been shored up with chunks of basalt. We explored the caves above the basalt wall to find a geocache.

We then reached a viewpoint towards the waterfall, before dropping down a zig zag path to stand at its foot. It was beautiful so we spent some time enjoying the view, listening to the water thundering down the cliff and, of course taking photos.

After lunch back at Bertie, we set off to Vallon. On our way back to the main A-road, the sat nav tried to take us down a road that was closed, and then kept trying to get us to do a U-turn rather than rerouting us. I tried Google Maps instead, which sent us along a single track road over the hills. The whole point of buying a motorhome specific sat nav was so we could avoid roads like this! John negotiated the narrow road well though, avoiding a couple of tractors, and we were soon back on the main road.

It was a lovely drive, at first over high plateaus through farmland, then winding around steep hillsides above the deep wooded gorge of the Ardèche river. After an hour or so, the river valley opened up and became flatter. It’s hotter now we’re further south and the landscape is drier and scrubbier. It’s still quite green with lots of trees and vineyards though.

Rives d’Arc campsite is beautiful. It’s right on the Ardèche and has 2 pools and restaurants, and it’s only costing us £17.50 a night with electric hook up! Unbelievable! Welcome to holidaying out of season 😃.

I still feel rough with my cold so we’ll have another easy day tomorrow… probably a bike ride into the town, possibly a short paddle on the river, and maybe a swim in the pool if it’s not too busy.