Ardèche |
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| Situated west of the Rhône river around the Ardèche river (a tributary of the Rhône), the department of the Ardèche includes part of the eastern slopes of the central French highland and a small part of the Rhône valley. | |
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| The Ardèche is a very mountainous and lush area, dotted with fields of melons and peaches, green vineyards, valleys, canyons, lakes, rivers and a magnitude of prehistoric caves. Here, you can visit one medieval village after the other or relax in pleasant, beautiful thermal towns. | |
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| The greatest tourist attraction and one of nature’s biggest wonders in France, the famous Pont d’Arc, is a natural cliff bridge over the Ardèche river, more than 30 metres high. Here, in the southern part of the department you will also find the canyons, the Gorges de l’Ardèche. The little village of Vallon Pont d’Arc is a good starting point for exploring the impressive canyons either by boat or by car, driving along the fantastic road which overlooks the canyons. | |
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| This area offers a wide range of outdoor activities such as canoeing and kayaking, horseback riding, climbing, angling, cycling and mountain biking, swimming, walking and hiking and cave exploring. | |
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| The climate in the Ardèche varies according to latitude and altitude. There are, roughly speaking, three types of climate: L'Ardèche verte, in the northern part of the department (lying at an altitude of 350 to 850 metres), has a temperate continental climate, le plateau ardéchois in the western part of the department (lying at an altitude of around 1000 metres), has a slightly cooler mountain climate, while l'Ardèche méridionale in the southern part of the department is characterized by its mild temperate coastal climate. | |
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