Day 38 - Vallon Pont d'Arc
Our goal for the day was to find a Kayaking company open in this - the off-season, and paddle the Ardeche River. Years ago, late in the middle of a cold winter's night, I was watching Le Tour and saw footage of this spectacular place as Le Tour passed by. It looked like the most idyllic summer playground - families playing in the water, paddling down the river, or just lazing around soaking up the sun - all surround by spectacular gorges and mountains. Well, a few years later, but without the sun, here we are.
It was almost lunchtime before we found a kayaking company open that was prepared to fit us out with the gear and then come to pick us up downstream. Unfortunately given the time of the day, we could only do one of the shorter journeys, but anything is better than nothing and everyone (at least the kids and I) were itching to get on the river. While the company prepared (getting kayaks onto the trailer), we had a quick bite to eat for lunch in the van.
Into our wetsuits, with towels and valuables safety secured inside the waterproof barrels provided, we loaded up into the 4WD for the short strip down to the river's edge. With no more instruction than to get out of the river at the big number "5" sign, we were left to our own devices and told we'd be collected in the little over 3 hours on the beach at number 5. We knew there were as least a few rapids in the river - as we'd already seen some, so at this time I was just hoping I hadn't overstated my/our kayaking experience when renting the kayaks.
Kristie and Sierra in one kayak and Madi and I in the other, we set off. The river was not too fast, but it was really flowing in places - probably because of the rain in the past 48 hours. It was only after the first couple of rapids that I realised that maybe I could provide Kristie with some instructions, despite all the rapids on the river being only graded 2 or 3 - more like grade 1 this late in the season.
The paddling was wickedly relaxing with just the right amount of fast shallow flowing water to add a little excitement for the kids. We first passed the campground we staying in last night and then rounded a few corners and before we knew it we were at the Pont d'Arc.
After travelling under the Pont d'Arc we pulled over to a beach to take photos with my phone - not completely trusting the waterproof camera, and then the kids both jumped in the one kayak with me and we paddled back and forth under the natural bridge checking out the little caves directly underneath.
Before we knew it, we were out of our wetsuits, kayaks were loaded, and we were making the short drive back to the starting point. We think our trip was only 6kms along the Ardeche (as pictured in the sign above). Needless to say I was itching to do much more and would love to have paddled the length of the gorge, but the beach we disembarked on seems to be the last opportunity to get off the river without committing to another 20+ kms and 5hrs of paddling. The gorge from that point seemed to get incredibly steep and I guess vehicular access is not possible until the river drops out into the valley 20kms to the southeast.
Back in the campervan we decided to drive back along the road we had just travelled in the 4WD, as there were a few good vantage points for photos. The drive itself was interesting as the road in places was cut into the gorge walls and we had to pass through a couple of Point d'Arc's of our own in the van.
Given the time of day, we decided that this is a great place to spend another night in the beautiful part of the world, so we returned to the same campground nestled amongst the trees for another nice of peace and quiet, with the only sounds that of the running water of the Ardeche river. This is a place we will surely visit again.
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