Practical information
Ardèche – The river
Class 1 to 3 river (depending on water levels) without great technical difficulty, punctuated by about twenty rapids contributing to the attraction of the descent.
The minimum age to make the descent of the Ardèche is 7 years old.
On the descent of 5km and 12km, as well as the descent of 36 km in 2 days, you will discover the canoe slides.
This videos show you the passage of the canoe slides :
Rented material
The rate includes the rent of the canoe / kayak, life jacket, wetsuit (if necessary) and a barrel for your belongings.
Our barrels are watertight, nevertheless, we can not garantee the watertightness because this depends on how the barrel is closed by its user.
We advise you to put your belongings in a plastic bag as well. For the descent in 2 days, we give a barrel with a volume of 55 liters (1 per person).
If you book a descent in 2 days with a child in third place on the canoe, please be advised that you can attach only one single barrel on the canoe.
Helmets are not mandatory on the Ardèche, but we can give them to you if you wish.
Before starting
Before your departure, we’ll give you a briefing, explaining the descent you’re about to do and its technical sections.
We’ll also show you the end of your descent and explain the return bus route..
If you have any questions following this briefing, or if anything is unclear to you, please let us know.
Want to know how to steer a canoe or kayak? Read this blog.
For your descent on the Ardèche, please think about taking :
Long or short distance, please take :
- Shoes that are attached to the feet (sandals, water shoes, sport shoes…)
- Drinks and snacks, pick nick / meal (depending on the descent, there are no restaurants in the nature reserve of the Gorges de l’Ardèche)
- Sun cream (organic), t-shirt, hat or cap, sun glasses
- Dry clothing (for after the descent), towels
- Strings to tie your sun glasses
At our starting point N° 1 we sell hot and cold drinks and we have a fresh water fountain.
Descent of the Ardèche in 2 days with bivouac :
For the descent of the Gorges de l’Ardèche in 2 days, you will have to book your places on the bivouac of Gaud or Gournier, please check the page of your descent to book, or check this page.
Dogs
It is possible to take your dog on your canoe trip.
Your dog has to know how to swim and not being afraid of the water. We also advise you not to tie the dog in the canoe and to remove leash or harness during the descent.
During our stops, the dog has to be on leash. We do not furnish life jackets for dogs.
Your return
After your alighting, our buses will take you back to the starting point (where you parked your car).
We do our best to return our customers as quickly as possible after alighting.
Return times are approximate and depend on customer arrival times, traffic conditions, and possible unforeseen circumstances (e.g., breakdowns). Expect a wait on busy days.
For all your questions, consult the “Frequently Asked Questions” page..
Restaurant
The restaurant “L’AUBERGE DU PONT D’ARC”, located in the old meander of the Ardèche, opposite the listed site of Pont d’Arc, near the recently discovered CHAUVET cave, offers you local cuisine, grill, snacks, ice creams, in a unique setting against a backdrop of vineyards and holm oaks.
Its interior capacity is 100 people and 250 people on our vast shaded terraces, very pleasant from June to September.
The barrels
Our barrels – 25, 40 or 55 liters depending the distance of your course.
- For the descents in a 1/2 day or 1 day, we will give you 1 container per canoe.
- For the descents in 2 days, we will give you 1 barrel (55 liters) per person.
Our barrels are watertight, nevertheless, we cannot guarantee the watertightness because this depends on how the barrel is closed by its user. We advise you to put your belongings in a plastic bag as well.
The canoes / kayaks
One place kayaks can carry 1 person + 1 barrel
Our canoes 2 – 3 places can carry 2 people + 2 barrels or 3 people (3rd place in the middle only for children from 7 to 12 years old) + 1 barrel.
Canoe or kayak ? Read this blog to learn everything about the difference between the two.