Visit the Ardèche in 4 days
Cliquez ici pour la Version Française
The natural Ardèche, the cultural Ardèche, the historical Ardèche, the geological Ardèche, the secret Ardèche… It would take a lifetime to discover the whole of the Ardèche. Between discovering the local terroir, nature walks and outdoor activities, we had a superb time! A real holiday for gourmets and nature lovers.
Classified as a “nature reserve”, the Ardèche gorges are the department’s flagship site. It’s a 30-kilometer canyon between Pont d’Arc and Saint-Martin d’Ardèche, where the river Ardèche winds its way between high limestone cliffs (200-300 m high). It’s a breathtaking landscape where every viewpoint is a new source of wonder. Whether you’re looking to admire its incomparable wild beauty, go hiking or go canoeing/kayaking, there’s something for everyone.
What to see and do in the Ardèche ?
- In the southern Ardèche :
- 1 | Discover the Pont d'Arc: the most famous spot in the Ardèche Gorges
- 2 | The Route des Crêtes
- 3 | Visit the villages of Ardèche character
- In the northern Ardèche :
- 4 | Take a ride on the Ardèche steam train
- 5 | Stop off at the Valrhona Chocolate City
- 6 | Tasting wines from the Rhône, Ardèche and Drôme regions
- 7 | Discover Mont Gerbier de Jonc
- 8 | Other spots to discover that we didn't have time to see
- Where to sleep in the Ardèche?
In the southern Ardèche :
1 | Discover the Pont d’Arc: the most famous spot in the Ardèche Gorges
The Pont d’Arc natural arch is surely one of the best-known and most photographed spots in the Ardèche gorges. We parked in the huge Pont d’Arc parking lot. This natural bridge, 55m high and 60m wide, is the result of thousands of years of erosion.
2 | The Route des Crêtes
From Pont d’Arc, we take the road towards Saint-Martin d’Ardèche. On the way, it’s impossible not to stop at every viewpoint on the Route des Crêtes. Over the past few years, the Ardèche department has built 11 belvederes along the 29km route, offering spectacular views.
A word of advice: take the route from Vallon towards Saint-Martin d’Ardèche, otherwise you’ll be going the wrong way to make your stops, and it’s less convenient.
The Serre de Tourre lookout is one of the best spots to observe the gorges from above. You can see a loop created by the river called Pas de Mousse. But it’s far from the only place from which to marvel.
A short stop at the Gaud lookout, and a new view of the gorge from a different angle.
Like most people who have walked this path, we were blown away by the panorama from the Madeleine belvedere.
3 | Visit the villages of Ardèche character
There’s no shortage of charming little villages in the Ardèche! Just a 20-minute drive from Vallon Pont d’Arc, there are a number of charming villages worth a visit:
3.1 | Labeaume
Nestling in its limestone setting, the village, set in an immense gorge, is a little gem. Even though it was far too short, it was a pleasure to explore its white stone-paved streets and its equally beautiful houses.
To add to its charm, the Beaume river flows through the village, offering visitors a magnificent place to refresh themselves and sublime views of the gorges.
3.2 | Balazuc
It’s a charming medieval village classified as one of the “most beautiful villages in France”.
3.3 | Vogüé
The village is also listed as one of France’s “most beautiful villages”, with its medieval castle overlooking the village.
Here you can admire the Maison Roussel tower, Place de la Gadabielle and the picturesque Rue des Puces and Rue des Balcons.
A good place to eat in Vogüé is L’Esparat, in a very pleasant setting on the banks of the Ardèche. An excellent menu and a delicious daily starter/main course/dessert for €17.
In the northern Ardèche :
4 | Take a ride on the Ardèche steam train
The Chemin de Fer du Vivarais is one of the most popular tourist railroads in the Ardèche. Today, it links Saint-Jean-de-Muzols to Lamastre, and covers some 33 kilometers. It has the distinctive feature of being operated in steam traction by authentic Mallet locomotives.
This trip is designed to show you the beauty of Ardèche nature, and is like stepping back in time, delighting young and old alike who have come to visit the region.
After our excursion on the little train, we went for a swim in the Gorges du Doux. It’s a very nice place, with a pebble beach.
5 | Stop off at the Valrhona Chocolate City
Yum yum! We just popped into the store to spoil our loved ones (and ourselves)! Before the Covid crisis, tasting in the store was virtually unlimited. Enough to give us a heart attack!
6 | Tasting wines from the Rhône, Ardèche and Drôme regions
The region boasts numerous vineyards where you can enjoy the sacred liquid we all revere so much. You definitely can’t go there without tasting it. Cheers!
For our part, we stopped off at a wine cellar in Tain l’Hermitage. After a great tasting session, we left with our arms full!
7 | Discover Mont Gerbier de Jonc
Mont Gerbier-de-Jonc is famous for its distinctive shape and extraordinary wealth of natural beauty and wilderness. At its foot are the three sources of the Loire, France’s longest river. Mont Gerbier is one of Ardèche’s many volcanoes, also known as “sucs”. It is the second most important tourist site in the Ardèche department, after the gorges.
You can also hike to the top of Mont Gerbier de Jonc. We didn’t try it because the weather was a bit threatening.
8 | Other spots to discover that we didn’t have time to see
We didn’t have time to “see it all”, even though we did a lot in 4 days. Here’s a small illustrated map of places you can also visit and things to do.
I haven’t illustrated it on the map, but there’s also the Via Ardèche to do. It’s a greenway for cycling. Between Vogüé and Grospierre, a 22 km itinerary has been laid out on the old railroad line to enable bikes to travel in complete safety. And here’s an added bonus: this greenway is completely flat!
Don’t hesitate to leave me comments after your stay in Ardèche!
Where to sleep in the Ardèche?
We stayed in the north of the Ardèche. The place was in the middle of nature, the location very charming. We really liked it, but we were a long way from the southern part of the Ardèche. As a result, we drove further than we’d planned. However, for the setting, I highly recommend this guest house. The owners are very welcoming, the rooms are decorated with great care and the breakfast is a real treat!
This is the name of the accommodation “La Maison d’Hortense (located in Empurany)” which you can find on Booking.
(Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions).
Thanks for reading!
Mylène
This article includes affiliate links. If my tips have helped you plan your trip, or if you’d just like to support me, please feel free to book using my links. This will allow me to earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you in advance for your support!
My best photos are on Instagram
Follow me on my adventures around the world
Les articles suivant peuvent vous intéresser :