Hi, planning the family holiday for this year and fancy going to the Ardeche.
My concerns are that the attraction is the gorges and associated watersports but my kids will be 8 and 6 so maybe a little young, is there a miniumum age for rafting etc??
And most importantly we'll be taking our bikes so whats the riding like both for families and serious stuff pour moi.
Haven't decided whether to camp ot gite so any recommendations appreciated
ta
We drove to the Cevennes a couple of years ago.
We stopped over in a town called Troyes on the way down on on the way back up. Its a really pretty town and was about half way for us. I booked the hotels online. When I say hotel - I mean "Mister Bed".
The Roman aquaduct and the gorges are spectacular. I did some cliff jumping down at the gorges. Scary stuff for me anyway.
My kids were 9yrs and 5yrs when we went. We took the kids bikes but only used that around the campsite.
There's a fair bit to see and do down there. And the weather is pretty hot in the middle of summer.
There are various canoe and rafting operators and there will be a limitation for the younger ones. So we stuck to gentle canoes.
Most supermarkets have the French equivilant of OS maps for sale and you might be better off with one of those.
The Tarn is nice also. Loads of good riding esp road (concentrated on the road whilst there this summer then moved ovr to the Alps for off road!)
We went to St Martin D'ardeche about three years ago. Found a reasonable campsite in St Martin. We've a camper van, and if you need electricity you will need a southern European or French adapter. As http says it is hot in that region. Most accessible bits have roped areas for swimming, and noddy canoes/pedaloes for hire. I have canoed the gorge twice, and its ACE. But there is a lower age limit which I think is 8(?). Map you need is IGN Gorges de L'Ardeche (2939 OT). Don't know about biking.
There is a campsite for breaking the jouney at Troyes at Mesnil St Pere next to superb lake again with swimming. Some ok-ish & family riding in the woods can be found, but not sure how legal it all is! It is part of a regional Forest Park (Parc D'orient).
Email if you want more info.
Mark
thanks folks, i'll check out those places as a start, also i know Troyes, we've stayed there before.
ta
Yes, minimum age for canoing is 8 - we took our water confident 7 year old to the Ardeche and despite him being a month short of 8, the local canoing centres just gave a blanket "non".
Which for France, the country which appears to have no rules, seemed slightly draconian!
Email me
i used to live there
there is a 45km downhill (uplift needed)
and more tech than you can shake a stick at
(and easy stuff)
mate has a little place out there
you could take your little ones on the river if you want, (there is no rafting)
you need to paddle your own canoe 😉 but you are the master of your own destiny
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattwildrnes/3762984441/in/set-72157621866699304/
Hi wildrnes, pic is blocked and your site seems to be down, drop me a mail please.
ta
Simon