Spring in the Ardèche Gorges
Nature in turmoil
Spring at last! I don’t know about you, but for me it’s clearly my favourite season. It’s as if all our sensations are intensified, as if multiplied tenfold. Here in the Gorges de l’Ardèche, with the return of the sun, it’s as if the whole of nature is in turmoil. Every day, the vegetation becomes fuller and more colourful. The bright green of the oaks, junipers, olive trees and vast expanses of nature contrast with the intense, luminous blue of the sky. The scents of garrigue, thyme, rosemary and juniper tickle our nostrils. Multicoloured field flowers dot every patch of greenery. The birds of the gardens and the garrigue return (and we can hear them!): the Cuckoo, the Oriole, the Kite, the African Bee-eater, the Egyptian Vulture, the Short-toed Eagle. The rivers and waterfalls, swollen by winter rain and snow, flow, powerful and lively, translucent and limpid. Sunrises and sunsets offer a different spectacle every day. Each outing on foot, by bike or by car is a new source of wonder…
Long days
And then in spring in the Ardèche, we say to ourselves that this is it, the long months of winter are finally behind us, and that they will now give way to the sweetness of life on beautiful sunny days. The ones when you’re having breakfast on the terrace to the chirping of the birds, or putting on your trainers to set off on an adventure along the paths through the fragrant garrigue, the ones when you sometimes make startling discoveries along the way. Picnics on the beach, lunches on the terrace, siestas by the water, days that stretch out, evenings that linger outside…
Our ideas for wild places to discover in Spring
THE NÈGUE VALLEY
Entre Gras et Saint-Thomé coule une charmante petite rivière, la Nègue. Chacun pourra trouver son petit coin de paradis au bord de l’un des nombreux trous d’eau qui se dénichent le long de la petite route pittoresque. On vous conseille vraiment d’aller y faire un tour au mois de mai. Depuis la route on peut voir plus de 2500 variétés d’iris en fleur, cultivés à l’iriseraie de Bernard Laporte.
Between Gras and Saint-Thomé flows a charming little river, the Nègue. There’s a little piece of paradise for everyone along one of the many waterholes that can be found along the picturesque little road. We really recommend a visit in May. From the road you can see more than 2,500 varieties of iris in flower, grown at Bernard Laporte’s iris orchard.
THE IBIE VALLEY
This small, unspoilt valley runs alongside the mysterious Ibie river between Villeneuve de Berg and Vallon-Pont-d’Arc.
Along its 30 km, you’ll find waterfalls and turquoise waters, pebble beaches and Mediterranean vegetation.
The Dent de Rez massif
After trekking through a natural area classified Natura 2000 for its remarkable flora and fauna, you reach the summit of the Dent de Rez massif, the highest in the southern Ardèche, at 719 m. Here, before your very eyes, the Cévennes mountains stretch as far as the Alps in a spectacular 360° panorama.
The Gorges de Labeaume and the hanging gardens
In Labeaume, just a stone’s throw from Ruoms, we recommend you make a short diversions to the Récatadou hanging gardens. These are tiny plots of land, laid out in terraces (or “faïsses” as the locals say) suspended above the Gorges de Labeaume, some still cultivated, and bordered by low dry stone walls. The views from here are truly breathtaking. A yellow and white signposted path leading to the village of Labeaume takes you closer to the River Beaume. You follow the river over wide slabs of rock, along high limestone cliffs, and you can bet that the pretty waterholes below will catch your eye…
The Imbours waterfalls
You’d think you were in the heart of a tropical forest, but no, the Imbours waterfalls are in the southern Ardèche, near Larnas. You have to go after the rain to enjoy the spectacle. It’s the perfect place for a picnic!
The Cirque de Gens in Chauzon
The Cirque de Gens in Chauzon is a natural site carved out of the limestone cliffs by the River Ardèche over millions of years.
Here, everything is there to make the site magical: the meander of the Ardèche, the vertiginous cliffs, the vegetation that smells of the south, the calm and serenity… A short break on the sandy beach in the heart of the site is bliss!
The Sainte-Beaume gorges at Saint-Montan
The Gorges de la Sainte-Beaume is a small canyon carved out between Larnas and the pretty, picturesque village of Saint-Montan. To explore them, we recommend that you follow the yellow and white signposted path from the San Samonta chapel, located on the outskirts of the village on the way to Larnas. The path then runs alongside climbing routes and climbs across large screes. It’s a bit dizzying, but really charming. It’s well worth the diversions to the cave of the hermit Montanus, who lived here in the 5th century. And even if you’re there, continue on the signposted path to the top to return via the other side to Saint-Montan. There, the view of the village is exceptional! It’s well worth stopping for a moment on a rock to admire the view.
The Rochecolombe Cascade
To see it flow, the weather has to be right. But if one day you are lucky enough to see the water flowing from the Rochecolombe waterfall, we promise you a truly magical spectacle. This natural waterfall is at its most spectacular the day after a very heavy rainfall or violent storm. A powerful torrent gushes from the top of the cliffs, splashing against a huge boulder below. The incredibly turquoise river continues to flow through a succession of small pools. The setting is just perfect… And even if the waterfall isn’t flowing, take a trip to Rochecolombe. This medieval village is truly charming!
