Swimming in Ardèche
Swimming in the Ardèche is one of the great pleasures of the holidays! Below you’ll find the official, supervised swimming areas from 1 July to 31 August. But you can also go for an adventurous stroll, walk along the rivers and streams and do a bit of walking. You’re sure to make some wonderful discoveries, and there’s a good chance you’ll come across the perfect spot to cool off!
Swimming information and water quality at supervised beaches in the Gorges de l’Ardèche
On the Ardèche Inf’Eau Plage website, you’ll find all the information you need about the 26 public beaches on the Ardèche, Beaume, Chassezac, Lignon and Borne rivers:
📍 Their location
🧪 Results of water quality analyses updated in real time
🚩 The open or closed status of each beach according to known risks or in the event of specific non-compliance of water quality
🛟 The presence or absence of a lifeguard and the facilities available at each site (car park, PRM access, lifeguard post, toilets, etc.).
🐟 Information and advice on best practice for visitors who respect our rivers.
Swimming in the Ardèche Gorges
The most heavenly swimming spot in the Ardèche? This is certainly theArdèche Gorges Nature Reserve…
In the heart of the canyon, in a protected nature reserve, surrounded by 200m-high limestone cliffs and surrounded by vegetation that smells of garrigue, frankly, it’s not bad!
But you have to earn it! Because of its depth, there is no quick or easy access to the canyon. So you’ll have to get there on foot, by canoe, by boat or by paddle, to find your spot for a swim in the Gorges de l’Ardèche!
But really, it’s worth it!
Ardèche Gorges’ Academy: our swimming tips in the Gorges de l’Ardèche
Access, swimming areas, biodiversity, weather, water level and quality, safety: we’ve got 7 essential facts to help you make the most of swimming in the exceptional setting of the Gorges de l’Ardèche!
Swimming under the Pont d’Arc
Probably the best-known beach in the Ardèche, the Pont d’Arc beach deserves its reputation!
It’s impossible to spend a holiday in the Ardèche without taking a dip under the imposing natural stone arch.
You’ll find 2 beautiful sandy beaches upstream and downstream of the site. And frankly, whether you look at it from the front or the back, it’s really beautiful! Bathing is supervised on the upstream beach from 1 July to 31 August.
In July and August, car parks around the Pont d’Arc are subject to a charge. But you can leave your car at Vallon Pont d’Arc and take .the free shuttle bus.
Swimming at Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche
Just outside the Ardèche Gorges, in Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche, you’ll find 2 lovely beaches with lifeguards on duty in July and August for swimming in the Ardèche: the Grain de Sel beach and the Sauze beach. The Grain de Sel beach has been awarded the Blue Flag. This label, awarded annually, guarantees exemplary environmental quality and encourages behaviour that respects nature.
The beaches are vast, and if you do a bit of walking, we’re sure you’ll find the perfect spot for a swim, with a view of the pretty medieval village of Aiguèze opposite!
Swimming at the foot of the village of Balazuc
Bathing at the foot of one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France is pretty cool!
In Balazuc, under the bridge, you’ll find a supervised beach for swimming in the Ardèche from 1 July to 31 August.
You can also walk along the path that leads to the hamlet of Viel Audon (signposted on the left after crossing the bridge).
The path runs alongside the river, so it’s up to you to find your own little bathing spot!
Swimming at Saint-Just-d’Ardèche
In Saint-Just-d’Ardèche, the Pont Cassé beach is a pretty little sandy beach, supervised in July and August, ideal for a swim break with the kids.
Swimming under the bridge in Salavas
Just 2 minutes from Vallon Pont d’Arc, under the Salavas bridge, you’ll find a lovely beach for a swim in the Ardèche. It is supervised from 1 July to 31 August.
