The must sees
Visiting the Ardèche Gorges for the first time? Here are the must-see sites of the destination!
The Ardèche Gorges
The Gorges de l’Ardèche is a wild, deep canyon, 32 km long between Vallon Pont d’Arc and Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche, and one of the most beautiful in Europe. Classified as a National Nature Reserve, the Ardèche Gorges can be explored by car or by bike, but also by canoe or by hiking in the canyon.
The Pont d’Arc
Le Pont d’Arc est une arche minérale grandiose sculptée au fil des millénaires par le passage de la rivière Ardèche. Haute de 54 mètres, large de 60 mètres, elle constitue une curiosité géologique unique au monde !
The Pont d’Arc is an imposing mineral arch sculpted over thousands of years by the passage of the River Ardèche. At 54 metres high and 60 metres wide, it is a geological curiosity that is unique in the world!
Chauvet Cave 2
Discovered in 1994, the Chauvet Cave is a cave decorated with prehistoric drawings dating back more than 36,000 years. It is the oldest evidence of art in Humanity. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. For obvious conservation reasons, it is closed to the public. But its copy, Grotte Chauvet 2, reproduces exactly the same frescoes, walls, floors, ceilings and archaeological remains as the original cave.
The Aven d’Orgnac
L’Aven d’Orgnac est une grotte classée Grand Site de France. 700 marches à descendre pour accéder 120 m sous terre à des salles gigantesques, ornées de stalagmites et stalactites toutes plus magnifiques les unes que les autres … Partout le goutte à goutte imperturbable sculpte le paysage souterrain, faisant pousser les concrétions d’un petit millimètre par an. Magnifié par un jeu de lumière subtile, l’univers de l’Aven d’Orgnac est féerique… et fait de la grotte ardéchoise une référence mondiale du milieu souterrain.
Aven d’Orgnac is a cave classified as a Grand Site de France. You have to climb down 700 steps to reach gigantic chambers 120 m underground, adorned with stalagmites and stalactites, each more magnificent than the last… Everywhere, the imperturbable drip sculpts the underground landscape, causing the concretions to grow by just a millimetre a year. Magnified by a subtle play of light, the world of Aven d’Orgnac is magical… and has made the Ardèche cave a world benchmark for the underground environment.
Balazuc
Small houses huddled together, clinging to the cliff above the River Ardèche, cool, shady cobbled streets, secret passages such as that of the “Fachinière” (the spell caster), vaults, calades, craft shops, a very pretty Romanesque church… You’re in Balazuc, a small village in the Gorges de l’Ardèche, classified as a Village de Caractère, and one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France.
Labeaume
Lulled by the lapping of the River Beaume as it flows past, the village of Labeaume is surrounded by impressive limestone cliffs carved with caves. Its typical houses are squeezed together along narrow calades (cobbled streets) and small vaulted passageways, where it’s good to stroll and take your time… From the belvedere at the top of the cliff, above the river, the view of the village is splendid.
Saint-Montan
Perched on the mountain, topped by its castle, the characterful village of Saint-Montan seems to belong to another time. From the castle, you can admire the valley and the village’s stone houses. Legend has it that the village was founded by Montanus, a hermit in the 5th century. For the past forty years, the village has been passionately restored by the “Friends of Saint-Montan” association. They have used every stone to bring this village of character back to life.
Viviers
The former capital of the Vivarais region, the town of Viviers has been the bishopric of the Ardèche since the 5th century and is also a “remarkable heritage site“. Its strategic location on the banks of the Rhône and at the crossroads of several communication routes made it a rich and prosperous city in the Middle Ages and then in the Renaissance. Step back in time and take a stroll through its steep, narrow streets.
Vogüé
Small houses huddled together at the foot of imposing cliffs. Stone cobbled streets, typical of the old villages of the Ardèche, narrow lanes, a perfectly renovated castle and its hanging gardens from which the view is magnificent… The characterful village of Vogüé is all this and more, right on the river.
