Article mis à jour le 14 May 2024
Road trip : what to do in the Ardèche ?
In April, I set off on a week-long road trip to the Ardèche ! In this travel guide, we’ll take a look together at what to do in the Ardèche, in this French department that’s bursting with natural wonders. 🤩
I took this trip to the Ardèche in a motorhome. It’s the ideal place for this mode of travel. You can do it very well in a van or, more classic, in a car + hotel. In fact, I recommend some accommodation addresses within this article.
Where to sleep in a motorhome in the Ardèche ?
To find places to sleep, I always use the Park4night app. Most of the features are free. You’ll find lots of information there, such as day and night car parks, motorhome parks and even places in the great outdoors. Take a good look at the reviews for each location to get a better idea of the place. At each stage of the road trip, I’ll give you the GPS coordinates of the places I’ve chosen and validated.
I only spent one night camping next to the Cirque de Gens to be able to plug in to electricity.
When to go to the Ardèche ?
Because of the high tourist season, I wouldn’t recommend visiting the Ardèche in summer. On the one hand, the tourist sites are inevitably very busy, and on the other, because of the drought, many rivers are unfortunately at very low levels.
The best time to visit the Ardèche is from April to June. The weather may be more capricious than in summer, but you’re pretty sure to see plenty of waterfalls and rivers.
What to do in the Ardèche ? Must-sees
Here’s a list of all the places of interest I visited in the Ardèche. I’m going to list them in the order I did them, but you can of course mix and match depending on where you start from.
I did this itinerary over a week, taking my time to appreciate it, but if you hurry you can certainly do it over 4 days. Road times are not very long.
Places to visit in the north of the Ardèche
Lake Issarlès
Bordering a charming village, the Lake of Issarlès is a 97-hectare crater lake. It lies on the Ardèche plateau, at an altitude of 1,000 m, so temperatures are cooler (which can be very cool in summer). You can walk around the lake and even swim in it.
There are shops and restaurants in the village. If you fancy a little sunrise or sunset hike, climb Mount Gerbier de Jonc. This is an ancient volcano at an altitude of 1,500 metres, which you can climb in around 25 minutes. The view from up there is spectacular (or so I hear). I wanted to do it but it started snowing so I might as well tell you that I stayed warm 😂.
😴 Where to sleep at Lake of Issarlès ?
By motorhome or van :
Overnight parking is prohibited within the village, but I found this car park authorised for motorhomes without restriction. On either side, you’ll have a great view of the lake and the mountains.
Accommodation :
To visit the north of Ardèche, I recommend La Bergerie du Plateau. It’s not far from the lake and offers unusual accommodation (wooden hut, dome tent, western horse-drawn carriage, etc.) in a natural environment.
The Ray-Pic waterfall
The Ardèche has many waterfalls, and the Ray-Pic waterfall is one of the most beautiful. After parking in the car park, you’ll need to walk 15 minutes to reach the lookouts. Don’t worry about going there with children, as the path is not dangerous.
There are several viewpoints from which you can admire this magnificent double waterfall, located in the heart of the Monts of Ardèche Regional Nature Park. The volcanic rock (basalt) reminded me of Iceland. And it’s magnificent !
The River Besorgues
On the way back down, take the roads that run alongside the Besorgues river to find swimming spots. The water is incredibly clear. If you’re there in summer, avoid sunscreen to avoid polluting the water.
For the more adventurous, you can go canyoning in this beautiful river. The season runs from April to October. Click to book your canyoning activity at Labastide-sur-Bésorgues.
The Devil’s Bridge
Another nugget in the northern Ardèche, the Devil’s Bridge spans the River Ardèche below the village of Thueyts. This is another village worth visiting, with its castle.
According to legend, the Devil himself built the bridge to lure young men and women to live out their secret love lives. These poor lovers lost their souls there and their cries of despair can still sometimes be heard. Well, it’s just a legend, but let me know if anyone hears anything!
The Devil’s Bridge is a must-see for a walk, a swim or an adrenalin-fuelled activity : Via Ferrata.
Relaxing in Vals-Les-Bains
To continue your road trip in the Ardèche, it’s time to relax ! To do so, head to the thermal baths of Vals-Les-Bains, at the SPA Sequoia Rosewood. Here, you can book a range of wellness treatments or just take a pass on the sensory trail : hot and cold water pools, sauna, hammam, etc. If you want a massage, book well in advance during school holidays and at weekends, as it’s very popular.
Access : I paid €31 for 2 hours’ access. Other packages are available, find all the information on their brochure.
🍦 On the way out, if you fancy a sweet treat, the Béatrix ice cream parlour was recommended to me by an Ardèche woman.
What to do in the Ardèche ? Heading south.
The south of the Ardèche is busier than the north, but it’s also home to some natural wonders. You’ll also find some beautiful villages full of character – I’ve chosen just a few, but you should know that there are plenty more !
The villages of Voguë, Balazuc, Les Vans and Labeaume
These are the villages I chose to visit and I loved them all. However, I prefer Voguë. They all have their own charm and lovely shops.
On Saturdays, don’t miss the market in Les Vans, which stretches through the narrow streets.
😴 Where to sleep to visit the South Ardèche ?
In a van / camper van :
Near Balazuc, I slept on a spot in the middle of nature found on Park4night. As usual, don’t leave anything behind (no rubbish, no toilet paper). It’s very important to respect nature, not only for its sake, for the sake of others, but also so that this way of travelling isn’t banned everywhere.
Accommodation :
- If you’re looking for unusual accommodation in the heart of nature, I can only recommend Les Cabanes Lodges Le Servière. It’s located in Balazuc and there’s even a private beach on the estate where you can swim in the river!
- For more traditional accommodation, La Bastide de Sanilhac offers a swimming pool, a magnificent view and modern, comfortable rooms.
Via Corda of Endieu
Tested and approved by the 3 of us : the Via Corda on the Endieu site, just next to the Wood of Païolive, where you can also go hiking.
Via Corda is a mixture of climbing and Via Ferrata. It’s a great activity that’s accessible to almost everyone, except children under 1m40 and people suffering from vertigo 😂. On this course, you’ll be suspended on a cliff 40 metres above the river. Of course, everything is done in complete safety under the serious and extremely friendly supervision of Franck from Ardèche Activités Outdoor.
I highly recommend spending some time with him! He also offers canyoning, climbing, via ferrata and canoeing.
Gour of the Sompe waterfall
Another little Ardèche nugget that’s not very well known ! The Gour of the Sompe can be reached by a short path in about 10 minutes. The last descent is a little slippery and steep, but I saw a family with small children there, so I think it’s accessible to everyone (with a little care). First of all, you arrive above the 2 waterfalls. From there, continue along the path and turn right to reach your destination.
➡️ Access : park in the car park where the GPS point leads you and use Google Maps or Maps.me to find your way. The path starts just after a small bridge on the right.
Ibie waterfall
Well, it’s not the most impressive waterfall, but it’s a magnificent place ! The Ibie is another river in the Ardèche with translucent water where it’s nice to take a refreshing dip.
Nearby is the trou de la Lune rock, where we had our picnic and where you can also take a dip.
Road trip in the Ardèche : the must-see Pont d’Arc
If you’re wondering what to do in the Ardèche, you can’t miss the Bridge of Arc. It’s one of France’s natural monuments ! This 50-metre-high arch was formed by erosion over 120,000 years ago. The Pont d’Arc is a majestic structure overlooking the River Ardèche.
This is the most popular tourist spot in the area, so I recommend going early in the morning or late in the day if you’re there in high season.
Activities in the Ardèche : kayaking
As well as swimming from the beach, you can also kayak under the Bridge of Arc, which is the gateway to the Ardèche gorges. It’s a great way to enjoy the scenery.
You’ll find lots of different providers for kayaking in the Ardèche, but I heartily recommend the company run by the darling of one of my subscribers : book your trip with Viking Bateaux.
My secret spot in the Ardèche
While searching Google Maps, I found a little hike leading to a river and a natural swimming pool. This place is absolutely sublime and it’s, among other things, when I see wonders like this that I realise how lucky I am to live in France.
It’s not very well known and it would be nice if it stayed that way, which is why I didn’t give the exact location on Instagram. All I can tell you is that it’s a few kilometres from the Bridge of Arc and can be reached in about 15 / 20 minutes.
➡️ Please note : during the summer, the water may not be as plentiful and the natural pool, fed by the river, may be dry.
Viewpoint at the greenhouse of Tourre
On this magnificent road through the Gorges de of the Ardèche, you’ll have the chance to stop at several viewpoints. Among them, the lookout at the greenhouse of Tourre, which offers a spectacular view ! 🤩
😴 Where to sleep near Bridge of Arc ?
In a van / camper van :
When we were in the area, we slept on the side of a road that wasn’t very busy and offered a beautiful perspective over the valley. It’s not far from the belvedere I mentioned earlier !
> See Park4night. The pitch is only for a maximum of 2 vehicles, but you’ll find more on the app.
Accommodation :
- In the centre of Vallon-Pont d’Arc, I suggest Les Couleurs du Sud, which has a swimming pool and great decor ! It’s perfectly located to take advantage of the shops and restaurants after a day’s sightseeing.
- Away from the centre, on the banks of the Gorges of the Ardèche river, the Préhistoric Lodge offers rooms and lodges in a 100% natural environment. Personally, I love the concept !
Other family activities (or not)
A half-day visit to the Maison de la Lavande and the Grotte Saint-Marcel is very popular with visitors.
I hope I’ve helped you with these road trip itinerary recommendations and that you now know what to do in the Ardèche ! You can discover our many travel guides for France on this page.
If you have any questions or recommendations, we’ll see you in the comments 🙂 See you soon !
This article contains affiliate links. If we’ve helped you organise your trip or you’d just like to support us, consider booking your activities and hotels for the Ardèche by clicking on our links. We’ll earn a small commission and the price stays the same for you, of course. 🤍
Je suis Aurélie, co-créatrice du blog et de l’Instagram Amoureux du Monde. Depuis 2016, j’ai eu la chance de visiter de nombreuses destinations et de me former à la photographie via ces expériences. Ce que je recherche en voyage, c’est l’apaisement devant un magnifique paysage, l’émerveillement devant la beauté de la nature et l’émotion devant un coucher de soleil.
No Comments