The nature reserve – 24 km canoe trip

Departure :

The Ardèche Gorges are listed as a protected nature reserve. There is no access from the road. Also, there are no places serving food.

You must be sure to prepare enough water and food for the day. Also, wear long-sleeved clothes and/or suntan cream to protect yourself from the sun because there is very little shade in the Gorges.

The meeting point is at our landing stage. A shuttle service will transport you to the nature reserve, in the hamlet of Châmes, the starting point for the 24 km descent.

We offer five departure times: 8.30 am – 9 am – 9.30 am – 10.00 am – 10.30 am.

You must be at the landing stage 30 minutes before departure in order to prepare yourself, receive all the necessary information about the trip and how you should organise your day, as well as your equipment: watertight containers (26 L or 56 L), life jackets and paddles.

Once you are equipped and have been informed, the shuttle service will take you to the starting point.

Descent :

It takes 5 hours of paddling to complete the 24 km route to Sauze. For your comfort, we recommend that you cover as much distance as possible before your lunch break. The Rocher de la Cathedrale is the perfect place for lunch and a swim.

Arrival and return :

Our shuttle service will wait for your at the landing stage in Sauze from 3 pm to take you back to Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. Once you have disembarked, our drivers will invite you to climb into the buses. These will depart once they are full, therefore, we are unable to indicate exactly how long you will have to wait although we do try to ensure that waiting time is kept to a minimum.

>> See practical advice for canoeing.