Canoeing in the Ardèche

Lovers of outdoor sports such as canoeing and kayaking will discover the ideal sites in the Southern Ardèche to indulge in their favourite activity. At the edge of the river, our camping Ardèche Sud gives you here the information for the practice of canoe kayak in the Ardèche region. Making it easier for you to organise your holiday is very important to us. Feel free to browse our site, and discover all the activities to do in Ardèche.

Put on your swimming costume, wetsuit and lifejacket, get in your boat and grab your paddle; it’s time for some sport !

The Ardèche, an ideal destination for canoeing and kayaking

The Gorges de l’Ardèche, a major canyon shaped by the waters of about 30 km, are located between Vallon-Pont-d’Arc and Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche. This beautiful and ideal natural setting attracts many tourists every year in search of a change of scenery and 100% natural activities. It is one of the most popular sites in and around the Ardèche department for sporting activities. Among these activities, canoeing and kayaking take pride of place along with swimming.

The Ardèche Gorges allow you to descend into the heart of a natural site teeming with vegetation, from Vallon-Pont-d’Arc or Chames, a little further down, to Sauze, in Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche. The descent takes all day. There are many rapids where you can canoe to your heart’s content, such as the Charlemagne rapid, the Champs rapid, the Dent Noire rapid and the Esclapayre rapid. Several routes of varying length are available for canoeing down the Ardèche.

There are canoeing and kayaking routes of up to 32 km. The ideal way to enjoy the beautiful and varied scenery while exercising. The Gorges de l’Ardèche, the Pont d’Arc and the Dent de Rez are part of a superb nature reserve covering 1,575 hectares.

The Chassezac is also one of the rivers you can canoe down, with two routes of 7 and 10 km. By reservation, some half-day walks are possible on this river of Southern Ardèche. The Ardèche, a destination par excellence for sports enthusiasts in the heart of a preserved nature, has many rivers suitable for outdoor sports activities, with some courses more strenuous than others: the Beaume, the Bourges, the Eyrieux..

For canoeing down the Ardèche, the main spot is Vallon-Pont-d’Arc. There are also other less touristy but equally remarkable sites where you can canoe and kayak.

• The Assions ;: a little frequented site, situated about thirty kilometres from Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, ideal for quiet paddling on the Ardèche.
• Balazuc : 25 minutes from Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, several nautical bases allow you to descend the Ardèche from Balazuc.
• The small commune of Chauzon, near Balazuc, is another spot for canoeing.
• Ruoms : this small town dating from the Middle Ages is also a starting point for descending the Ardèche.
• Ucel : to the north of Aubenas, this commune is an anchorage area for going down the Ardèche.
• Lanas : near one of the “Most beautiful villages of France”, Vogüé, two spots are available for canoeing.

Do you need information about canoe and kayak hire or a water sports centre in the South Ardèche? You can always find a canoe to rent to go down the Ardèche rivers. Each spot has at least one canoe or kayak rental company and there are water sports bases everywhere.