Camping in the Ardèche

Why we love holidays in the Ardèche

The Ardèche region of France is as spellbinding as it gets. Camping holidays in Ardèche bring all this wonder up close and personal. Think mellow stone villages, rushing rivers and forests aplenty for little ones to explore. This is a big, widescreen landscape where nature is definitely in charge. The Ardèche, with its dramatic blend of unspoiled natural wonders and rich historical heritage, has a remarkable human history stretching back tens of thousands of years, evidenced by the UNESCO-listed Chauvet cave. But today's Ardèche combines this dizzying past with abundant outdoor adventures, from thrilling canoe descents through the gorges to gentle hikes through chestnut forests and explorations of medieval villages perched on hillsides.

If outdoor adventures are your family’s thing, you can’t ask for a bigger, bolder – more awe-inspiring backdrop. Then, when the thrills and spills are over, you can head to a delightful riverside cafe to refuel, and plan tomorrow’s super-sized exploits. That’s Ardèche for you: more than capable of bringing a new adventure every day.

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The essence of the Ardèche

Wild waters

Take a day trip to the Gorges de l'Ardèche and experience the thrill of canoeing through white water. Pont d'Arc is only 20 minutes' drive away, where the River Ardèche is at its most beautiful - lined with lovely beaches.

Dramatic geology

The River Ardèche has carved a hole through the limestone rocks around it, leaving behind a natural bridge 50m tall and 60 metres wide – Pont d'Arc. It's your perfect Instagram spot!

Picturesque villages

There are plenty to stumble upon. Try Balazuc, a really pretty village situated right next to the river. It is dominated by the old fortress of the Lords of Balazuc built on a cliff.

Our favourite things to do in the Ardèche

Fun days out

Family days out in Ardèche don’t come much more dramatic than this. The Chauvet Cave, discovered in 1994 and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, contains some of the oldest and best-preserved prehistoric art in the world – while the original remains closed to protect the 36,000-year-old paintings, the remarkable replica site called Grotte Chauvet 2 offers a fascinating immersive experience with guided tours, interactive exhibits, and activities for children.

Aqua'Ardèche provides the perfect family cooling-off spot with its gigantic swimming paradise featuring three pool areas and twelve sensational waterslides, allowing visitors of all ages to enjoy refreshing rides or gentle splashes in designated areas for smaller children. The Aven d'Orgnac, classified as a Grand Site de France, combines the spectacular underground experience of exploring vast caverns filled with stalactites and stalagmites with the educational Cité de la Préhistoire museum, where your kids can participate in prehistoric-themed activities like fire-making, flint-knapping, and spear-throwing during summer months. Who doesn’t like a bit of flint-knapping in the summer?

Getting active

Camping holidays in Ardèche are about living your best life, and it starts in the water! Always! Canoeing through the Gorges de l'Ardèche is the region's best-known (and, frankly, best!) outdoor activity, with the classic 32-kilometre route from Vallon-Pont-d'Arc to Saint-Martin-d'Ardèche offering an unforgettable journey past limestone cliffs, hidden beaches, and under the magnificent Pont d'Arc natural bridge – outfitters provide equipment and transport for trips ranging from a few hours to multi-day adventures with overnight camping.

The extensive network of hiking trails in the region caters to all abilities, from gentle family walks through the forests around Villeneuve-de-Berg to more challenging routes in the Monts d'Ardèche Natural Regional Park, where volcanic landscapes create distinctive terrain and spectacular viewpoints. Cycling enthusiasts can explore the quiet country roads and riverside trails along the Ardèche river, with the area around Vallon Pont d'Arc offering particularly scenic routes. For a more relaxing alternative try a pony-trekking expedition through the dazzling scenery at Aubenas, Bidon, and St Antheme and experience the landscape at a slower pace. It’s highly recommended!

Cultural hotspots

The walled city of Viviers, just half an hour south of Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, is a medieval town with a history spanning 2,000 years. Explore its narrow streets lined with Renaissance houses, visit the imposing cathedral perched at the town's highest point, and discover numerous perfectly preserved chapels. Avignon, though technically outside the Ardèche proper, makes for an excellent day trip with its famous Palais des Papes (Papal Palace), magnificent Pont d'Avignon, and the beautiful Rocher des Doms gardens that offer both panoramic views of the Rhône plain and a lovely playground for children.

In Largentière, the imposing medieval castle hosts regular events and exhibitions that bring the region's history to life, while the surrounding town with its well-preserved centre offers an authentic glimpse into Ardèche's past with narrow streets and traditional architecture. The Chauvet Cave and its replica (Grotte Chauvet 2) is one of France's most significant cultural treasures, offering insights into human creativity from over 36,000 years ago through state-of-the-art immersive exhibitions. Book ahead, it gets very busy in summer, and you really don’t want to miss it.

Our favourite things to see in the Ardèche

archaeological remains at Alba-la-Romaine

Historic sites

The Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave contains some of the best-preserved figurative cave paintings in the world, dating back approximately 36,000 years – while the original cave is closed to the public for preservation, the remarkable replica at Grotte Chauvet 2 provides an experience of these ancient masterpieces through recreated cave chambers and art. The impressive castle of Largentière, with its medieval architecture and strategic position overlooking the town, offers fascinating insights into feudal life through regular historical events, exhibitions, and guided tours that bring the past to life.

The ancient Roman site at Alba-la-Romaine combines impressive archaeological remains of a Roman town with a modern museum showcasing artifacts and interactive displays, allowing you to walk through actual Roman streets and buildings set against the backdrop of the medieval village that now occupies the hillside. Throughout the region, traditional stone villages with their distinctive architecture tell the story of centuries of rural life in the Ardèche, with places like Balazuc, Labeaume, and Vogüé (all classified among the most beautiful villages of France) our faves.

Cities and towns worth seeing

Vallon-Pont-d'Arc serves as the gateway to the Ardèche Gorges and a base for many outdoor activities, with its lively atmosphere, good selection of restaurants and shops, and proximity to the iconic Pont d'Arc natural stone arch making it an ideal starting point for exploring the region. The medieval town of Joyeuse charms visitors with its well-preserved historic centre, excellent weekly market selling local produce, and the fascinating Musée de la Châtaigneraie dedicated to the importance of chestnuts in Ardèche culture and cuisine.

Aubenas, perched on a basalt plateau overlooking the Ardèche Valley, combines an impressive Renaissance château housing the tourist office with a vibrant market town atmosphere and excellent views from its elevated position. The picturesque village of Balazuc, clinging dramatically to a cliff above the Ardèche river, has earned its classification among the most beautiful villages of France with its cool, shaded cobbled streets, ancient stone houses huddled against each other, and magnificent setting that will make you wish you had a little place here!

Natural wonders

The Pont d'Arc, a magnificent natural stone arch standing 54 metres high and spanning 60 metres across the Ardèche River, forms a gateway to the Gorges de l'Ardèche and offers beautiful riverside beaches on either side where visitors can swim, picnic, and marvel at this geological masterpiece. The Gorges de l'Ardèche are one of France's most impressive natural features, with the river having carved a 30-kilometre canyon through limestone plateaus to create cliffs rising up to 300 metres above the waters – the scenic road along the rim (Route des Gorges) provides numerous viewpoints and access to hiking trails.

The forests, trails, and softly undulating hills around Villeneuve-de-Berg create a picture-perfect Ardèche countryside experience with numerous marked trails allowing you to explore oak and chestnut woods, discover hidden streams, and enjoy the abundant flora and fauna of this unspoiled landscape. The Bois de Païolive near Les Vans is an extraordinary stone forest where centuries of erosion have sculpted limestone into fantastic shapes among ancient oak trees. It’s quite mysterious, it’s definitely one for curious kids.