Swimming spots on the Ardèche, the Cèze and the Chassezac
From the holiday home, a footpath of about 4 km leads to the edge of the Ardèche gorge at Les Crottes. From Les Crottes, which you can of course also reach by car or bike (D217 towards Orgnac, then turn left to Les Crottes), a hiking trail leads through the forest and down into the gorge in 20 minutes to a refreshing swimming spot on the Ardèche. We recommend that our guests buy a topographic hiking map of the Ardèche region locally (available in all stationery shops) to explore the many hiking trails and mountain bike routes. In our opinion the best hiking map is the “Carte IGN Gorges de l’Ardèche Bourg-St-Andéol – Vallon Pont d’Arc – 2939 OT”.
Swimming spots right at the Pont d’Arc: By car it is about 9 km to Vallon Pont d’Arc. At the first roundabout after the bridge, turn right and drive along the Ardèche to the Pont d’Arc. Link to Google Maps http://goo.gl/maps/TZCH6
You will find more swimming spots in the Cèze valley about 10 km away. Link to Google Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/UB2Jl. The gorges of the Chassezac and the Beaume are also quickly reached, and all these river valleys and gorges fascinate with their unique nature and breathtaking scenery of rock, light, water and gravel beaches.
Famous antiques market (brocante) in Barjac
From Labastide-de-Virac you reach Barjac in about ten minutes by car (8 km). Bargain hunters should set off early for the brocante to get a parking space. Experience shows that the best parking spaces in the village, for example at the Église Saint-Laurent, are already full early in the morning. Of course this also applies to the weekly market, held every Friday morning, where you can buy regional delicacies such as tapenade (tasty olive paste), Montélimar nougat, goat’s cheese, spicy wild boar sausage, lavender honey, Châtaigne d’Ardèche (a sweet chestnut liqueur) and of course clothes and household goods.
Information and impressions can be found at:
Foire aux antiquités et à la brocante de Barjac and in the video www.barjac-foire-antiquites-brocante.org/video-foire-barjac.html
Sport climbing in the Ardèche
With about 50 climbing areas, 13,000 climbing routes and 33 km of climbing terrain, the Ardèche is a paradise for sport climbers. Different types of rock, including granite, limestone and phonolite, are found on the climbing routes. Along the Ardèche gorge in particular there are numerous documented routes of all grades for ambitious beginners and experts alike (difficulty 8c).
For example the spot “Les Abeillères” with the route “Eau claire de la lune”, near the holiday home via the D25 towards “Les Crottes” and Le Mas de Serret, reached in a few minutes by car.
Difficulty: 6a
Orientation: east
Height: 150 m
Rope length: 2 x 50 m
Active climbing fans will find a precise description of the route here: http://www.yadugaz07.com/gorges-ardeche.php
Detailed descriptions of further climbing routes along the Ardèche gorge can be found by the keen sport climber here: http://www.yadugaz07.com/gorges-ardeche.php
Climbing, canyoning and more leisure fun for families and groups
On holiday, everyone is finally together. So nothing stands in the way of outdoor activities with the whole family or in a group, which provide plenty of fun, excitement and above all action for everyone involved. Children and teenagers in particular benefit, as they get bored “to death” very quickly on long hikes and visits to monuments.
The adventure park “Accroche Toi aux Branches“ is a five-hectare leisure park in the Ardèche gorge with 7 courses of widely varying difficulty to choose from, so that even the youngest have fun. Unusual and appealing at the same time: some of the old trees are more than 20 metres tall.
Opening hours: daily from 9:30 am to 7:00 pm
Location: Les Mazes near Vallon Pont d’Arc (turn-off to Les Mazes at the Lidl)
More information on the internet: www.accrochetoiauxbranches.fr
The “Adventure Camp in Grospierres“ offers, besides a high ropes park, other outdoor adventures for groups and families.
These include courses in rock-face climbing, canyoning, caving, canoe trips through the Chassezac gorge (Gorge du Chassezac) and the Ardèche gorges (Gorges de l’Ardèche), as well as quad bike outings and horse riding.
Opening hours: from April daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm – in summer daily from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm
Location: Grospierres near Vallon Pont d’Arc
More information on the internet: http://www.adventurecamp.fr/de/index.php