An introduction to the Ardeche

Camping in the Ardeche is the perfect holiday adventure for active families. This area is home to some of France's best cycling, canoeing and white water rafting.

With rugged hills, cliff-top castles, long meandering rivers with spectacular gorges, Ardeche is the perfect location for an Al Fresco holiday that's as busy or lazy as you want it to be. A drive along the spectacular gorges of the Ardèche or Tarn Rivers offer amazing views around every corner. Just don't look down!

What to eat and drink in the Ardeche

The wines of the Château-neuf-du-Pape and Côte du Rhône vineyards are the perfect match for the local wild boar with horse chestnuts, goats cheese, honey, nougat and truffles.

What to see and do in the Ardeche

Whether you're an enthusiastic first-timer, or a committed adrenalin junky, there are activities to suit everyone in the family. Canoeing, kayaking and hiking trips are regularly organised by Yelloh! Village le Soleil Vivarais park.

Choose from 7km to 32km routes with or without guides in singles or pair and set off from the park. Mountain biking. From gentle riverside rides to rush descents, taking to the saddle is the ideal way to explore the Ardeche. Canyoning. This relatively new sport is an action-packed mix of climbing, hiking, abseiling and swimming that challenges you to follow the course of a river by the most direct route.

Beneath the surface, caves are something of a local speciality. Aven d'Orgnac, discovered in 1935, has a huge lava flow that looks a lot like an organ case (hence the name). Its just 12 miles from the Sampzon. La Madeleine, discovered in 1887, has 25 rooms along a converted circuit about 500meters long.

The La Forestière cave has stalactites with rare coral forms and important bone deposits from Palaeolithic age. Or descend 130 metres into the spectacular Cave of Marzal for the sparkling room of diamonds.

What's the weather like in the Ardeche?