If you’re looking to go canyoning in the Ardèche, here are the four best places recommended for an unforgettable experience with family or friends.
Would you like to combine the peace and quiet of a quiet region with the fun of outdoor activities? Welcome to the Ardèche, a steep, hilly region where you’re sure to reveal your sporting side. The Ardèche is the only department in France to have been abandoned by railroads and freeways. It’s a region left to its own devices, where the rugged terrain is a feast for the eyes and the senses. Gorges, canyons, valleys, rivers, old stone villages: you’re immersed in a gentle, natural atmosphere. And to make the most of this unique setting, we recommend an activity that always generates an unforgettable experience: canyoning in the Ardèche!
Canyoning is a complete activity that combines several disciplines in a single outing. You can combine hiking, caving, zip-lining, swimming and rock-climbing, all while having the time of your life. Swimming in white water or diving down natural slides are always guaranteed to get your adrenalin pumping. With a group of friends or family, canyoning in Ardeche is guaranteed to be a good time. Motivated to go? Good news: we’ve selected the 4 best spots for a canyoning session in the Ardèche.
Canyoning in the Aero Besorgues: sensational fun à la carte
Photo credit: CheckYeti
- 📍 Location: Labastide-sur-Besorgues
- ⌛ Level: medium
- 💙 We like: The 2 zip lines on the course: especially the 180 m one!
This is a good course if you want relative difficulty and thrills on an accessible route. Here you’ll find numerous obstacles on a daring course located in the aero Besorgues canyon. The start is in Labastide-sur-Besorgues, in the heart of the Monts d’Ardèche regional nature park. Of course, all equipment is provided by your agency, and all you need to bring is your swimsuit, towel and good humor.
The canyon is reached after a forty-minute walk with a 180-metre ascent. Once inside, you’re in for a challenging 2.5-hour ride. For example, you can take a zip line, swim in white water, slide down natural water slides or take jumps of up to 10 meters! Don’t panic, these jumps are not compulsory and the course is adaptable to all profiles. All you need is a minimum level of physical fitness and the ability to swim. Children must be at least 14 years old(12 in some agencies) and weigh at least 35 kg.
A first canyoning experience in Haute Besorgues
Photo credit: CheckYeti
- 📍 Location: Labastide-sur-Besorgues
- ⌛ Easy to medium level
- 💙 We like: the breathtaking setting and the fact that the ride is accessible to beginners
If you’ve never done canyoning before, this is the course for you. The program includes 2 hours in the canyon for a total of 2 h 30 of activity. You approach the canyon on foot for 30 minutes, with a 100 m vertical drop. You then have access to the canyon, with its crystal-clear waters jealously guarded by deep natural pools. And, of course, there’s always time for a swim. Surrounded by rocky promontories, you’ll come face to face with nature in its simplest form: in a word, it’s a feast for the eyes.
As for difficulty, don’t panic: for a start, the course is not too physically demanding. And if some of the jumps scare you, they’re not compulsory. There are also quiet slides and swims along the way! The minimum age is 10(12 for some agencies). The minimum weight is 35 kg, and you must be able to swim. Agencies generally advise you to bring a picnic lunch, so you can enjoy a break in a breathtaking setting.
A chill family day at Chassezac: relaxation guaranteed!
Photo credit: CheckYeti
- 📍 Location: Les Assions
- ⌛ Level: easy
- 💙 We like: the possibility of spending the whole day and repeating the jumps and slides as often as you like.
The Chassezac stream is a veritable nugget, so much so that it’s nicknamed La perle des Cévennes (The pearl of the Cévennes). We prefer this nickname to the more frightening L’antre du diable (the devil’s lair). Pearl or den, the Chassezac winds its way through gorges that reveal breathtaking landscapes. For an all-day family canyoning experience in the Ardèche, this is just the place.
Meet at Les Assions and drive 45 minutes. Once there, it’s another 45-minute walk to the canyon entrance. You can then spend 3-4 hours in the canyon. This allows you to eat in peace and to do the activities over and over again. With this canyoning activity in Chassezac, you combine thrills and relaxation: ideal for a family canyoning session in the Ardèche.
The family version: an easy aqua hike in the Lower Besorgues region
Photo credit: CheckYeti
- 📍 Location: Labastide-sur-Besorgues
- ⌛ Level: easy
- 💙 We love that even the little ones can enjoy it!
La Basse Besorgues has plenty to offer families. If your children are too small for the first activities on offer, you’ll be happy to bring them along. You don’t need to be a great sportsman to access this course. The Besorgues canyoning bases simply require that you know how to swim and that your children are at least 6 years old.
As far as the route is concerned, you’ll see that it’s quite easy. It’s a 540 m descent that takes 1 h 30. The absence of abseiling makes the ride easier for children. Small slides and jumps (optional, of course!) are on the program in natural pools. Above all, this canyoning activity, ideal for families in the Ardèche, is quickly accessible. From the starting point, it’s a fifteen-minute walk to the canyon.
Are you planning a canyoning adventure in the Ardèche? Visit one of these four marvellous sites for an unforgettable experience. With a group of friends or family, you’re sure to have a great time.
More about CheckYeti
Thanks to CheckYeti, holidaymakers and sports and activity enthusiasts can enjoy their holidays, in summer or winter, with the best guides and instructors in the region.
CheckYeti is Europe’s leading online activity booking service for over 1,500 destinations in the mountains, on the water and in the air. Ski and snowboard lessons, canoeing, rafting, canyoning, surfing, diving, mountain biking, paragliding, hot-air ballooning, jet skiing, boat trips and much more: CheckYeti already offers over 12,000 activities in 16 European countries. Thanks to CheckYeti, holidaymakers and sports and activity enthusiasts can enjoy their holidays, in summer or winter, with the best guides and instructors in the region.
Find out all about canyoning trips in the Ardèche and in France. If you have any further questions, the experts at CheckYeti will be delighted to help you, by e-mail at support@checkyeti.com or by telephone on +33 4 80 82 00 00.