The grand tour of France 2022 September 19th - day twenty one

The D290 takes you along the Ardeche gorge. It’s Cheddar Gorge on steroids only you are driving alongside it towards the top of it rather than up through it at the bottom. The D290! Oh my!  Switch backs, stunning viewpoints and all the way the chasm on one side that is the Ardeche gorge!

Plunging cliffs, buff coloured limestone scars stained brown with leeching rainwater, drop vertically down to a twisting riverbed, filled with green waters and grey pebble beaches. Much of this deep ravine is forested. Look out for the little laybys and viewpoints.

This road has tunnels. Short in length but dangerous for unwary motorhome drivers. The roofs are curved and jagged. I hug the middle of the road through them. Sod who’s coming the other way! And beware the dangerous gravel verges; they look deceptively solid but they aren’t. Spinning wheels trapped in those gravel pits are going to cause some serious damage underneath!

Orange jacketed hunters line the road staring into ravines, large rifles with gunsights hung nonchalantly over a shoulder.  It is wild boar season and the poor animals are being culled. For those of us not used to seeing hunters in plain sight – it is a disconcerting scene!

We stop at various viewpoints along the way to admire the gorge depths, the 200m high cliffs, the huge curved amphitheatres of rock mid-way up them where water, eons ago, carved their mark upon this landscape.

We arrive in Vallon D’ Pont and park up on the Aire opposite the tourisme office. Basically, think a gravel car park on a slight slope with grey and black waste service points and that’s it. Electricity is available apparently although we couldn’t find it and nor could anyone else on the site. The walk into the town centre takes five minutes. 9 euros 80 per night. 

The town centre is pretty – a central square with a lovely old carousel and some street cafes and then a maze of medieval streets full of touristy type shops and local craft shops. Hats, bracelets, stunning pottery, nougat, metal sculptures hip clothing and more. And a good range of nice restaurants too. It is also the kayak hire mecca of France. Down along the river, plenty of hire businesses and campsites.

After strolling town and buying food from a yummy patisserie/boulangerie for lunch, we go on a walk to Pont d Arc - an eight km round trip over the hills. Some sections are steep, gravelly and slippy but the views are good from the hilltops. Wear lightweight boots – you need the ankle protection; carry plenty of water and use walking poles. Be sensibly equipped. Some great views of old agricultural buildings and farm houses. 

Back into town for ice cream at end of afternoon. At the ice cream parlour, we are glad they take the time to explain the little block with two holes that they bring to our table before the ice cream sundaes arrive. Two holes in the block are filled with clear liquid and the other two hold marsh mallows.  Now, I would have eaten the marshmallow but the waitress asks me to pick it up and place it in the hole with the liquid. Where upon it expands rapidly into a ‘wet wipe’. She explained that they now told customers what to do as several had ‘eaten’ the marshmallow looking objects in the past and been rather ill! Don’t’ say we didn’t warn you!

 Useful information:

Route: D290 to Vallon Pont d’Arc

Distance: 25 miles

Costs: Aire fee 9.80 euros. https://www.searchforsites.co.uk/marker.php?id=420