Trails in Ardèche

Did you know that 45% of the Ardèche territory is made up of forests 🌳🌲? This sets the stage right away. Needless to say, the Ardèche is a vast land of trails, as you will see below with the race calendar. To start a tour of Ardèche, how about beginning with the Gorges of Ardèche and the Pont d'Arc, an incredible natural arch and an unavoidable tourist attraction? You won't regret coming... The cirques, such as those of Gens and Madeleine, and the cliffs abound in the area and are breathtaking 😍. Obviously, it's a paradise for canoe-kayak enthusiasts 🛶. And for speleologists! In 1994, near the Estre cirque in the municipality of Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, the Chauvet Cave, millennia-old, was discovered by Jean-Marie Chauvet, Éliette Brunel, and Christian Hillaire, three speleologists who entered the legend. ℹ️ The cave is not open to the public. Ardèche is also worth visiting for hiking as you might imagine. The GR3, which goes all the way to La Baule (Loire-Atlantique), originates at Mont-Gerbier-de-Jonc, a famous mountain at the foot of which the Loire, France's longest river, takes its source. The site is the second most visited place in the department. During your wanderings in the south of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, you'll be able to enjoy all the charming villages of the area. Saint-Montan is one of them: a medieval village that has been restored by volunteers from all over the world. The castle 🏰 of Vogüé awaits you eagerly, as does Balazuc with its ancient stones from the Middle Ages. The charming small villages are truly one of the highlights of Ardèche... You can certainly discover the Occitan culinary specialties there, such as caillette and picodon 🧀, washed down (in moderation) with a Castagnou. Another appeal of Ardèche is its tranquility. With 59 residents per square kilometer compared to 105 residents per square kilometer for France. Probably due to the absence of a major metropolis in the department, whose capital is Privas (8000 inhabitants, the smallest Prefecture of France 🇫🇷). The most populated city is Annonay (16,000 inhabitants), ahead of Aubenas (12,000 inhabitants). The lovers of fauna and flora won't complain about that... We've mentioned the natural arch of Pont d'Arc; another notable passage of the Ardèche River in the region is the Pont du Diable in Thueyts. Did you know that the Montgolfier Brothers were from Annonay? What a strange idea to want to fly away from this paradise... It's not Jean Ferrat who will contradict us.

A look at the trail race calendar in Ardèche? But with great pleasure! You will have every opportunity to discover the Regional Natural Park of the Monts d'Ardèche with the Chaussée des Géants event, which offers its runners 2 distances of discovery trail and a long trail. In Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, the Trail des 36 000 pays tribute to the age of the cave paintings discovered in the Chauvet Cave... A trail that combines culture and nature, what a balance! Another balance, the duo race allows you to share this top-notch day appropriately! We now have a serious proposition: the organizers of the Taranis Arga Trail have planned no less than 10 distances! You have several choices between 11 km and 118 km... Reason or passion 😅? The nearby vineyards 🍇 will provide all the comfort possible. In the municipality of Désaignes, the Ardèche Trail La Voie Romaine lives up to its name. It's your turn to discover the still intact Roman remains. If you're looking for a bit of madness 🤪, the Trail des Sapins is a race held during Halloween. A good excuse to run in costume! Let's end this little teaser with the Trail des Gorges de l'Ardèche, a notoriously difficult event... Many runners drop out before the finish. Maybe simply to enjoy the local delights...?

Is Ardèche hard?