Can I just rave about the delights of the Southern Ardeche?

[PortofinoRevisited]

It's like the Dordogne, but even more stunning scenery, cheaper, nice food, not overrun by british tourists. I love it. Wine is 1.30 euros in the campsite bar, some of the local towns and the gorges of the Ardeche river are beyond gorgeous. Dd is in her element with the caves to visit and the Parcours Aventures ie tree climbling stuff. And paddling in the river...

Sounds beautiful. I am not a camper though, do you know of nice hotels or apartments thereabouts?

I don't do camping either. We have a 2 bed/2 bath mobile home with a dishwasher and DVD player.

Glad you are having fun. I've been trying to find somewhere mountainous in France for next year and the Ardeche is definitely on the list.

We loved it. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful.

Ooh we are going in a couple of weeks. Never been before and no idea what to expect. Any specific recommended places to visit / activities?

I canoed round there for a week when I was at high school. I remember how stunning it was, I'd love to go back

You have to see the Pont D'Arc and ideally kayak through it. We loved Labeaume, Balazuc and the caves at La Cocaliere. There are loads of tree climbing/activity parks. Dd went to the Foret d'Aventure with dh a couple of times. The market at Vallon Pont D'Arc is great. We are currently at Les Ranchisses with Eurocamp. It is fabulous - one of the nicest sites I have ever visited - and the wifi works marvellously. It has been a bit too hot for me the last couple of days - about 35 degrees in the afternoon - so we have been forced to seek a shady terrace and eat long leisurely lunches Awful. We leave tomorrow.

The food has been marvellous and is really inexpensive compared to other places in France we have been in recent years. We have just eated a massive lunch - 2 courses with wine for 3 for under 50 euros. 50cl of wine in a pichet is normally about 5 or 6 euros.

I have also canoed down the river and under the arch (with an 18+ PGL trip, they now only run for younger DCs. Given how much very cheap wine we drank, that's probably understandable).

It is beautiful

I think the millau bridge might be in that area.
We took the kids to see it when it first opened.
Amazing looking thing strung across the valley.
Lease feel free to ignore if I'm totally in the wrong area!

Brilliant. Can't wait to go now. Thanks so much for all the useful info.

I did it at 17 with PGL too, it's stunning.