Cycle
the Ardèche
Ardèche
is located where Provence begins, in the south-east of France, along
the River Rhône between
Lyon and Avignon. Its climate is influenced by the Mediterranean Sea
in the south of the county and by the Massif Central in the mountainous
area.
Those who love exploring the magnificent scenery in Ardèche are always fascinated by the very different landscapes, each with its own typical colour and type of rock: schist, granite, sandstone, limestone... The low hills and magnificent high mountains are mostly bathed in golden sunlight. Typically medieval villages cling to the lie of the land, often near vast chestnut forests or dense thickets of Holm oak. Rivers, lakes and streams are ever-present.
The Ardèche is a land of adventure and a superb area for sports with canoeing, kayaking, cycling, climbing, mountain biking, hiking and ballooning, to name a few. There are some special places to visit on your bike, including the low-lying plateaux of Haut Vivarais, cut by verdant valleys where you can visit many superb vineyards: Saint Joseph, Cornas, Saint Péray...
It is also the land of the impressive ruined
castles of Crussol and Rochebonne, the unique Soyons archaeological
site, and the town of Annonay, the largest
in the county.
The higland area of the Ardèche mountains culminates in Mont Mézenc and Gerbier de Jonc where the Loire River rises before flowing down to the Atlantic. It is a land of ancient volcanoes, crystal clear lakes, meadows and fir forests, an area of strong traditions where, today as yesterday, cottages with stone slab roofs or thatched with broom watch over the wild beauty of the countryside.
Wherever you go in the Ardèche, you will pass proud castles scattered among exquisite towns and villages, coupled with mountains, forests, gorges, valleys...
