Page 229 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

Montélimar The view from Château des Adhémar
taste this sweet delight river 15km south into Bourg- the many paddling tours
at the source, visit one of St-Andéol, then squiggle 30km down the river. Further
Montélimar’s small pro- along the D4 past St-Remèze’s east, the Sentier Aval des
ducers, such as L’Artisan lavender museum to Vallon- Gorges descends steeply
Nougatier (%04 75 52 01 Pont-d’Arc, western gateway to for 2km to the heart of the
the Gorges de l’Ardèche.
59; www.lartisannougatier. gorges, granting hikers
com; 35 bd Marre Desmarais; access to two primitive
h9am-7.30pm). Afterwards TRIP HIGHLIGHT campgrounds at Bivouac
burn off the calories with 6 Gorges de de Gournier and Bivouac
a climb to Château des l’Ardèche de Gaud. Allow some time
Adhémar (%04 75 00 62 to visit the sensational
30; www.chateaux.ladrome.fr; These steep and spectacu- Caverne du Pont d’Arc
adult/child €4/free; h10am- lar limestone gorges cut a (%04 75 94 39 40; www.
12.30pm & 2-6pm Sep-Jun, curvaceous swath through cavernedupontdarc.fr; Plateau
10am-6pm Jul-Aug), whose the high scrubland along du Razal; adult/child €13/6.50;
12th-century fortifica- the Ardèche River, a tribu- h8.30am-8pm May-Sep,
tions hold a Romanesque tary of the Rhône. The 9.30am-6.30pm Oct-Dec &
chapel and a rotating real showstopper, near the Feb-Apr) museum, which
series of art exhibits. gorges’ western entrance, houses replicas of amaz-
is the Pont d’Arc, a sub- ing prehistoric paintings.
The Drive » Follow the D73 limely beautiful natural
southwest for 10km across the stone arch. Stop here to 4 p229
Rhône into Viviers, follow the
camp, swim or join one of
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