Getaway: Jura and Ardèche
Sammy Faircloth and family take to the water to discover the beauty of France’s Ardèche and Jura regions
Sammy Faircloth and family take to the water in this gorgeous region
GROWING UP, I was always rather in awe of my father, who was incredibly talented at canoeing. From a young age, I remember him taking my twin sister and me along when he competed in races, where we’d camp by the river and support him. I have very fond memories of camping at Ross-on-wye and cheering my father on as he tackled enormous rapids that looked the size of a house (I was quite small!). Sadly, none of his four children followed in his footsteps, even though he tried hard to teach us his skills. I developed a fear of the rapids, so I was never going to be a canoeist or surfer. The nearest family member to show an interest was my son, Daniel, who demonstrated great promise at the tender age of four years old. Armed with these memories, I decided it was time to arrange a family trip that incorporated the joys of a river holiday. At one of the Caravan & Motorhome Shows, I discovered a company called Huttopia. They specialise in campsites in France and particularly in locations that encompass nature – perfect! We opted for a two-centre holiday so, with the campsites booked, we invested in a couple of reasonably priced inflatable kayaks, dry bags, water shoes, life jackets (safety must be paramount when canoeing on rivers) and some suntan lotion.
Forest and river
Our first stop was at Huttopia’s La Plage Blanche, on the banks of the River Loue in the Forêt de Chaux, which is the third-largest forest in France. The nearby town of Dole is famous for being the birthplace of Louis Pasteur and for the 16th-century Notre Dame Collegiate Church, with its 75m-high bell tower. At the site, our designated spot was an incredibly spacious pitch, surprisingly large compared to those on UK sites. The only drawback was that to reach the hook-up, you had to trail your 25m cable across someone else’s pitch – in some cases, this meant going over an access road. We were lucky that our 25m cable just reached the hook-up point, but it did mean we had to pitch our caravan close to the boundary hedge. Fortunately our site neighbours were very obliging. Be aware, some countries use the old-style two-pin connectors. To use three-pin plugs, you’ll need to invest a few pounds in an adaptor. It would also be advisable to pack some extralength cable, but do remember to buy a cable safety box for the connecting piece, because water and electrics don’t go well together! The main objective of our trip was to enjoy the river location, so we inflated our kayaks and set off on the water. We found that there were a couple of small rapids to negotiate and, in all honesty, the inflatables were not really the best for the job; so we decided to stop at a remote beach, where we enjoyed a pleasant, picturesque picnic. The river is the real attraction for this site and in July, the water was warm (nothing like rivers in the UK). For variety, we messed around in the river on cheap airbeds. Needless to say, they are no more! This might sound a little on the risky side, but it was quite shallow – we could easily
stand up in the water. In fact, the challenge was to avoid being grounded. Typically, Daniel found a rope swing over the river and had great fun, under the watchful eye of his father, Nigel. For those who don’t enjoy being in or on the water, there are lots of other activities to try – fishing, cycling, a play park, a games room, or just relaxing on the terrace. For the wine connoisseur, the Jura has 135 wine estates, which are open all year round. For the hiker, there are many spectacular waterfalls and caves to explore, such as Grottes des Moidons. The Jura really is a pretty little gem.
Gorges and rapids
The second stage of our adventure took us to the fabulous Ardèche, in south-east France. This beautiful region is perhaps best known for its gorges, medieval fortifications and the famous Pont d’ Arc. This natural limestone arch is the gateway to the rapids of the Ardèche Gorges. With a plethora of excellent campsites dotted around the Ardèche, you really will be spoilt for choice. We stuck with what we knew and booked into Huttopia’s Le Moulin, which is in the village of Saint-martin-d’ardèche at the southern end of the gorge. With plenty of good eateries and a lively night-time market, this is a pretty village to explore. On site, we were pleasantly surprised by yet another sizeable pitch. Be prepared for high temperatures here in August. We arrived in a heatwave, with temperatures soaring above 40°C. Bathing in the river was rather like swimming in a giant bath tub, but was still a muchneeded respite from the heat of the day.
Making a splash
The Pont d’arc is an impressive landmark – a natural limestone arch near a superb sandy beach, which attracts many visitors, particularly during the summer months. Daniel enjoyed himself here, making a splash by jumping into the water from the large rocks at the side of the river. The best way to appreciate the scenery of the gorge is to undertake a two-day canoe trip, departing from the village of Vallon-pont-d’arc and finishing at Saintmartin-d’ardèche (near our campsite). This route covers some 32km on the water, passing through about 16 rapids. This was clearly not a job for our feeble inflatable kayaks, so we hired some proper canoes and watertight barrels. Having all of those rapids to contend with, we needed robust equipment. Life jackets are a must! Although the scenery is spectacular and the viewpoint from the river is wonderful, the rapids can be quite challenging. We managed to capsize once, and that was actually pretty good compared to some.
After a hard day’s canoeing, we checked into Bivouac de Gournier for a well-earned rest, and set up camp for the night. You have to apply for a licence to wild camp in this area and it has to be pre-booked. There are two authorised camping places here: Bivouac de Gournier and Bivouac de Gaud. You just need to bring your own sleeping gear and food. There are bathroom facilities at these sites and barbecues with charcoal are supplied.
Stormy weather
To raise the excitement levels another notch, we had an almighty storm in the night. Nigel and the children, who were sleeping under some tarpaulin, dived into the two-person tent that I was in, making it very cosy indeed. But we fared a great deal better than some of the other campers, who were sleeping on air beds. The next day we made it back to our campsite, weary after our exploits of the trip, tackling rapids and trying to sleep during that storm – I had not realised until then how much I missed my caravan. The rest of our stay was at a much more relaxed pace. Daniel enjoyed the on-site pool (I think he had seen enough of rivers) and Emily rested in the lounge area (best place for Wi-fi). After a well-earned rest day for the whole family, it was time to build up the kids’ energy levels again, so we visited the Haribo Candy Museum in Uzès and were rewarded with bags of sweets – be warned, though that the shop is quite expensive! On our final day, Nigel and the children finished their river adventures on a pedalo, while I opted for the more sedate option of taking photos from the beach. I can safely say that team Faircloth had a fabulous, audacious journey. I like to think that we are now more competent canoeists and that I have faced my fears of the rapids. Most importantly, I like to think my father would have been really proud of all of us – this one’s for you, dad!