ardeche

jerry1 · Jan 4, 2013

can anybody recommend a good site in the ardeche area either north or south thanks

ValA. · Jan 4, 2013

What do you need from 'a good site' Jerry? Do you like small and quiet, or larger and lively? Do you need things for children, or a site to suit mature adults, low season, or high summer. There are so many lovely sites in the Ardeche that it would help to know just a bit more about what you like.
The Ardeche is one of our favourite areas, and we were there in August/September this year.

jerry1 · Jan 4, 2013

thanks for the quick reply site would be ideal if we could walk or cycle to a nice village our son is not coming with us he prefers india with the scouts so just me and the wife site not too comercialized pool and a bar would be ok i have just booked the ferry with the caravan club mid august until early sept so all we need is a nice site! thanks jerry

ValA. · Jan 4, 2013

L'Ardechois at Vallon was one of our favourite sites, and is walking/cycling distance to Vallon Pont d'Arc - and although a busy site, is lovely, with a great pool, river access, and a nice bar and restaurant and immaculate sanitary blocks. Vallon is a busy place, but we love it there, and there are a great number of reasonably priced restaurants. Les Ranchisses at Largentiere is also well situated, though not a site on the Ardeche itself, but with good pools and restaurant - one of the best campsite restaurant meals we've had. Largentiere is a pleasant mediaeval village, with some interesting narrow streets, and a great market.
We stayed some years ago at Ardeche Camping at Privas - again walking distance into the town, and nicely situated, with a developing pool complex - but though that was a lovely site too. Again some good value restaurants and bars. Both the latter take Camping Cheques towards the end of August.
We use either Camping Cheques, or an ACSI card these days - which are accepted on a wide range of sites, (see www.campingcheque.co.uk and www.campingcard.co.uk) for details. Between the two they offer a variety of sites in the Ardeche, both the southern part, or the north (we've driven though/around/visited - but not stayed on a site there).
We tend to go for sites with 'full facilities' - in that we like a pool and bar, but have never found any of the sites described as 'too commercialised' (but I'm talking about lower season, towards the back end of August and not mid-July to mid-August when sites can be very different!).
If you fancy any of the above sites, I'd be happy to come back with more details.
Whilst in the area, some must sees are: Gorges of the Ardeche - though go early morning. Aigueze at the bottom end is delightful for coffee or lunch, and a walk along the cliffs to take in the views of the river. La Beaume is worth a half day or longer, for a swim in the river, a coffee sitting under the plane trees, watching locals play Boules, higher up the Beaume river for some fantastic river pools and waterfalls for 'wild swimming', the Pont d'Arc - either beach to the north of the south, for watching the canoeing and some nice swimming, Balazuc for some touristy shops, but a lovely riverside beach, Vogue (similar), Ruoms for wonderful ice creams and a Friday market, Vallon for the Thursday market and a coffee in the square people watching, Aubenas for some great shops, and wonderful view over the valley, the Rocher de Sampzon for the cafe at the top, and great views, Lac d'Issarles for a very strange circular blue volcanic lake, the Ray Pic waterfalls (if they're now reopened to the public), Largentiere on market day, Chassiers (if the Fete d'Orgues is on - a fantastic day of small organs, and street theatre), and much much more! If you're fit and able, then do one of the canoe descents - even the mini-descent will take you through some lovely scenery.

jerry1 · Jan 5, 2013

thanks for the reply val yes ardechois does look a great site and just what we are looking for i see from camping cheques website that cheques apply from mid august which would be fine having never used them before as we have always been to france during the school holidays i dont have a clue how to start with them and how to book the site with them i know you are a bit of an expert with cheques ! thanks

ValA. · Jan 5, 2013

Hi Jerry - Perhaps my reply wasn't clear, because there are two sites named L'Ardechois - the one we've stayed at at Vallon Pont d'Arc, http://www.ardechois-camping.com/ in the southern Ardeche and doesn't accept Camping Cheques, but there is another which does accept Camping Cheques from the 17th August , http://www.ardechois-camping.fr/
I think if I had a fortnight or more then I would be tempted to try the second one, in the north, for a week, as it takes Camping Cheques earlier in August, and then move down to Les Ranchisses, or Ardeche Camping at Privas. That way you would see the whole of the Ardeche region, and stay on two beautiful sites.
To get started you need to decide on sites by having a look at the Camping Cheque website, and then calculate how many Camping Cheques you will need (taking into account any special offers such as 7 nights for 6, etc), then ring the Camping Cheques website, or order them on line.. You can get paper cheques, or load them on to an electronic card (Silver or Gold) - and both paper cheques and the Silver Card last for two years, but the Gold Card cheques for four years. With the cheques you get a book which shows all the sites, and the acceptance dates, and these dates are what the site considers to be 'low season' so booking isn't necessary. However, if you feel you need the security of a booking then you may be able to book in advance, but usually you just turn up, say you will be paying with Camping Cheques, and hand over the appropriate number at the end of your stay.
We've been using Camping cheques for years (since their first year in fact) and these days I don't worry about finding a pitch, because we've never not found one, where we wanted to be. However, I appreciate not everyone is the same and some people feel they need the security of a booking. The Gold Card offers a free reservation service on some sites, which some people consider to be worth the cost of the card. It also gives you special offers on some sites, such as free bike hire, a bottle of wine with a meal, etc.

jerry1 · Jan 8, 2013

thanks for the reply val ardechois at vallon looks a very nice site but its very expensive 406 euros for 8 nights end of august is it worth that sort of rate? les ranchisses is 180 pound for the same nights with the caravan club the other site that seems to have good reviews les coudoulets at pradoms have you any experience of this site ? thanks for your help jerry

missellie · Jan 8, 2013

Just to say... 3 summers ago we booked and paid a deposit for Les Ranchisses, in January, for a week in July. When we arrived they gave us probaby the worst pitch we have ever been offered in France (building work had been taking place) No other pitch was available, after all it was high season hence the reason for booking early, and because we had been driving all day we stayed, but left next morning very very unhappy. We were also alarmed at how close the tents and smaller caravan units were on the grassy pitches, they were 2/3 footsteps away from one another, if a fire had broken out........ . However the restaurant was one of the best site restaurants we have visited and their outdoor facilites were excellent but they wont be getting a second chance from us, too many other safer sites in area.

ValA. · Jan 9, 2013

jerry said:
thanks for the reply val ardechois at vallon looks a very nice site but its very expensive 406 euros for 8 nights end of august is it worth that sort of rate? les ranchisses is 180 pound for the same nights with the caravan club the other site that seems to have good reviews les coudoulets at pradoms have you any experience of this site ? thanks for your help jerry

Hi Jerry - No we haven't, but funnily enough have been looking at it, as a possibility for this year, using the ACSI Card! L'Ardechois at Vallon is one of the few sites which I would say is worth the money. If you use Camping Cheques or ACSI then Les Ranchisses would be much cheaper - at 16 euros per night after the 24th August, for eight nights you'd only be paying 128 euros or £104.00 at today's exchange. L'Ardechois, booking direct, would be 376 euros, or £306.00. I would book directly, if it were me (and we're members of the Caravan Club)!
There are two sites next door to L'Ardechois - Le Provencal, and Le Mondial - both also nicely situated for a walk into Vallon - and much cheaper. We've used the bars at both sites, and whilst not as 'First Class' as L'Ardechois, they are both nice sites - but no discount fees!

chenzhen · May 19, 2016

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