France Guide
The Massif Central
The Gorges de l'Ardèche
The Gorges de l'Ardèche begin at the Pont d'Arc, a very beautiful arch that the river has cut for itself through the limestone, just downstream from VALLON, itself 39km south of Aubenas. They continue for about 35km to ST-MARTIN-D'ARDÈCHE in the valley of the Rhône.
The fantastic gorges wind back and forth, much of the time dropping 300m straight down in the almost dead-flat scrubby Plateau des Gras. Unfortunately they are also an appalling tourist trap; the road following the rim, with spectacular viewpoints marked out at regular intervals, is jammed with traffic in summer. The river, down in the bottom, which is where you really want to be to appreciate the grandeur of the canyon, is likewise packed with canoes in high season. It is walkable, depending on the water level, but you would need to bivouac midway at either Gaud or Gournier. The problem with the gorges is that they are so popular. If you go in season, be prepared for heavy traffic, and book accommodation well ahead.
The plateau itself is riddled with caves. Aven Marzal, a stalactite cavern north of the gorge (daily 11.30am–5pm; €8.40, joint ticket with zoo €14.40), has a prehistoric zoo, which consists of reconstructions of dinosaurs and friends (Feb, March, Oct & Nov Sun & school holidays 10.30am–6pm; April– Sept daily 11.30am–5pm; €8.40), but the frequency of visits to the cave depends on the number of visitors waiting – they are approximately every twenty minutes in July and August, falling to four per day in other months. Best of the area's caves is the Aven Orgnac, to the south of the gorge (90-min tour daily: Feb, March, Nov & Dec holidays 10.30am–4.45pm; April, June & Sept 10am–5.30pm; July & Aug 10am–6.30pm; Oct 10am–5.15pm; €9.70), one of France's most spectacular and colourful stalactite formations. In addition to the normal tours, you can also opt for the "visites spéléologiques" hard-core caving tours; they last three and eight hours respectively (reserve two weeks ahead; 
04.75.38.65.10). There's also a very good prehistory museum (daily: March– June & Sept to mid-Nov 10am– noon & 2–6pm; July & Aug 10am–6pm; €5, joint ticket with Aven Orgnac €9.70).
Further upstream near Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, a complex series of cave paintings was discovered in December 1994, after being left untouched for 30,000 years, making the Chauvet-Pont d'Arc cave the oldest-known decorated cave in the world (closed to public). However, there is a small but rewarding exhibition on the cave complex at Vallon, behind the mairie. The highlight is a video taken inside the caves, showing many of the paintings close up (Tues– Sun: mid-March to May & Sept to mid-Nov 10am– noon & 2–5.30pm; June– Aug 10am–1pm & 3–7pm; €5).