The Volane, the Besorgues, the Sandron, the Mas, the Ardèche… these rivers have one thing in common: they're magnificent. But each one is different. So, we'll tell you all about these remarkable waterways.
Ardeche
It's the iconic river, our very own Eiffel Tower. The Ardèche rises at an altitude of over 1400 meters, in the Ardèche mountains, before flowing through the Pays d'Aubenas-Vals towards Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, where it forms the famous Ardèche Gorges.
Before the gorges, it winds through a wild valley, bordered by mountains and cliffsIt goes around Aubenas in a wide meander before heading due south.
The river is wide, the water is clear, and offers lovely swimming spots, including near Aubenas. It's relatively easy to get to, on foot or even by bike. Faced with these calm, translucent waters, it's hard to imagine how rapid and violent its floods can be, especially in the fall during the famous Cévennes floods.
The Volane
The Volane rises in the mountains between Mézilhac and Lachamp-Raphaël, at an altitude of around 1500 metres.
It is one of the prettiest rivers in Ardèche. A fresh, lively river that tumbles down from the Ardèche mountains, carving its way through the rocks. It descends in waterfalls and rapids into a sumptuous valley before flowing into the Ardèche at Vals-les-Bains. Over time it has created natural pools of rare beauty, secret swimming spots, steep landscapes where the water sings all year round. Its narrow, often sunken bed gives it a real personality. It is the river of poets and hikers, the one that crosses the places dear to Jean Ferrat.
The water is translucent, emerald green. It is home to exceptional wildlife: beavers, otters, dippers, brown trout, and more.
Although difficult to access because it is very steep, it is easy to observe from the road that follows it, between Antraigues and Mézilhac.
The Besorgues
The Besorgues rises at an altitude of over 1300 metres on the heights of the Ardèche plateau.
It is one of the wildest rivers in Ardèche, nestled in a spectacular, virtually untouched volcanic valley. Its narrow gorges and waterfalls have created an ideal terrain for canyoning. But it can also be peaceful in places, with its natural pools and shady spots.
Besorgues is nature in its purest form , raw beauty, guaranteed freshness. It is often accessed on foot, with good shoes, frequently through steep terrain, which makes it all the more precious.
The Besorgues is also a geological curiosity, because its canyon was dug over the millennia between a volcanic flow (of basalt) and the original, less hard rock. This gives the place a quite extraordinary aesthetic, with a palette of colors ranging from almost black basalt to the emerald shades of the natural basins.
the Mas, the Bise, the Sandron… nuggets of the Secret Ardèche
These rivers are less well known, but they are gems, true treasures of nature.
The Mas rises in the heights of the village of Genestelle, at an altitude of around 900 metres, before descending through a sumptuous landscape towards Antraigues, where it joins its little sister, the Bise, to flow into the Volane.
The Bise River rises on the heights of Genestelle, then descends into a wonderful valley towards a hamlet to which it gives its name: Bise. It is discreet, in wooded landscapes, but its clear waters offer a few little corners of paradise for those curious enough to seek them out.
A river for lovers of tranquility and unspoiled places.
Wild rivers, therefore fragile
These rivers are natural treasures, with an ecosystem as rich as it is fragile. That's why we all must take care of them.
A few simple rules:
- I leave NO waste, even organic
- I pick up any rubbish I might come across
- I avoid walking at the bottom of the river as much as possible.
- I don't move stones
- I don't create barriers
- I don't use sunscreen before going into the water.
- I don't make noise
- I don't disturb any animals
If you see a snake in the water, it's probably me (the viperine snake) or my cousin (the grass snake). Either way, there's no danger. So don't be afraid, and above all, don't hurt me. I'm harmless and a protected species.*
