[El Mocho]

We were going to Font next week but the weather forecast is pretty poor, due to being shit at booking a gite we are able to be flexible and have decided to head to the Ardeche instead. I don't know anything about the place other than it is by a river. What are the decent crags (7s-8s)? Good area to stay? Family stuff to do? Nice walks etc. All crags and stuff has to be relatively family friendly and dog friendly.

[Oldmanmatt]

Love the place. My parents lived there through the 90’s.
Anyway, you’re not alone, and there’s quite a bit of info here:

https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,30042.msg584332.html#msg584332

[El Mocho]

Cheers Matt, I had googled but didn't search on here... What are the best crags for routes in the 7s and 8s (ideally off a beach by the river and with soft touches)

[IanP]

Cheers Matt, I had googled but didn't search on here... What are the best crags for routes in the 7s and 8s (ideally off a beach by the river and with soft touches)

A few years ago and not primarily a climbing trip but Les Branches is impressive in the low 7 to mid 8s.  Very steep tufa ridden cave and some slightly less steep stuff on the lhs.  It's right next to the Ardeche river and has pebbly beach iirc.  On the disadvantage side access is either through a campsite and then bit of rock scrambling with fixed ropes or by crossing the river upstream from the main pont d'arc beach (probably dependent on river level) - either might work if kids are older/more adventurous.  Also north facing so good if its warm, maybe not so good if its cool or been wet (I was there in early June). 

[Oldmanmatt]

Cheers Matt, I had googled but didn't search on here... What are the best crags for routes in the 7s and 8s (ideally off a beach by the river and with soft touches)

I haven’t climbed there for a decade, so I can’t comment on polish or recent additions. Ru was there a couple years ago though.
Chauzon was the dogs dodahs for harder/greatest number of in one place, routes back in the day, but it’s off a bit of a Catwalk type affair (huge horseshoe though). Fontgarnide, iirc had some steep, but short stuff in the higher 7 and upto mid 8’s, but it’s on top of a hill.
But the chilled crags by the river, Mazet, Chaulet are great spots for family stuff and there’s several 8’s at Chaulet and certainly some high 7’s at Mazet (again iirc).

Actually, just realised it was ‘02, so closer to 2 decades...

[tomtom]

Chaulet was nice 20 years ago... hardest thing I tried was a mid 7 but lovely rock - overhanging a pebble beach by the river. Etc. Etc..

[Ru]

Presuming you are going the lower bit of the Ardeche, near Vallon Pont D'Arc/Berrias/Casteljau, I'd probably try and stay near Berrias/Casteljau, there are a number of campsites next to the river that are probably reasonably quiet at this time of year, although when busy they are very touristy. I think you can get the guide from the Tourist Info Office in Les Borels. Easy to hire canoes to either paddle about in, or be shipped up river by bus to paddle back to the campsite again.

Harder crags are Les Branches - steep, climbing with some tufa (UK style white rock tufa) up a steep wall and out of a cave. Most routes have a shorter version and an extension or two. Close to Vallon Pont D'arc, nice aspect next to a river but need to wade or do a (tiny bit) of scrambling to get there. Grades 6b - 8c+.

Actinidias - French version of Cheedale Cornice, nice spot by the river, sandy at the bottom. Grades up to 8c, best up to 8b, nothing much good below 7b really. Some nice 8a/+s. Bouldery on LHS, longer on RHS, the odd chipped slot in blank bits. Recommend Bivouac Interdit, 8a. Expression Bovine 8a+, Grand Combat 8a. I get the feeling that the harder routes aren't climbed much, but that might be because we were there at the beginning of the season (Easter) and it was all a bit dusty.

Mazet Plage, nice spot next to the river, but the crag is about 100yrds from the river its self (above a wide beach made of big pebbles). Gets used by local school groups so everything below about 6b that is within 100 yrds of the car park is polished. Above that, they are surprisingly unpolished, some really good 25m ish 6c - 7b stuff, recommend Grand Panda 6c+. Further along the beach the climbing is developed for about another 1/4 mile and most stuff seems to get little traffic.

Chaulet Plage - very touristy at the bottom, opposite a campsite, next to the river. Easy routes are polished, some very, harder ones (6c and above) are not bad at all considering the crag was developed in the mid 80s. Vert, techy, old school, apart from one steeper bit on the RHS.

Baume Obscure - a cave with a partially collapsed roof, next to the river. Some weird routes on cave type rock (like an actual cave not a euro style tufa infested half-bowl), a bit dusty (the rock and the floor).

Cocoa beach - Didn't climb here, had a look. Short routes on malham type rock, on a ledge next to the river. Grades up to 8b, very little climbed on by the look of it.

Something Oiseau - newish area developed between Chaulet and Actinidias, accessed by skirting along above the river from the end of actinides. Didn't go. Look to be some good, long, off vert routes. Probably a bit chipped.

The bouldering above Mazet is ok, some of the easier stuff is very polished, but it's a nice spot and fun for kids. There are also a number of harder problems scattered about near the river up to about 8A+ - I didn't doe any, but some of them look quite good and I have a PDF topo I can email you.

[El Mocho]

Cheers Ru, and everyone else. Plenty of good stuff, both climbing and other.

[ben]

   

[SamT]

Canoeing down the river is a must.  Start at Vallon and go down stream. The shorter trip of the two standard trips offered by all the hire places was plenty long enough for us and the kids.

We camped at camping mille étoiles - which was much less busy than all the campsites up by Vallon, but maybe a bit out of the way for the climbing.

[SA Chris]

Hmm, Ardeche has just gone up the priority list now! Looks great.

[SamT]

Hmm, Ardeche has just gone up the priority list now! Looks great.

Just be aware that in the summer hols, the WHOLE of europe is there too.

[SA Chris]

Fortunately Scotland (Aberdeenshire) school holidays begin 5 July, so we usually miss Euro / Englandshire holidays if we do first 2 weeks.

[Oldmanmatt]

Hmm, Ardeche has just gone up the priority list now! Looks great.

Just be aware that in the summer hols, the WHOLE of europe is there too.

That’s true, but remember they congregate in the Gorge. The valleys north of Aubenas and the mountains behind offer some stupendous alternatives, family activity wise.

http://www.europeanwaterfalls.com/waterfalls/ray-pic-cascade-du/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Gerbier_de_Jonc

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g2291781-d3483912-Reviews-Bois_de_Paiolive-Lablachere_Ardeche_Auvergne_Rhone_Alpes.html

https://structurae.net/structures/pont-du-diable-de-thuyets

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Ventadour_(Ard%C3%A8che)

https://en.ardeche-guide.com/sites-to-visit/natural-heritage/le-lac-d-issarles-299796

And nothing is more than a hour from Valon.
In fact the higher campsites are cooler in the summer months, at night, with a lower bug count.
That was why we bought the house up above Burzet. The scenery around the Ski stations, up on the pass into the Massif proper is stunning and all but deserted in the summer months. Uparound the Gerbier, the alpin meadows are enchanting, when in bloom, and that extends into early August iirc (depending on the year).

Oh and the roads from Ventadour to the Rey-Pic are the old Monte Carlo rally route (not sure if it’s still running), and was the “killer” stage.