Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Detour:
Gorges de l'Ardèche
The serpentine Ardèche River slithers between towering mauve, yellow and grey lime-
stone cliffs from near
Vallon Pont d'Arc
(population 2512) to
St-Martin de l'Ardèche
(population 830), a few kilometres west of the Rhône. En route it passes beneath the
Pont d'Arc
, a stunning natural stone bridge created by the river's torrents. Eagles nest in
the cliffs and there are numerous caves to explore.
Souvenir-shop-filled Vallon Pont d'Arc is the area's main hub; its
tourist office
( 04
75 88 04 01;
www.vallon-pont-darc.com
;
place de la Gare; 9am-12.15pm & 1.30-6pm Mon-
Fri, to 5pm Sat)
is in the village centre. The scenic D579 from the village out along the
gorges is lined by
campgrounds
and
canoeing
and
kayaking rental outlets
. Alternat-
ively, arrange hire through
Base Nautique du Pont d'Arc
(
04 75 37 17 79;
www.canoe-
ardeche.com
;
rte des Gorges de l'Ardèche; Apr-Nov)
.
About 300m above the gorge's waters, the
Haute Corniche
(D290) has a dizzying
series of
belvédères
(panoramic viewpoints), but turns into a chaotic traffic jam in sum-
mer. On the plateaux above the gorges, typical Midi villages are surrounded by
garrigue
(aromatic scrub land), lavender fields and vineyards.
THE FRENCH ALPS
The French Alps are a place of boundless natural beauty. Whether you dream of
gliding over virgin snow, tramping over lonesome mountain passes or watching the
first rays of a summer's morning illuminate Mont Blanc - these mountains have got
you covered. Here a symphony of colossal peaks and glaciers, epic drops and
climbs will elevate you, seduce your senses, make your heart pound and leave you
crying 'encore!' like few other places on earth.
Chamonix
POP 9400 / ELEV 1037M
With the pearly white peaks of the Mont Blanc massif as its sensational backdrop,
being an icon comes naturally to Chamonix. First 'discovered' by Brits William
Windham and Richard Pococke in 1741, this is the mecca of mountaineering, its
birthplace, its flag-bearer. It is also a wintertime playground of epic proportions that
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