Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The gorges of the Ardèche are a 30 km canyon, shaped by the karst erosion of the Ardèche River in a limestone plateau. This picturesque site, classified as a national nature reserve in 1980, extends between Vallon-Pont-d'Arc and Saint-Martin-d'Ardèche, with gazebos along the D290 tourist road. The Mediterranean vegetation, adapted to a permeable soil, houses a complex underground network, whose cave of Saint-Marcel exceeds 50 km of known galleries.

The human history of the gorges goes back to the Paleolithic, with caves decorated by the Men of Cro-Magnon and more than 800 dolmens in Lower Ardèche, testifying to a major prehistoric occupation. In the 11th century, the monastery-prieuré de la Madeleine was located at the top of the eponymous natural circus, near the castle of Aiguèze (VIII century). Until the 1960s, the gorges remained isolated, accessible only on foot or by boat, exploited for wood and coal.

Tourism has grown massively since the creation of the tourist road in 1969, attracting 1.2 million visitors annually. Activities include canoeing-kayak, hiking, speleology and visiting caves like Chauvet (closed) or its Chauvet 2 replica. The descent of the gorges, punctuated by rapids, is a must, while the nature reserve protects a unique Mediterranean fauna and flora. Fall floods, although rare, can be devastating, with flows exceeding 7,000 m3/second.

The management of the site is carried out by the Syndicat de Gestion des Gorges de l'Ardèche (SGGA), which also supervises the authorized bivouacs (Gaud, Gournier) and the naturist campsite of the Templar Beach. The bridge of Arc, 59 m long natural arch, and the Dent de Rez (700 m above sea level) are classified geological emblems. The map of Cassini (18th century) reveals that the gorges were then poorly mapped, reflecting their historical isolation.

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