Ardeche in a Kayak

First stop for lunch

Above the rapids which we went down in reverse, not sure how

Pont d'Arc, time for a swim

Pont d' Arc

Our group complete the trip

Holiday nibbles

Despite several visits to the Ardeche in recent years, we have never quite summoned the courage to kayak down the Ardeche river. Not surprising given that we have never canoed or kayaked in moving water before. We had been put off by a story told at dinner by a couple who had to abandon their trip when they capsized, lost their possessions and had to be rescued from the fast flowing water. But we are not getting any younger, the weather was warm, there was still plenty water in the river in June so we decided to take the risk for a trip down the river.

The two person kayak seemed robust and after we strapped our sealed barrel containing a camera and a picnic into a sealed container we gingerly launched ourselves into the flow of the river. We soon got the hang of the paddles and managed to steer round the big rock a kilometre down the river from Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. The next series of rapids were easy going with no real obstacles and we stopped for a picnic lunch on a pebble bank feeling buoyant and with a confidence about our paddling skills.

The rapids beyond were the tricky ones and we set out aiming to pass the first obstacle to the left and then turn sharp right to ride the rapids. My turn was too tight and we were beached on some rocks mid stream providing entertainment for the French holidaymakers lining the banks. Two or three minutes of pushing with the paddles got us off but we were facing upstream and got caught in the fast water. We went down backwards, I guess it looked cool from the banks and once we realised we were safe I gave a wave to the amused onlookers!

Another couple of kilometres and we were paddling under the majestic Pont d'Arc and it seemed only sensible to pull in and enjoy an afternoon swim. It was one of those moments that felt just perfect: warm day, easy swimming, Aileen was happy and there was only another 3 kilometres to go down mainly tranquil waters. We were buoyed and immensely pleased with ourselves as we spent twenty minutes or so swimming under the Pond d' Arc and then floating back in the slow moving current. Relaunching the kayak was no longer laced with any fear, we could do this kayaking malarkey. We paddled alongside a French couple, Aileen chatting confidently, her confidence was sky high and her latent linguistic skills and intelligence were displayed with a coy that I always found so endearing. We were  paddling with some style as we reached the landing and hauled the kayak onto the banks.  It ws not a long wait for the bus and trailer to arrive and return us to Vallon Post-d'Arc.

We had hoped to find an ice cream on the drive back to our rooms at Le Garn but the consolation was our daily ration of cherries and apricots that Evelyn had left for us when we arrived back. After a lazy walk around the cherry and almond orchards, we went for a celebratory 4 course meal in Barjac. It had been the perfect day until the tribute heavy rock band appeared in the square, Led Zeppelin are responsible for a lot of over zealous imitators. Their playing was dazed and confused, no not the song just the performance. Robert Plant would have screamed.