A little about the Ardeche which ia a part of the Rhone-Alpes region of France and the camping facilities you may expect to find there.
Because of a recent conversation with someone who should know better, we think it best to clarify that the Ardeche is a region in the south east of France, not a town or place, Duh!
It's fair to say that if you like the outdoors, walking, trekking, canoeing and white water rafting then a camping holiday in the Ardeche region could be just the ticket for you. That pretty well sums things up really but it is not a place for you if you like beach holidays.
Getting to the Ardeche is easy enough provided you know exactly where you are heading, but getting to the region is child's play, assuming that you have opted fot the Dover/Calais or Eurotunnel route. If you haven't driven much in France before it is a good idea to follow signs for the major towns more so than road numbers because as you reach the large town on your route you will be directed to the next, and so on.
Anyway, Take the A26 autoroute outside Calais and head for Reims, Troyes and Dijon, and then to Macon and Lyon. Steady on at that point as you are approaching the Ardeche and you should have the directions to your destination from roughly this point. It is fair to say that most of the Ardeche National Park lies just to the west of the A7 autoroute, and the area is mainly situated between Lyon and Avignon. We recommend a night's sleep on the way down, depending on where you started from in the UK that is.
People say that this is one of the most beautiful areas in Europe, and we cannot disagree with that statement, and when the rivers, the gorges, the climbing, the walking in such wonderful scenery begins to pall there is always Avignon to explore, and possibly you may still have time for a dip in the Med before the holiday ends.
But before you leave take note of the scenery and the industries which are derived from it: fields of lavender, sunflower, poppies and cornflowers and the silvery grey of the olive groves. At Berrias you can visit the Alambic perfumery where lavender oil is produced whilst at Vans and St-Sauveur de Cruzières two mills press superb olive oil.
The Ardeche is the leading producer of Chestnuts in France, and there are delicious wines here too, amongst which are Saint Joseph and Saint-Péray, a favourite of Wagner's together with white Chardonnay from Alba where there is an ancient Roman theatre, and Côteaux du Vivrais, and last but not least, the silk industry is still the largest in the area.
| 
