Descent from Sampzon to Châmes
"A nice descent with gradually increasing difficulties"
This is a nice and quite descent, with many possibilities to stop, the ideal choice for a family with young children. There is no important rapids in the first half but few slides for kayak (toboggans). It lets you to use to your boat and to learn how do drive it.
Practical information
Distance : 12 Km
Time to paddle : about 3h30.
Recommended
time : 5h - 6h.
Difficulty : four dykes (with a kayak slides) and five raprids including The Charlemagne (classe III).
Start: Sampzon (6 km from Vallon Pont d'Arc).
Finish: Chames (just before the entrance into the Natural Reserve "Les Gorges de
l'Ardeche").
Departure time: the shuttles leaves at 9h, 10h30, 12h, 13h30.
We advise you to be at the meeting point a half hour before your shuttle, so you'll have enough of time to choose your equipement and to prepare everything.
The regulatory imperatives
Each participant must know how to swim; each participant must wear a lifejackets at all times.
Children ( under 18 y.o.) can not participate alone, they must be accompanied by an responsible adult.
Prohibition of rental with childen under 7 y.o. Interdiction de la location avec des enfants de moins de sept ans.
Warning : Canoe Kayak rent is prohibited if the water level is too high.
In case of prohibition of rent due to a water lever too iportant, you will be (accroding to your choice) either refunded or postponed to a date that suits you.
Don't forget
Take shoes that are good for you feet and protect them, such as sneakers or water shoes (no flip-flops).
Wear an adequate and adapted to the weather clothers: cap, windbreaker, T-short, long shorts that effectiverly protects the thighs from sunburn.
Provide sufficient quantity of drinking water.
Discription
This descent lets you to descover the Ardeche river upstream of Vallon Pont d'Arc and to the Natural Reserve "Les Gorges de l'Ardèche".
This is a nice and quite descent, with many possibilities to stop, the ideal choice for a family with young children. There is no important rapids in the first half but few slides for kayak (toboggans). It lets you to use to your boat and to learn how do drive it.
The difficulty level of rapids is increasing from Vallon Pont d'Arc. Almost in the end you pass The Charlemagne - the most difficult rapid on this part of the river (class III) and then you will be rewarded by a passage through the majectic Pont d'Arc.