One of my favorite things to do on sunny days: exercise canoe-kayak. Whether in the river or at sea, I find that a a wonderful way to discover landscapes without too much heat. I like to stop at the edge of the route to sunbathe or refresh myself.
Everyone has the slopes I suggest short and simple alternatives available for beginners. The only requirement to start kayaking is that know how to swim at least 25m. This is necessary for safety reasons, especially if your kayak capsizes. In all cases you must be equipped with a life jacket, but for safety reasons, swimming skills are still essential.
In this article, I invite you to discover the most beautiful canoe-kayak descents that I managed to achieve in France until today.
Gorges de l’Ardèche: the wildest river for canoeing
Ardèche Gorges are well placed on the podium of the most beautiful rivers for canoeing. The good news: the descent is quite easy and accessible to beginners. With departure to Canoeing in the Vallon Pont d’Arcseveral distances are suggested:
- The shortest trips (8 to 12 km) offer you the opportunity to spend below the Pont d’Arc icon
- the 24 km excursion allows you to cross Ardèche Gorges Nature Reservewhich from my point of view is the most beautiful and spectacular part.
- only the longest route – 32 km – allows you to see both the Pont d’Arc and the nature reserve. It is possible to do this for 2 days with a reservation in one of the bivouacs of the nature reserve. What I recommend you do – unless you’re very sporty – because the descent down the gorges is still a bit strenuous, especially the end with 1 or 2 km of headwind at the exit of the gorge before you reach the end of the route.
No need to ask questions about logistics. The kayak rental company takes care of transportation to departure and picks you up on arrival. Everything is always very well explained and the tours are very well run.
You are given a respectable time on arrival, which gives you time to complete the route and stop to enjoy the scenery, have a picnic, take a dip in the river.
Chassezac: the secret nugget of the Ardèche
For a less touristy and more intimate canoe trip from the Gorges de l’Ardèche, head to Chassezac River. You will discover landscapes that are perhaps a little less spectacular, but a corner of beautiful nature preserved from the tourist crowd and hustle and bustle.
Two relatively short descents are possible (7 and 10 km). The Vans. We did a 10 km descent that is easy and accessible to beginners.
Gorges du Tarn: one of the most spectacular rivers
THE Tarn Gorges (located in the Lozère department) are also among the most beautiful rivers to canoe down.
Tarn Gorges they are less wild than those in the Ardèche. The route will allow you to stop and discover very picturesque villages like the one in Sainte-Enimie or Saint-Chely-du-Tarn.
Here too, several distances of 8km are offered, making the excursion accessible to as many people as possible – including families.
For our part, we chose a two-day formula: 32 km between Montbrun and Cirque des Baumes with a stop at a campsite near Sainte Enimie. The logistics part (transportation to the starting point, transportation of things for the camp and recovery on arrival) was managed by the kayak rental company.
The descent was amazing, we were amazed by the beauty of the scenery and loved discovering the villages along the river.
Dordogne Valley: the perfect canoe trip for beginners
Another river I loved to canoe down is the Dordogne. It is possible to make really long trips on this river, from a few hours to 4 days.
For our part, we booked a two-day format (a format we like a lot).
Rowing on the Dordogne really is easy. It seemed easier than the Tarn or the Ardèche: almost no rapids or structures to cross. The landscapes are extraordinary and varied, very wooded with some jutting cliffs.
Our kayak trip allowed us to find out le village de Carennacranked among the most beautiful in France. We were able to leave the canoe on the beach and explore the village streets and have a coffee. It would be possible to have lunch there, but we planned our picnic.
The Célé Valley: a little-known river to be discovered
Another more intimate descent in the Lot department is the descent Célé Valley. It is a very beautiful river that is relatively little known (never heard of it before this trip)!
Here too, the descent is very easy, but a little more strenuous than the Dordogne because the current is weaker and there are a few slides (nothing bad).
As everywhere, several distances are offered, from 4 to 22 km. Used to canoeing, we took the longest one and had a great day! With the summer heat, I can tell you that we were happy on the kayak enjoying the freshness of the river!
And that’s it for the rivers I’ve had the chance to travel on so far! I will update my article as I research more