The Ardèche by Motorhome: advice, areas, itineraries

February 07, 2023

Ardèche is one of the most isolated French departments. Visiting the Ardèche in a motorhome therefore promises beautiful getaways in the middle of nature, far from urban civilization. The department enjoys a wide variety of landscapes and natural environments between the north and the south. Between the humid and green Haut-Vivarais and the limestone and Mediterranean Bas-Vivarais, the Ardèche conceals natural wonders to explore. Visiting the Ardèche in a motorhome offers the freedom to be able to roam as you see fit. In addition, you will find very pretty spots where to sleep in a motorhome or van, scattered throughout the Ardèche countryside.

The Ardèche is home to a lot of unmissable things to do and see. This, especially between the Rhône and the foothills of the Massif Central, from Lyon to the borders of the Gard. Here is our mini-guide for you to sail and visit the Ardèche in a motorhome or converted van!

Read also: The Drôme Provençale by motorhome: advice, areas, itineraries

Ideas for itineraries in the Ardèche by motorhome

Photo credit: Shutterstock / Rolf E. Staerk

Ardèche is sandwiched between Drôme, Vaucluse, Gard, Lozère, Haute-Loire, Loire and Isère. It is a very sparsely populated department. Only four towns exceed 10,000 inhabitants, the most populous being Annonay, with 17,000 residents. The department is bordered from north to south by theA7 and the Rhone. There are therefore many entry points from Chanas (38) to Pont-Saint-Esprit (30), from Puy-en-Velay or Saint-Étienne. From north to south, many natural sites are unmissable: the south of Pilat, the natural park of the Ardèche mountains, the Ardèche gorges, towns and villages, etc.

The Ardèche allows you to explore volcanic sites, chestnut groves, rocky outcrops, medieval villages and vineyards. You don’t know where to go when visiting the Ardèche in a motorhome? We have thought for you about some ideas for itineraries to do in Ardèche:

  • Southern Ardèche in 3-4 days: the Ardèche gorges from Vallon-Pont-d’Arc to Pont-Saint-Esprit (the eleven belvederes, the Balcon des Templiers), the Tanargue massif, the Ray-Pic waterfall, Mont Gerbier de Jonc.

  • South and North of the Ardèche in 7 to 10 days: same route, plus the Aven d’Orgnac, Devesset lake, Annonay, Peaugres and its safari, the typical villages (Balazuc, Vogüé, Labeaume, Saint-Félicien, Saint-Agrève), the Eyzieux valley.

  • The Ardèche in 15 to 20 days: same stages, plus Lake Issarlès, Vals-les-Bains, the caves of Madeleine and Saint-Marcel, the Bois de Païolive, Aubenas, Privas, Joyeuse, L’Argentière, Rochecolombe.

These ideas of stages are of course only indicative. We recommend that you adapt your itineraries according to the duration of your road trip. With an area of ​​5,529 km², the Ardèche is equivalent in size to Lozère, Cantal or Gard. In addition, the road network is poorly developed on the heights to the west. The time spent on mountain roads must therefore be taken into consideration. It is therefore advisable to take your time to visit the Ardèche in a motorhome. You can also restrict your itinerary to a single part of the Ardèche: south, west, north, center or east.

Driving in the Ardèche in a motorhome: the traffic rules to know

Photo credit: Shutterstock / Julia700702

The Ardèche being a French department, the rules in force of the French highway code therefore apply logically. Driving is in the right lane and overtaking is on the left. The B license allows you to drive a motorhome weighing less than 3.5 tonnes. Each passenger must fasten their seat belt when the vehicle is in motion. Please respect the vertical and horizontal signs, in particular the markings on the ground. You have to take into account the size of the motorhome in intersections and on narrow roads. Also respect a greater braking distance than for a car.

The speed limits are the same as those prevailing for cars, namely:

  • 50 km/h in urban areas,

  • 70 to 80 km/h on secondary roads,

  • 90 km/h on certain overtaking sections,

  • 110 km/h on divided roads.

Attention : it should be noted that local authorities have the power to impose specific restrictions on the highway code. These municipal or prefectural restrictions may relate to speed limits, access to sites and parking rules. The motorhome must be able to attest to a valid technical inspection, as well as an anti-pollution inspection. Of course, you must have your driver’s license, vehicle registration and vehicle insurance on board. Pay attention to access under the access gates which enclose certain car parks. Vehicles over 2 meters will not be able to access it.

Motorway toll in Ardèche: what price for your category of motorhome?

Photo credit: Shutterstock / haraldmuc

Here is some good news: there are no tolls to pay to visit the Ardèche in a motorhome or camper van! Note that there is indeed no motorway in Ardèche. Highway A7, which runs along the Rhône valley, passes through Isère (Chanas), Drôme (Valence and Montélimar) and Vaucluse (Bollène). Alternatively, theA75 connects Clermont-Ferrand to Béziers. It is an interesting option (free) if you come from the Grands Causses or Aubrac to visit the west of the Ardèche. From Lyon, the Alps, the Cévennes or the South, you will therefore take the secondary roads.

To visit the Ardèche in a motorhome or camper van, it should be noted that the department is rural. There are 91 kilometers of national roads, 3,775 kilometers of departmental roads and 7,565 km of municipal roads. So beware of the narrow width of the roads, especially in the mountains. Modulate your speed in the event of a difficult crossing. Also announce your arrival in bends with a blast of the horn.

To visit the Ardèche or another French destination, is it now possible to book your motorhome online? How ? Thanks to the various online booking platforms, such as Yescapa For example.

How it works ? 

  • At first, it is necessary choose the motorhome in your city (For example BordeauxNantes, ToulouseParis, Montpellier or Marseilles).

  • Pay attention to well choose unlimited mileageTo check the number of beds available and whether travel abroad is indeed possible.

  • Do your online rental request and share your trip information (dates, rental options, mileage, etc.) with the owner.

  • If your request is accepted and after payment, you will have access to the contact details of the owner to organize a first meeting.

  • On D-Day, show your driver’s license and pay the bail.

  • A inventory is made and a rental contract is signed between the two parties. On your return, after having scoured the Ardèche roads, sign the return inventory and you’re done!

Photo credit: Shutterstock / Bob Pool

You will simply find where to rent a motorhome in the department. Indeed, the Ardèche is a destination often visited in this way. However, if you cannot find local towns such as Montélimar, Valence or Bagnols-sur-Cèze, outside the department but very close, are good alternatives.

But if you want to avoid a bad surprise at all costs, you can simply book your motorhome for the Ardèche onlineBefore leaving.

Motorhome areas in the Ardèche: where to park?

Ardèche spots listed on Caramaps

Photo credit: Caramaps

From a legal point of view, a motorhome is an automobile like any other. You can therefore park in all the regular spaces, delimited by the markings on the ground. Motorhomes can therefore park freely wherever cars can. It may happen that signs prohibit access to motorhomes. These are often prefectural or municipal provisions.

It is also authorized to sleep in your motorhome, provided that this bivouac does not amount to wild camping on the public road. Because in France, the law punishes wild camping in public spaces. On a parking space, be careful not to install camping tables and chairs, wedges and satellite dishes. If you come to visit the Ardèche in a campervan, be aware that raising the folding roof of the vehicle will be considered as wild camping by the authorities.

Moreover, the Ardèche being a very rural department, you will surely find many spots where you can spend a quiet night. You will find many areas for motorhomes and quite a few campgrounds. It is a good option to sleep legally. And it also lends a sense of security if sleeping in nature bothers you. Are you looking for a spot to settle in the middle of nature? The Park4night application will be an ally of choice. The spot sharing tool gives you the places to go (campsite, motorhome area, car parks, isolated places).

When is the best time to travel by motorhome in the Ardèche?

Photo credit: Shutterstock / Bob Pool

But then, when to come and visit the Ardèche in a camper van or campervan? The department is subject to a variety of climatic influences. Therefore, there is not only one best period, but several periods to go there.

The climate in Ardèche

The north of the department is marked by a temperate climate while the southern Ardèche is Mediterranean. There are three main climatic zones. To the north, between 350 and 850 meters above sea level, the green Ardèche enjoys a temperate climate. Average maximum temperatures reach 26°C in Annonay in summer and 5°C in winter.

In the southern Mediterranean, around Aubenas, the thermometer frequently climbs above 30°C, or even 35°C in summer. Frost days are more rare there.

To the west, the Ardèche plateau is at an average altitude of 1,000 meters. Temperatures are harsh in winter: -10°C, heavy snowfall from November to March. The west is subject to a permanent icy wind. The southern Ardèche has a hot and dry climate, even if the Ardèche Cévennes nuance the Mediterranean influences.

In the south, the rains can be intense in spring and autumn. The Ardèche river frequently records strong floods during the Cevennes episodes.

When to go to Ardèche?

The best times to visit the Ardèche by motorhome are therefore May to early October. The weather was favorable for more than 6 months in the south of the Ardèche: in Vallon-Pont-d’Arc, Balazuc and Orgnac-l’Aven. However, nights can be cool before June and after August.

In Privas, the mercury reaches an average of 25°C to 31°C between June and September, with minimums between 14°C and 17°C. In Annonay, it is still 4°C in the morning in March, 7°C in April and 10°C in May. The maximums only reach 23°C on average in June. On the other hand, in Aubenas, the weather is much milder: between 15°C and 22°C in May, 20°C to 27°C in June, over 30°C and sometimes over 35°C in summer.

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