Wild camping in the Ardèche gorges: your complete guide to a night under the stars

• Limestone cliffs rising up to 300 metres.
• The stillness of the river once the sun goes down.
• A star-filled sky with zero light pollution.

• The two authorised bivouac spots.
• The rules of the nature reserve.
• How to plan your trip over two days.
• A complete packing list for your dry bag.

The Ardèche gorges are classified as a National Nature Reserve.

• Wild camping is strictly prohibited along the entire route.
• The only authorised place to stay in the wild along the route: the two official bivouac areas at Gaud and Gournier.
• Booking is compulsory, and places are capped by ministerial decree.

Gournier bivouac area

Gournier sits roughly halfway along the 32 km route, just past the Pont d'Arc, in the heart of the deepest part of the gorges. It's the busiest and most accessible bivouac area, with a beautiful natural beach right on the riverbank.

• Capacity: 250 places
• Open: all season, from 5 April to 30 September
• 2026 rates:
  • €8.50 to €16.50 per adult depending on the period
  • €8 to €16 for ages 10–17
  • €5 to €7 for ages 7–9

On-site facilities:

• Drinking water
• Toilets and showers (4:30–9:30 pm)
• Communal barbecues with charcoal provided
• Tables
• 2/3-person tent hire (booking required)
• 2 large group tents, 20 places each (booking required)
• Coffee, tea and fruit juice on sale evening and morning (€2, May–Sept)
• Compost bins with bags provided
• Information panel on the gorges' wildlife and plant life
• First-aid post

Gournier suits everyone, including families and first-time bivouackers.

Gaud bivouac area

Gaud lies further upstream, before Gournier.

For a 2-day trip starting from Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, Gaud makes for a shorter first leg : ideal for those who want to arrive early and make the most of the evening in the gorges.

• Capacity: 250 places
• Open: weekends in May and June · 1 July to 31 August
• 2026 rates: same as Gournier

On-site facilities:

• Drinking water
• Toilets and cold showers
• Barbecues with charcoal provided
• Tables
• 2/3-person tent hire and cosy 6-person tent (booking required)
• Large group tent, 15 places (booking required)
• Coffee, tea and fruit juice on sale evening and morning (May–Sept)
• Educational panels on wildlife and plant life
• First-aid post

Gaud tends to attract regulars and groups of friends looking for a more intimate atmosphere. Quieter than Gournier, it offers an even wilder immersion in the heart of the reserve.

How to choose between Gaud and Gournier?

• Gournier for reliability and easy logistics
• Gaud for those who want a shorter first leg and even greater peace and quiet, but who can work around its more limited seasonal availability.

To book, contact the Gorges de l'Ardèche Tourist Office directly.

The 250 places at each bivouac area go quickly, especially in July and August. For a stress-free trip — and to avoid finding yourself without a spot at 7 pm in the middle of the reserve, follow this timeline:

• In May and June: book 3 to 4 weeks ahead. Weekday places often remain available up to 1 to 2 weeks before.
• In July: book 4 to 6 weeks ahead, especially for weekends and the period around Bastille Day (14 July).
• In August: book as soon as your date is confirmed, ideally 6 to 8 weeks ahead. The week of 15 August fills up within a few days.
• In September: 2 to 3 weeks is enough. It's the easiest time to find places, and the best for wild camping in the gorges.

Day 1 : Vallon-Pont-d'Arc to the bivouac

You put in at Salavas, the official start of the trip.

• You'll paddle under the Pont d'Arc, a 60-metre-high natural arch, within the first hour.
• Allow around 4 to 6 hours of paddling depending on your pace.
• Set off between 8:30 and 10 am to reach the bivouac in the mid-afternoon, leaving you plenty of time to pitch your tent, swim, explore the surroundings and prepare your evening meal at a leisurely pace.

Navigation within the reserve must stop by 8 pm. Plan your day to arrive before then.

Day 2 : From the bivouac to Saint-Martin-d'Ardèche

The second day is often said to be the best.

• The gorges open out.
• The morning light on the cliffs is spectacular.
• You'll often have the water to yourselves in the early hours.
• Allow 4 to 5 hours of paddling for the second leg.
• The trip ends at Saint-Martin-d'Ardèche, where you meet the shuttle.

The pace is usually more relaxed than on the first day.

What to pack in your watertight barrel

Sleeping:

• A lightweight tent (1 to 2 kg maximum: every gram counts in the canoe).
• A season-appropriate sleeping bag: comfort rating 10°C for summer, 5°C for September.
• An inflatable sleeping mat or foam mat (the bivouac areas hire out mats on site for €5).

Cooking and food:

• A portable stove with fuel (check local conditions before lighting your stove : droughts can restrict its use).
• Full meals for evening and morning (there are no restaurants along the route).
• At least 2 L of water per person for the first day's paddle: you can refill your bottles at each bivouac area.
• Energy food for the trip: bars, dried fruit, sandwiches, pasta or rice salads.

Clothing and protection:

• A pair of dry shoes for the bivouac (sleeping in damp water shoes is a guaranteed bad night).
• A light warm layer: nights in the gorges drop to 14–16°C in September.
• Factor 50 sun cream, enough to last 2 days.
• Hat, sunglasses.
• Mosquito repellent (the riverbanks are their favourite haunt).

Other kit:

• A head torch (the bivouac areas aren't lit at night).
• A bin bag to carry out all your rubbish.
• A small first-aid kit: plasters, antiseptic, bite cream, painkillers.
• Toilet paper and sealable bags to take it away with you (the zero-waste principle in a nature reserve).

What's provided at the bivouac areas:

• Drinking water
• Toilets and cold showers
• Communal barbecues with charcoal
• Tables
• First-aid post

The Gorges de l'Ardèche National Nature Reserve operates under strict rules that apply along the entire route and at the bivouac areas.

These rules apply to everyone: hikers, canoeists and kayakers, and wild campers alike.

• Ground fires are prohibited throughout the reserve: a portable stove may still be used outside drought periods and away from wind-exposed areas (always check local conditions before lighting).
• Alcohol is prohibited in the nature reserve and at the bivouac areas.
• The leave-no-trace principle applies in full. Take all your rubbish with you, including food scraps. The reserve's natural spaces are shared between thousands of visitors each season, and their condition depends on everyone's behaviour.
• Altering the environment in any way is prohibited: cutting branches, moving stones, or digging the ground to drain water or set up a pitch. Pitch your tent on the designated area, without harming the vegetation.
• Pets are subject to specific rules in the reserve. Check before you leave if you're thinking of bringing your dog.

A bivouac in the gorges is a night of open-air camping that forces a complete change of pace and offers a uniquely immersive experience deep in nature.

• After sunset, the limestone cliffs take on colours you won't see anywhere else.
• The river slows and turns almost black.
• The bats come out at dusk.
• And at daybreak, before the first canoes arrive, the gorges are yours.

Can you bivouac outside Gaud and Gournier?

• No, the nature reserve strictly prohibits all wild camping along the entire route.
• Gaud and Gournier are the only two authorised spots to sleep in the gorges.
• Spending the night outside these areas risks administrative prosecution.

Do you need to book the bivouac separately from the canoe hire?

Are tents provided?

• Yes, the bivouac areas hire out 3-person tents for €17. Mats can be hired for €5.
• If you have your own lightweight gear, bring it: it's often more comfortable and means less logistics on the day.

What if it rains at the bivouac?

• The bivouac areas stay open in the rain.
• Bring a tarp or a tent with good waterproofing.
• Late-summer storms are common in August and September but short-lived (a light shelter is enough in the vast majority of cases).

Is alcohol really prohibited?

• Yes, drinking alcohol is prohibited throughout the nature reserve, including at the Gaud and Gournier bivouac areas.
• The rule applies to everyone and is there for the safety of people on the water and the protection of the environment.

From what age can you bivouac?

• The canoe trip with a bivouac is open to children aged 7 and over.
• For younger children, the half-day trip remains the most suitable option.

A bivouac in the Ardèche gorges takes good preparation, but it needn't be complicated. With the right gear, a booking made in advance and the reserve's rules respected, you can enjoy your trip to the full: two timeless days in one of the most beautiful natural settings in France.

Our team is on hand to answer any questions before you set off.