Pont d'Arc on the Ardèche River and Grotte de la Madeleine

On Saturday, July 17th we decided to go down to the Provence region, this time to the Pont d'Arc on the Ardèche River and Grotte de la Madeleine. The Pont d'Arc is literally and arch bridge across the Ardèche River and the grotte is a cave nearby. On the way down we went past many, many sunflower fields.


We also passed tons of lavender fields that had been cut and the lavender was laid in bunches to dry. It smelled wonderful as you drove by!

The Ardèche River curves through a scenic valley rich in limestone cliffs over 300 meters high in places.

One of the most beautiful spots is at the Pont D'Arc,

a natural 60m stone arch that spans the river below.

Wading in the river near the arch.

The area near the arch is a popular swimming hole. Kayaks and canoes are also available and almost too popular as they are everywhere.

When we left our house in the morning it was very cold, so we didn't dress for swimming. Maybe next time! After a little time spent wading in the water, we decided to check out one of the caves nearby, the Grotte de la Madeleine.

pool of water in the cave

The boys did good during the hour long tour, in French. From what I heard and understood while trying to keep my boys from climbing on the stalagmites... the cave is over 60 meters deep and we walked about 1 km round trip down and back up during the tour. The guide pointed out the various formations and their names and the cause of varying colors - orange were the iron deposits, white from the concentrated calcium and grey were rich in manganese.

The Grotte de la Madeleine also had a wonderful 'Son et Lumière' light show that was choreographed with a little video and music in the largest room of the cave. It was well worth the visit!