The Ardèche gorges scenic road and its eleven viewpoints

The Ardèche gorges scenic road, the D290, follows the canyon along its north side for 29 km, from Vallon-Pont-d'Arc to Saint-Martin-d'Ardèche. Built in 1969, it is used by about 1.2 million visitors a year according to Wikipedia. The department has laid out eleven viewpoints, from Serre de Tourre at the entrance to the gorges to Ranc Pointu, before the panorama over Aiguèze and the Rhône plain. It overlooks the nature reserve, where bivouacking is banned, including in a vehicle at the viewpoints.

Key facts

Sources: Wikipedia, OSRM.

The viewpoints

Leaving Vallon, Serre de Tourre takes in the entrance to the gorges and, in the distance, the Cévennes towards Alès. Further on, the Madeleine viewpoints overlook the cirque of the same name and the Templiers meander, where the Madeleine priory stood in the 11th century. The last one, Ranc Pointu, opens onto Aiguèze, Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche, the Rhône plain and Mont Ventoux.

Before the 1960s

According to Wikipedia, no road ran through the gorges before the 1960s: the thirty kilometres between Chames and Sauze could only be done on foot or by flat-bottomed boat. The road opened in 1969 turned Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche into a holiday resort.

The rules

The road runs along the nature reserve: no overnight stays at the viewpoints, even in a campervan; fires, drones and noise are banned; pick nothing. See the bivouacs to sleep in the gorges.