Cave diving in the Ardèche

In and around the Gorges de l'Ardèche you find springs with long chains of sumps and dry sections, deep Vauclusian springs such as the Gouls de Tourne, and shafts you first descend on a rope. This is ground for full cave divers who like carrying, climbing and doing their own planning; the water is 12–13 °C and Vallon-Pont-d'Arc is the usual base. After rain, especially the autumn storms from the Cévennes, the springs turn brown and undiveable and can flow hard, so dive after a dry spell. Many springs lie in the nature reserve, are drinking-water catchments or sit on private land and need permission first, the Dragonnière de Gaud and the Tiourre are closed, and CO₂ is common in air bells and dry sections, so don't just breathe that air. There is no fill station for cave divers: bring enough gas or your own compressor or booster.

Don't miss

• Exurgence de Bourbouillet: the outlet of the Bourbouillet–Reméjadou–Ranc du Bœuf system, with sumps described as 'very comfortable' and dry sections with a ladder and a carry in between.
• Dragonnière de Banne: ten sumps with dry sections between them: a tall passage with a lake, a narrow canal you swim with fins on, and crystal-clear water at low water.

On a rest day

• Pont d'Arc: The natural stone arch over the Ardèche near Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, the gateway to the gorge.
• Grotte Chauvet 2: A replica of the Chauvet cave and its prehistoric drawings; the real cave stays closed to visitors.
• Aven d'Orgnac: A large show cave full of dripstone at Orgnac-l'Aven, with a museum of prehistory next to it.

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