Situated between the Monts d'Ardèche Natural Park and the Cévennes National Park, Les Vans is the ideal destination for nature lovers.
Provençal landscapes, water sports and sports activities, this is what awaits you if it is the Pays des Vans that you choose as your holiday destination. Rightly called the "capital of the land of olive trees", Les Vans, perched on its cliff, offers its visitors a considerable mosaic of landscapes, each more beautiful than the next. Fields of vines as far as the eye can see, valleys planted with chestnut trees and huge olive groves line the Cévennes countryside. An important crossroads for long-distance hiking trails, Les Vans will satisfy both beginners and experienced hikers. The "Vans-Brahic" itinerary (10 kilometres) will take you to the foothills of the Serre de Barre to discover splendid panoramas of the Monts d'Ardèche, when the GR44 will allow you to discover the Gard or the Lozère as you wish. By mountain bike, there are also many itineraries to allow you to enjoy beautiful walks through the generous nature of Les Vans. From La Salette to the Gorges de l'Ardèche, via the Chute de Janine, the Lac de Villefort, the Grotte de la Cocalière and the Grotte de la Chauvet, the Château de Castanet and the Pied de Borne, these trails are reserved for initiates and will allow you to glimpse some of the most impressive sites in the Ardèche.
The magnificent Bois de Païolive is worth a visit: dotted with large stones and high white oaks, it extends over 15 square kilometres, offering its visitors a vast maze of hiking trails through its limestone chaos and century-old trees, such as the Virgin's Trail. Nicknamed the "Fairy Woods", this place full of legends will reveal large blocks carved by rainwater, allowing the most imaginative to distinguish bears, lions, and other turtles made of rocks.
Dominated by the Serre de Barre and watered by the Chassezac, the commune of Les Vans is, as you will have understood, a vast playground for lovers of outdoor activities. In addition to trekking or walking, you can practice a wide range of sports, most of them water sports: donkey rides, via ferrata, via corda, adventure routes, but also climbing, canyoning, paddle, canoeing or kayaking on the Chassezac... Also take advantage of your stay in the village of Les Vans to go to Vallon-Pont-d'Arc: known for its absolutely magnificent arch spanning the Ardèche (the Pont d'Arc), this picturesque village is a kayak paradise. With family or friends, opt for a paddle down the Ardèche, or a hike on the heights of the cliffs with breathtaking views of the clear water of the river and the entire Gorges de l'Ardèche at stake!
Finally, it is impossible to stay in Les Vans without enjoying the flavours of the local cuisine: bombine (a potato stew), quail, roasted or in soup, toupi de l'Ardèche, grass sausages, crique, mique, porc à la cévenole, tarts à la myrtille, picodon, goudoulet, marrons glacés, wines from the Coteaux-de-l'Ardèche and Saint-Joseph will delight your taste buds during these holidays.
