Camping Le Moulin

This is active and ancient land: local town Saint-Martin-d'Ardèche is at the end of the Gorges d'Ardèche, close to the trail of the Rhône Valley between northern Europe and the Mediterranean coast, and within easy reach of the Gorges du Gardon, the Pont du Gard and the caves of Aven d'Orgnac. For town and village pottering, Aiguèze a few kilometres away is a pretty medieval town high above the gorges, known these days for its pottery workshop and crystal glassworks, and for the spectacular views from its castle remains and the walks within a few hundred metres in either direction. A picworthy look at the town is from its small beach, below the town on the river via Rue de l'Escale. About 40 kilometres away and worth the drive for a scenic day trip is Séguret, tipped by its locals as one of the prettiest villages in France. Highlights include the Old Town entrance through the old stone archway of the Porte Reynier; the belltower and fountain of the main square, and the several wineries and vineyards: the town is in the wine region of the Côtes du Rhône. For something a bit different, have an afternoon at the Crocodile Farm in Pierrelatte (10 kilometres), with 10 scaly species as well as a good number of monitor lizards, snakes, tropical fish and birds, and over 600 plant species including the biggest tropical conservatory in France.