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Thank you everyone for the comments above.

Cant help thinking that there is a common thread here, so many refer to the teenagers there, but as we will have two with us perhaps I shouldn't be too concerned!

DC

Lac de Liez

Hi, we actually ended up staying 3 nights at Lac de Liez in Aug 2006, it was a nice site, the lake is fab, plenty of fishing and boats for the kids, but the pitch we were given was awkward to get onto, quite steep and very loose stones!  We enjoyed our short stay but wouldn't have liked to think we were there any longer as I think the kids would have eventually become bored, as would we.  Sanitary facilities were good as were the pools.

Ranc Davaine

We ended up here for Summer 2007 and stayed for 8 nights, could have stayed for longer.  Our pitch wasn't the best in the world but we only had a folding camper so it was ok for us space wise, as a previous thread states if you request to move Reception are helpful and probably won't object.  We stayed at three different sites one in the Dordogne one in the med and then this one in the Ardeche, out of all 3 both the kids (12 and 13) loved this site as did we, right on a gorgeous crystal clear river, ideal for canoeing and swimming and then a fab pool complex, we went on the full day excursion on the kayaks down the GOrge du Verdon, you can book on site for this there is a short 8 km paddle or the full 24 km version!  We went for the 24 km, be warned, by the last couple of hours we could have all given up but once you are on this epic journey there is no way out until the end!  Joking aside, we had one child each so with two adults in a kayak it would not be such hard work, me and my son did come out though at one of the sets of rapids, it is scary and painful, my advice is hang back and don't get caught up in the traffic jam on the river!  Although it was difficult I would probably do it again (glutton for punishment I think).  But it is a fantastic experience.  Would deffo recommend this site, we would go back (except we are going to Italy this year)

Happy Hols

I've just noticed on the Alan Rogers site that it refers to 'stoney' pitches and 'rock pegs are recommended'.

As we will be under canvas here I wonder if anyone can confirm what it says in the AR guide, which is a little concerning!?

Dont want to damage the SIG.

DC

Do you mean Ranc Davaine?  If so, then the pitches are a mix - some, nearer to the river, are on soft, sandy-type soil - and others, further into the oak woods can be a little more stony.  We never needed rock pegs though - and we've stayed on six different pitches, by my reckoning.  Be warned, the pitches are not your standard 'square' hedged pitch, typical of French campsites, but more irregular, between trees and some can be quite shady - and there isn't a lot of grass around.  We like the area down by the river, best, and have twice stayed on the same pitch down there.  

I'd email the site, and ask for a pitch on softer ground - I don't think they'll have a problem accommodating you.

Thanks Val, probably a good idea to contact the site,

DC

Is there any danger of flooding on the pitches closer to the river?

DC

Thanks Val, I think I will try to get a plan of the site from the owners and ask them to identify the allocated plot.

DC

Do you have a pitch number?  I have a map somewhere with numbered pitches (you're given one, low season, with all the 'available' pitches indicated - and you can walk around and choose), and can probably tell you where your allocated pitch is.

Pitches on the riverside area we like are from 100 to 110 on the section we prefer - and then there are other riverside pitches at the bottom end of the site, but I'm not sure of the numbers.  You may have a high season problem, though, as the area we like is down by the football ground, which I imagine could be used as a hang-out by teenagers in peak season (no evidence for this, but I've seen it on other sites!). 

I've some photos taken in June last year, which shows the surface of the pitches on the riverside area quite well - if you want I'll add one to my 'gallery' for you to have a look at.  They were taken just to show how empty the site was in early June - just us and one other van which went the morning we took the photo!!  It was lovely, though, as we were there for two weeks because of car problems and had a series of different people coming and going during that time, but were never overcrowded!!   Dr Shirt and his wife were the best - French doctor, who wore four different short sleeved shirts per day and two or three different pairs of trousers, and his wife who spent all day washing and ironing them on her own ironing board!  I don't think we saw them leave the site in five days! 

Thanks...Any photos appreciated,It sort of gets you in the holiday mood even though it's snowing here now!

I have contacted the site to request a grassy pitch but no reply yet?

DC

I don't think you'll find grass even in low season - there are the odd tufts, but that's all. 

I've put three new photos on my gallery - 1. Gorges of the Ardeche, and those are canoes in the river! 2.  Empty Pitches at Ranc Davaine and 3. The view from the top of the Rocher de Sampzon - not far from Ranc Davaine.

The picture of the pitch doesn't show them at their best - but just the way they are.  We had a huge pitch - right up to the second row of trees - and going back a long way, and were directly on the river (but 25 feet up - you'll see what I mean when you get there).  We used our inflatable canoe almost every day - but beware the difference in river levels, it's subject to hydro-electric extractions, and the river level can vary quite a lot.  The pool  complex there is great, and we like the pizzas, and the restaurant, too!  Hence we keep going back!  Hope you enjoy it. 

Know what you mean about the snow, just been thwarted in our major gardening epic today - and had to leave things half-done (hot sun this morning, freezing cold this afternoon!!).

ValA

Much appreciated, and the photo of the pitch is reassuring. We dont mind baked clay and dusty bases to camp on, but two years ago we had to refuse to pitch on a site in the south of france that comprised angular gravel and resembled an area ready for a railway track to be installed on!...OK for caravans or campervans but no good to us under canvas.

Roll on the good weather!

DC

How did you guess?

Reply from Ranc Davaine today...'Not possible to know which place you will be on'.

Oh well, just have to make a fuss when we get there if its not suitable for our tent!

DC

I think you'll find they're all suitable - we've seen some huge Dutch tents right at the back of the site, which is where the ground is most 'stony'.  It's not gravel - the surface is the hard sandy soil you saw in the other pictures - but because the whole area is rocky the ground-rock isn't far beneath the surface.  I think you'll find the surface itself is flat enough - and I suppose you may need rock pegs if you're right at the back of the site - but the campsite shop is well equipped and will probably have that sort of thing if you need them.  If not, there's a Narbonne Accessories at Grospierres, just across the bridge toward Vallon, which will have everything you need.

Have a great trip!