The river is a fragile host – be a thoughtful guest!
For your safety
protect yourself from the sun and stay hydrated;
be sure of your swimming ability and that of the people you are with, especially children;
do not leave your children unsupervised;
give preference to supervised beaches where the water quality is analysed;
follow the instructions if a beach is closed:
pollution is not always visible…
swim in areas of running water – do not drink the water, or put anything that has been in the water in your mouth (pebbles, sticks etc.) :
the river water is not drinking water, and although most algae are harmless to human health, “flocs” of potentially toxic cyanobacteria can sometimes accumulate locally in stagnant water and should not be ingested.
after swimming, take a brief but thorough shower;
avoid swimming immediately after a storm:
the rainwater leaches soils, cavities and amenities and can affect the water quality locally and temporarily.
keep an eye on the weather forecast:
even in summer, water levels can rise suddenly and violently!
do not jump from rocks or bridges:
the depth of the water is difficult to evaluate and varies over the summer. Jumping from bridges is strictly forbidden.
Be careful!
Protecting rivers and nature
take all your waste away with you, even if it is biodegradable:
the river’s digestion is delicate…
do not stir up the river bottom and avoid making little constructions with pebbles:
they disturb aquatic animals, obstruct their movement and create areas of warmer, stagnant water.
do not disturb snakes in the water:
they are 100% harmless and 100% protected!
do not use sun cream unless it is eco-compatible:
your t-shirt and cap offer excellent sun protection.
do not make fires:
lighting a fire runs the risk of triggering a serious wildfire, especially when the conditions are hot and dry.
do not waste water;
respect the restrictions if a drought order has been issued:
in Ardèche, any water you save from the tap is extra water for the river. This is important when you know that the quality of river water depends heavily on water levels.
Be a protector!
Respect everyone
some beaches, although freely accessible, are located on private land:
respect these private properties and other users, whether they are neighbours, swimmers, walkers, fishers… (fences, gates, rubbish, noise…)
be as discreet as possible:
listen to nature, not your smart speaker…
Be respectful!
In short, to ensure a peaceful summer and respect our rivers, don’t forget that the river is still a natural habitat:
– beautiful, rich and fragile: to be preserved
– shared: to be respected
– never fully controlled or controllable: to be accepted…