La Lône

Camping de la Lône is in Saint-Pierre-de-Bœuf, in the Loire département, within the Pilat Regional Nature Park. It is part of the Espace Eaux Vives leisure area and is run by the Communauté de communes du Pilat Rhodanien. The main road and the A7 motorway (Ampuis exit) serve the site, which lies about 50 km south of Lyon, 50 km north of Valence and 50 km from Saint-Étienne.

Rated 3 stars, the site offers 88 pitches, some shaded and some sunny, with a view of the river. There are also five two-bedroom chalets sleeping up to six people, with a living room, a fitted kitchen area and a shower room; one of them is adapted for visitors with reduced mobility. The campsite holds the Home Vélo label: the ViaRhôna cycle route passes 300 m away.

As for opening, two cases need to be distinguished. The five chalets are advertised for rent all year round on the official website, which makes a stay in autumn, winter or spring possible. The pitches, however, only operate from April to September, and the swimming pool only opens from May to mid-September. Off-season, the campsite therefore suits travellers who stay in a chalet, for example cycle tourists on the ViaRhôna or guests coming for a weekend.

On the same leisure area, the artificial whitewater river of the Espace Eaux Vives and the nearby lake offer plenty for an active stay.

Cycling on the ViaRhôna, 300 m away; competitions at the Espace Eaux Vives, such as the regional double selection event on 3 and 4 October.

On site, the campsite has an outdoor swimming pool, open from May to mid-September, a laundry and barbecues. The sanitary facilities include two toilets and two showers accessible to people with disabilities. The 88 pitches can be connected to electricity provided you bring an extension lead and a European adapter, and water points are spread around the grounds.

Each chalet has two bedrooms, a living room with a sofa, a fully equipped kitchen area and a shower room with toilet. The published information does not say whether the chalets or the washrooms are heated: it is best to ask at reception before a winter stay. Reception is open every day from 10am to 1pm and from 4pm to 7pm, from April to September.

La Paillote de la Lône, the campsite restaurant, has just opened; its opening dates are not published, so they need to be confirmed off-season. Nearby, the brasserie Le Bouillon and the Restaurant du Port, just opposite the leisure area, complete the choice of places to eat.

The campsite has a petanque court, a volleyball court and a table tennis table; fishing is also mentioned among the leisure options. But most of the action is next door, at the Espace Eaux Vives: an artificial whitewater river at the foot of the Saint-Pierre-de-Bœuf dam, devoted to rafting, whitewater swimming (hydrospeed), kayaking and inflatable canoeing, either independently or with an instructor.

The Maison de la Lône rents paddleboards, canoes and electric-assist bikes, and organises orienteering courses. On the lake of about twenty hectares, canoe or kayak hire costs €10 for one hour and €14 for two hours, and paddleboard hire €11 and €16. The minimum age is 6, you must be able to swim and to immerse yourself, and swimming is forbidden throughout the leisure area.

Cyclists can use the ViaRhôna 300 m away, and the nearby vineyards are listed among the sights to discover. Off-season, the Espace Eaux Vives occasionally hosts competitions, such as a regional double selection event on 3 and 4 October. Whitewater activities are mostly a summer affair: opening dates should be checked.