Camp Journal - Ardeche, France

For our final day of session one the kids enjoyed lunch and some shopping in Vallon Pont dʼArc.

The campers filled themselves with local area delicacies for most of the afternoon. A storm moved in on the journey back to camp and everyone enjoyed splashing in puddles that were ankle deep.

The entire camp went to dinner together in Vallon. Six double session campers and nine counsellors divulged in Thai food taking pleasure in one anotherʼs company.

Arrivals day would bring 35 new friends.

Art projects were undertaken for most of the morning and into the afternoon. Old campers met new and friendships were developed immediately. Ping pong tournaments and volleyball matches occupied the crew until the Geneva bus arrived just before dinner.

A game of Buggy Up allowed the campers to blow off some travelling steam. They worked together in teams of two in a refreshing evening sprinkle.

Mario, the Ardeche VC chef, served a wonderfully hot classic English dish of beef stew with chocolate mousse to follow. Afterwards the campers were split into their activity groups and given a camp tour.

Session two has already uncovered incredible team work with endless eagerness for the activities and adventures ahead.

Breakfast brought goodbyes all too soon as two campers prepared to leave already ...

The French groups organized for their final lesson and worksheets. All morning oral tests and vocabulary sheets were completed. Team activity games, Beret and Mission Impossible IV, took the intellectuals all over campus as the morning came to an end.

Activity groups participated in their last bandana session. They chose Sports and Arts & Crafts for their interests. Clay art decorated tables on the terrace until lunch. The molded art had a strange resemblance to camp activities. The display of creativity was endless! Sports dove into competition with Ultimate Frisbee, Meatball & Spaghetti, Gaga Ball and the team challenge game: Water Leak. They tromped to lunch a bit soggy after a productive demonstration of team work. The last lunch of session was served as counsellors began to motivate campers to enjoy the afternoon with their activity of choice. Kids could be found all over camp playing cricket,  ping pong, guitar and making snoopies.

The feat of packing was tackled just before dinner. The camp sat down to a delicious summer BBQ for their final meal together. The evening brought bandana ceremonies and certificates. A slide show followed showing all the moments shared these past two weeks.

Thank you for a wonderful session one in the Ardeche!

2 days, 28 kilometres, 22 rapids….

All campers ate breaky safely with buoyancy aids and helmets. The boats launched and by mid morning the river team were guiding the kids through the twists and turns of the rapids Trois Eaux, Backwards and Stand up. An early capsize woke two boys up while the rest of the campers woke up with a round of seal launching. Five campers race backward down a hill and into the water. No one could get enough of the thrill!

Don Noir, Beaver Shoot and Can Opener were soon conquered by our fleet of 25 canoes. Lunch on an overturned canoe in the shade cooled the paddlers as they enjoyed a story from their river leader Eric.

Three more fast waters brought us to our destination Gournier Bivi. Boat teams worked together lugging dry barrels and paddle packs up a trail to VC’s campsite. Ideal sleeping spots were snagged, a tour was provided and then a BBQ brought smiles to all. A dessert of messy banana boats followed covering faces and hands with chocolate. A cool night allowed the canoers to catch some sleep and also invited a select few to play toothpaste pranks . . .

With lack of an alarm a late start gave way to a very warm morning. After breakfast everyone lugged all equipment back down the longish trail leading to the river where our boats sat ready for another day of excitement!

Whirlpool, Elephants and Raft race provided welcomed splashes to our already heated campers. Another chapter of the story from our esteemed river leader introduced Cathedral rock which looms amongst the gorge walls of the Ardeche. 

A late lunch energized the paddlers. Campers seeking endless adventure ditched their boats and settled for rapid swimming in the lively waters of Leper Colony. After the last of the swimming and digging campers and counsellors from the sandy beach our crew continued down river.

Capsizing seemed to multiply as the afternoon sun continued to beat down. Boats engaged themselves in waters wars while a boat race uncovered some strong paddlers. The last four rapids brought VC to the final leg: 3 kilometres of flat water. Every camper made it safely and quite quickly to the take out location.

Dinner was served at 7:30 back at camp. Afterward 32 tired sun kissed campers retired to their tents ready for a good nights sleep.

Tuesday was another action packed day at camp.

With several bandana sessions going on and a trip to the ropes course, it was a busy, busy day!

The evening meal was scrumptious as usual.  Following dinner, all the campers spent the evening preparing and packing for tomorrow, when the epic two day descent of the river begins!

Details on how the descent went will have to wait until Thursday when we all return to camp!