Pont d'Arc, Natural stone arch in Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, France.
Pont d'Arc is a natural limestone arch over the Ardèche, 59 m wide and 34 m high at the top of the opening, near Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. Its pale grey and tan rock rises as a cliff on the left and a sloping wall on the right, with shrubs on the upper ledges. The river still flows beneath the span, which is nicknamed the gateway to the Gorges de l'Ardèche.
The arch formed about 124,000 years ago through slow karst erosion of the limestone by the Ardèche. The river cut an immense opening and then abandoned its former bed, the meander now called the Combe d'Arc. Since 24 January 1931 the site has been a classified natural site.
The name comes from its role as a natural passage over the river, which locals have recognized for centuries. Today it stands as a symbol of the region and a gathering point for those exploring the gorges.
You can explore the site from the riverbank on foot or paddle through from the water to pass directly beneath the arch. Visit when water levels are moderate for the easiest and safest passage underneath.
The nearby Chauvet Cave holds Paleolithic paintings roughly 30,000 years old, some of the oldest known art. These ancient artworks suggest humans have been drawn to this region for an extraordinarily long time.
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