Canoe rental on the Allier gorge river from Lavoûte-Chilhac

Discover a different side to the Haute Loire Valley with half day and full day whitewater canoeing excursions down the Allier river.

Beyond the horseshoe bend of Lavoûte-Chilhac, the languorous waters of the Allier river take on a new form. As it catches up with the fast-flowing Loire, this small tributary turns into a whitewater course of rapids, rocky outcrops and unexpected turns - racing to join the Mediterranean sea. Tackle its ebbs and flows on two-man canoeing excursions with the help of local watersports experts in the Allier Valley.

Location
A small mediaeval village in the heart of the Haute Loire, Lavoûte-Chilhac is shadowed by the Auvergne mountains and divided by the Allier river that has created a horseshoe settlement at its centre. The region is served by a local airport in Le Puy, an hour's drive into the countryside.

Activity
Offering canoe rentals for half day (17km) or full day (32km) excursions down the Allier river, you will follow the tributary from the banks of Lavoûte-Chilhac to Prades in Langeac using two-man canoes. Suitable for children and adults alike, learn to follow the landscape via an easy-to-follow itinerary before safely navigating small rapids and finish with an exciting manmade slide on the Langeac weir.

Conditions
Whilst the route is suitable for beginners, this activity is best suited to novices in the dry summer season when currents are slower and the meltwater spring torrents have dried. For more experienced canoers, rapids are their most lively during late spring and during the autumn rains. July is the hottest month in Loire Valley with an average temperature of 18°C (64°F) and the coldest is January at 4°C (38°F) with the most daily sunshine hours at 8 in July. The wettest month is May with an average of 64mm of rain.