During the long weekend I spent time with my family, on Monday they organized a picnic with their friends at the Devesset lake. I never been there but it was a good idea, just arrived I have spotted paddle waiting under the sun: I wanted to try for so long !
Devesset lake is about an hour and half from Valence on the Haut Vivarais mountain plateau on the border of the Haute Loire and the Ardèche, at 1100m of altitude. It provides a 51 hectares lake surrounded by trees, it’s a very quiet place.
As I told you many times since I’m back in France I love taking time to discover what I have around my place, I’m actually working on a city guide will all my recommendations ! You confirmed me that was place to visit in the region with all your comments when I shared some pictures on Snapchat (FringintoBlog) ou Instagram !
After a yummy picnic (we are French remember we love food ;)) I wasn’t going to stay doing nothing under the sun. So I took the 2 other girls for a walk around the lake and to take pictures. At first I didn’t plane to share it on the blog . Finally I’m glad to show you my region. So let’s start our walk, I told them we will have a quick walk .. It took us like an hour and half, most of the path is marked-off excepted at the end we finished walking in the mud, it’s how we created memories right? 😉 We walked faster since we had to be at 4.00pm at the paddle spot !
I will never try it few years ago ! But I was super excited to try, I observed other people doing it before and I noticed it didn’t look that hard to balance. Then I though it was much better to try it in for the first time in Ardèche if I had to fall unstead of a full Mediterraneen beach. Nice blue life jacket on, a paddle on one hand and let’s go ! Such a nice surprise it was actually really easy to manage, the board is enough large and thick to stand without any problem. Drive it is also easy, we are the queen of the lake ! I though it was very fun to be upon the water, dry on a board, even to be honest I left my glasses and jewlerry I was sure to fall.
So am I going to try again paddle ? Yes for sure ! Start in a lake good idea or not ? Yes again ! Lake is pretty quiet so it let you learn to use the paddle without any pressure. Except the exploration is a little bit limited , maybe it was because it was our first time and we were not very brave in visiting the lake. Next time I will visit more. Get your armes ready: yes it going to strain! Nothing to hard but the day before I trained with the TRX. No soreness the day after, not even on the legs that you use a lot to stand.
Our first try with the paddle was, let’s be honest, really easy. No big perturbations except tourists with pedal boats/paddle/canöe/or swimming (delete as appropriate) with more or less humour (tell to someone swiming that if you hurt her with your paddle it’s not your fault is not fun for everyone^^)(I laugh until she killed me with her eyes!) . So I’m so excited to try it again on the sea ! To be continued.
Pratical informations:
1/2h of paddle: 8€
Lake fee entrance: 4€ per car
Restauration and camping available
Do you know the lake ? Did you try the paddle ?
Have a nice evenin les petits loups à frange.
Thanks to my brother, chief photographer for the great pictures during the paddle session (we couldn’t say but we were on the piddle of the lake)
