Between the inflows from the Cévennes, the currents from the Massif Central and the winds from the Rhône valley, the Ardèche is at the crossroads of several climatic influences, with seasonal rainfall. From the national reference site, zoom in on flood monitoring and flood prevention in the department.
Vigicrues in France
Vigicrues is an online public service that provides information on the risk of flooding on France’s main rivers. Set up by the Ministry of Ecology, it is based on a national monitoring network covering more than 23,000 kilometres of rivers. It provides a vigilance map with a colour code (from green to red) indicating the level of risk and the possible evolution of the situation.
The site also publishes forecast bulletins written by specialists, detailing the areas concerned and the expected water levels. It is aimed at both the authorities (prefectures, municipalities, emergency services) and the general public, to help them anticipate and prepare for rising water levels. Vigicrues complements the weather and crisis management systems by providing centralised, up-to-date flood information.
- Vigicrues in the regions, alerts, maps and links :
Flooding in the Ardèche
In the Ardèche, Vigicrues covers several rivers, all tributaries of the Rhône, with the following main tributaries from the Vivarais to the Cévennes along the Rhône corridor:
- L’Ay
- Le Doux
- The Eyrieux
- The Ouvèze
- The Ardèche
- La Baume
- The Chassezac
- The Rhône River
These watercourses, rivers and streams, are part of the Vigicrues area known as the Grand Delta, to the south of the Rhône catchment, with a twice-daily (10am and 4pm) updated warning service.
Maps of the Ardèche floods
You can consult the 2 maps of the Grand Delta for the Ardèche and the Rhône, static and dynamic, by clicking on the areas concerned, with the measuring stations indicated on each river. Each link provides graphs of water levels in real time twice a day, 24-hour forecasts, and ZIP/ZICH maps of potential flooding for these stations. In addition, a mobile application alerts you to local risks.
- Where is the Ardèche on the Vigicrues map?
Direct access to the official maps of the Grand Delta Territory and the Ardèche :
Web application
A mobile version of Vigicrues is now available for smartphones. Find all the functionalities of the service’s tools on the move:
Key features
In 3 minutes, here is a video memo on the Vigicrues network tools:
Rain, high water and flooding: other websites
To complete your search for information on heavy rainfall, flash flooding and meteorological events, here are a few additional links to APIC, Vigicrues flash, Repères de crues, Vigilance météo and Hydroportail:
And for the weather in the towns and villages of the Ardèche, visit the page dedicated to the weather, rain and wind in the department:
Map of rivers in Ardèche
Soon, we will be offering a map of the rivers and lakes in Ardèche, including beaches and swimming spots. Sign up to stay informed: