Editing Vallon-Pont-d'Arc

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Expand French|topic=geo|date=December 2008|Vallon-Pont-d'Arc}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name               = Vallon-Pont-d'Arc
|commune status     = [[Communes of France|Commune]]
|image              = 060806 Vallon-Pt d'Arc301.jpg
|caption            = 
|image coat of arms = Blason ville fr Vallon-Pont-d'Arc (Ardèche).svg
|arrondissement     = Largentière
|canton             = Vallon-Pont-d'Arc
|INSEE              = 07330
|postal code        = 07150
|mayor              = Guy Massot<ref>{{cite web|title=Répertoire national des élus: les maires|url=https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/datasets/r/2876a346-d50c-4911-934e-19ee07b0e503|publisher=data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises|date=4 May 2022|language=fr}}</ref>
|term               = 2020&ndash;2026
|intercommunality   =
|coordinates        = {{coord|44.4078|4.3944|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m        = 118
|elevation min m    = 60
|elevation max m    = 434
|area km2           = 28.62
|population         = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_total}}
|population date    = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_as_of}}
|population footnotes   = {{France metadata Wikidata|population_footnotes}}
}}

'''Vallon-Pont-d'Arc''' ({{IPA|fr|valɔ̃ pɔ̃ daʁk}}; {{langx|oc|Valon}}) is a village in southern [[France]] in the [[Ardèche|Ardèche Department]].

The village is a gateway to one of the most beautiful tourist sites in France, the [[Gorges de l'Ardèche|Ardèche Gorges]], where the [[Ardèche River|Ardèche river]] has carved a dramatic canyon through a limestone plateau. The village is named after the [[Pont d'Arc]], a natural rock arch, which has been classified as a Great Site of France.

Vallon-Pont-d'Arc is also the location of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the decorated cave of Pont d’Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc., and its replica, Chauvet Cave 2. The cave contains some of the earliest known prehistoric paintings in the world and constitutes an exceptional testimony of prehistoric cave art.

In the center of the town is a [[:fr:Château de Vallon-Pont-d'Arc|château]] built in the 17th century, now the town hall, which is decorated with [[:fr:Tapisserie d'Aubusson|Aubusson tapestries]], as well as the place couverte or old grain square, and the place du Verger.

==Sights==
[[File:Mobeye-ÉtéDesVilles-Vallon-Pont-d'Arc-59.jpg|thumb|Ardèche River in Vallon-Pont d'Arc]]
* The [[Pont d'Arc]]
* The [[Chauvet Cave]] is not open to the public. In 2015, a replica Chauvet Cave 2 was opened to the public, which is the largest decorated replica cavern in the world. Chauvet Cave 2 is also a conference center and hosts workshops and cultural activities relating to prehistoric art and civilization.
* The [[Gorges d'Ardèche|Gorges de l'Ardèche]]
* Departure point for the river descent by kayak or canoe of the [[Gorges de l'Ardèche]] (from [[Pont d'Arc]] to [[Saint-Martin-d'Ardèche]]).
* The [[:fr:Château de Vallon-Pont-d'Arc|Château or Hôtel de ville]] (a castle constructed in 1630-1639 under [[Louis XIII]]) houses seven [[:fr:Tapisserie d'Aubusson|Aubusson tapestries]] showing the [[crusades]], exhibited in the Salle des Mariages.
* Chastelas outside the village
* Library
* Contemporary art gallery Galerie du Bourdaric
* Nearby, the art studio of Anselm Kiefer La Ribaute.
* Nearby, the Grotte de la Madeleine in Saint-Remèze 
* Nearby, the contemporary art gallery in Lagorce Galerie Mirabilia
* Nearby, the Aven d'Orgnac

Nearby there are other beautiful villages, including Salavas, Saint-Montan, Labastide de Virac, Barjac, and Balazuc. For more information, see Gorges de l'Ardèche.

==Events==

The town is peaceful and quiet in the winter, but extremely lively during the tourist season in the summer. There is a nocturnal market on Tuesday evenings and a market on Thursday mornings. Each spring takes place the Raid nature; in June, L'Ardéchoise, a cycling event, and the Alunna Festival; in August, the Documentary Film Festival in the nearby town of Lussas; and in November, the Marathon in the Gorges. For conferences relating to prehistoric art and civilization, see the calendar of Chauvet Cave 2.

== History ==

=== Prehistory ===

Numerous caves in Vallon-Pont-d'Arc in [[Ardèche]] testify to the human presence in the area for over 30,000 years:

Caves that are registered as historical monuments include:

** Grotte du Bouchon
** Grotte de la Vacheresse
** [[Chauvet Cave]] with its replica Chauvet Cave 2.

==Personalities==
* Artist [[:fr:René Aberlenc|René Aberlenc (1920-1971)]]

==Climate==

Vallon-Pont-d'Arc has a [[humid subtropical climate]] (''Cfa'') according to the [[Köppen climate classification]].

{{Weather box
|collapsed=y
|location = Vallon-Pont-d'Arc (120m, 1991–2010 averages, extremes 1991-2020)
|width = auto
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan record high C = 19.7
|Feb record high C = 22.2
|Mar record high C = 29.1
|Apr record high C = 31.2
|May record high C = 35
|Jun record high C = 40.8
|Jul record high C = 40.5
|Aug record high C = 42.1
|Sep record high C = 36.6
|Oct record high C = 30
|Nov record high C = 21.9
|Dec record high C = 17.7
|year record high C = 42.1
|Jan high C = 8.5
|Feb high C = 11.3
|Mar high C = 16.2
|Apr high C = 19.2
|May high C = 23.8
|Jun high C = 28
|Jul high C = 31.2
|Aug high C = 30.8
|Sep high C = 24.7
|Oct high C = 18.6
|Nov high C = 12.5
|Dec high C = 8.8
|year high C = 19.5
|Jan mean C = 4.6
|Feb mean C = 6.1
|Mar mean C = 9.9
|Apr mean C = 12.7
|May mean C = 16.9
|Jun mean C = 20.7
|Jul mean C = 23.3
|Aug mean C = 23.1
|Sep mean C = 18.3
|Oct mean C = 13.9
|Nov mean C = 8.6
|Dec mean C = 5.1
|year mean C = 13.6
|Jan low C = 0.6
|Feb low C = 0.9
|Mar low C = 3.6
|Apr low C = 6.1
|May low C = 10
|Jun low C = 13.4
|Jul low C = 15.5
|Aug low C = 15.4
|Sep low C = 11.9
|Oct low C = 9.2
|Nov low C = 4.6
|Dec low C = 1.5
|year low C = 7.8
|Jan record low C = -10.5
|Feb record low C = -10.2
|Mar record low C = -12.5
|Apr record low C = -3.5
|May record low C = -0.8
|Jun record low C = 5.9
|Jul record low C = 7.1
|Aug record low C = 7.6
|Sep record low C = 2.1
|Oct record low C = -2.9
|Nov record low C = -8.6
|Dec record low C = -10.3
|year record low C = -12.5
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 75.8
|Feb precipitation mm = 50.1
|Mar precipitation mm = 42.9
|Apr precipitation mm = 79.5
|May precipitation mm = 93.4
|Jun precipitation mm = 59.6
|Jul precipitation mm = 46.5
|Aug precipitation mm = 58.5
|Sep precipitation mm = 151.7
|Oct precipitation mm = 142.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 120.5
|Dec precipitation mm = 82.9
|year precipitation mm = 1003.5
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 7.2
|Feb precipitation days = 4.9
|Mar precipitation days = 4.4
|Apr precipitation days = 7.6
|May precipitation days = 7.9
|Jun precipitation days = 5.7
|Jul precipitation days = 4.1
|Aug precipitation days = 5.4
|Sep precipitation days = 6.7
|Oct precipitation days = 8.4
|Nov precipitation days = 8.0
|Dec precipitation days = 6.9
|year precipitation days = 76.9
|source 1 = Meteo France<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_07330004.pdf
| title = VALLON SA (07)
| work = Fiche Climatologique: Statistiques 1981–2010 et records
| publisher = Meteo France
| language = fr
| access-date = 29 March 2020
}}</ref>
}}

==Administration==
{| class="wikitable"
|+  List of mayors
|-
! Period !! Name !! Party 
|-
|align=right| 1989–1995 || Jean-Pierre Ageron ||align="center"| PS
|-
|align=right| 1995–2001 || Jean-Pierre Ageron ||align="center"| PS
|-
|align=right| 2001–2008 || Pierre Peschier ||align="center"| DVD
|-
|align=right| 2008–2014 || Claude Benahmed ||align="center"| PS
|-
|align=right| 2014–2020 || Pierre Peschier ||align="center"| DVD
|-
|align=right| 2020–present || Guy Massot ||
|}

==Population==
{{Historical populations
|source = INSEE<ref name=pophist>[https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-07330#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE</ref>
|percentages = pagr
|align = none
|1968 |1831
|1975 |1837
|1982 |1787
|1990 |1914
|1999 |2027
|2007 |2424
|2012 |2343
|2017 |2382
}}

==See also==
{{Commons category}}
* [[Communes of the Ardèche department]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ardèche communes}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vallonpontdarc}}
[[Category:Communes of Ardèche]]
[[Category:Ardèche communes articles needing translation from French Wikipedia]]