Heat Wave Activities: Whitewater Rafting on the Arve

Here in the French Alps, we don't have the Colorado River, but we have the Arve River, bringing the melted snow water from Le Mont Blanc into the valley below. Literally 1 km from my home in Domancy is Session Raft and Payraud Adventures, that just celebrated 25 years of existence. Back in 1982, André Payraud, outdoor adventurer Savoyard, was the first to swim the rapids on Mount Everest, becoming the highest swimmer in the world. Not to be outdone, he then went to Colorado in 1986, swimming through the Colorado River Rapids at 2000 m3/second, another first. Payraud then went on to create the first white water rafting company in France in 1992, called Payraud Adventures.

The heat wave provided me the necessary impetus to stop by for a tour. When I made my reservation, I learned some important aspects about river rafting. For example, the best time to go river rafting is just after several days of rain, or later in the day, when the water levels are higher. I ended up on the last tour of the day, so Arnaud Beauquis, aka, Boq, took a bit more time on the river, which was much appreciated. He also showed me an application called RiverApp that indicated the water levels and temperature that they used to determine the rafting conditions.

As I squeezed into my rubber wetsuit, sweltering from the heat, I was anxiously anticipating being in the chilled water. Boq was way ahead of us, spraying us with a hose to wet us down, with a big smile on his face. This was probably his favorite way of getting back at the dumb questions asked by the tourists. We hopped into their vans, complete with trailers towing the rafts, and headed for the rapids a half a kilometer away.

On arrival, we were instructed how to sit in the rafts, with the weight evenly distributed on each side as much as possible. One experienced guide was placed in each raft, with myself and Boq in the two-person kayak. We were instructed how to paddle, to pull someone back into the raft if fallen overboard, where to steer the raft, and most importantly, where NOT to go--too close to the shore, or near the overhanging trees, for example.

I tested the water, and could immediately see why I needed a wet suit. Even with a rubber shoe, I could feel the chilly 6°C water. I eased into the kayak, and was told to sit in the bottom of the boat until further notice. We headed downstream, and I learned to handle the paddle and steer the kayak. Boq knew this family well, so they were soon having water fights and doing acrobatics in and out of the water.

We soon approached the first rapid and Boq pulled us all together to explain how to maneuver through the rapids. We were told to continue paddling to keep the boat moving forward, and to especially steer clear of any rocky sections that might capsize the rafts. As I approached the first rapid, about 3 feet in depth, I suddenly felt an adrenalin rush like nothing I've ever experienced! This was better than roller coasters, nature in all her fury letting us experience life to its fullest. Now I could see why outdoor enthusiasts were so easily addicted!

Gaetan Haugeard, their in-house photographer, was waiting onshore at the first rapid, with a telephoto lens, capturing the first moment of my first whitewater raft, immortalized above. I had wondered how they had such great shots of tourists going through the rapids on their website, now I knew. Equipped with his motorcycle, he sped from one rapid to the next, capturing the shock and awe faces of everyone on each trip. What a great job they have here, I thought to myself. Boq told me that he had been down the Arve River over 800 times, so there was no fear that anything could possibly happen he hadn't seen before.

The shock of the 6°C water gave me the biggest rush however, and I screamed out in surprise. Boq was laughing, saying he wished he had a way of recording my blood-curdling scream! We continued downstream, with each rapid bigger than the last, and my screams echoing along the way. As we cruised along, I wished this trip could last much longer. My one-and-a-half hour adventure was the beginning of many more! Plus, Session Raft had expanded to include many other activities, like hydrospeed or riverboarding, similar to a boogie board on the rapids with diving fins, para-gliding, rock climbing and stand up paddling. I knew I would be back for more!

Here are a few other helpful hints:

1) Arrive at least 15 minutes early to change into your swimsuit, as they leave right on time.

2) Don't wear any jewelry, or watches that aren't waterproof or risk getting lost in the waves. Wear sunglasses with a neck cord.

3) Even with the canicule, you'll be wearing a full rubber body suit. The river temperature in the river was 6°C (42°F) , so you'll be covered head to toe

4) You're also required to wear a helmet and life raft, no matter how good of a swimmer you are.

5) If you've never been white water rafting or kayaking before, tell the guide, and he will offer to go with you in a two-person kayak.