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Chéran, Pont de l'Abime - Alby
Kayak spot · France
Whitewater: a river with rapids
Is it worth the trip?
Not for grade III paddlers. Suits expert paddlers only, by its grade.
The spot in three facts
- Grade IVits hardest rapid V
- Moving waterthe water
- 9.1 kmthe section
Full forecast
every day, every number
Not for grade III paddlers. Suits expert paddlers only, by its grade. See it for expert paddlers.
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Map
put-in, take-out, its town
Chéran, Pont de l'Abime - Alby on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
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More kayaking near here
1 place
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Chéran, Pont de l'Abime - Alby
A river section, from a put-in down to a take-out. Grade IV, its hardest rapid V, on the international scale. It runs 9.1 km along the river. Suits expert paddlers only, by its grade. None within 10 km, the nearest 14 km away. The town to stay in is Arith. Within 5 km we also list 2 dive sites, 1 climbing area and 1 mountain bike area.
- Grade Grade IV, its hardest rapid V, on the international scale.
- Length 9.1 km along the river.
- Who it suits Suits expert paddlers only, by its grade.
- Access No source states the access rules: check locally.
- Schools, hire None within 10 km, the nearest 14 km away.
Spots and rivers: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Whitewater sections © Rivermap (rivermap.org), Riverzone and Jonathan Riddell, ODbL.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,430–US$2,660 each
about US$1,430–US$2,660 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, hire car, stay, food, kayak hire.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to GVA, estimated from distance and season, changing at CDG, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | about US$489–US$1,010 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | about US$141–US$234 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$328–US$543 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$315–US$583 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$154–US$288 |
| Total | about US$1,430–US$2,660 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Arith
11 min by car · 7 places to stay
about US$121/nightcountry average
About Arith its beds, food and every spot near it
About US$121 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.
Getting there: about 17h 50m
About 17h 50m door to door from Chicago
Fly ORD → GVA, changing at Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG), then 1h 15m by road
Flights ORD → GVA on your dates · Skyscanner
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Arith · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Arith · GetYourGuide
River level
Gauge at Le Chéran à Allèves [La Charniaz], 8 km upstream: 1.32 m³/s, low for November (updated 3 h ago). Running.
Bands are this gauge's own record: under its usual low, running, high, and in flood on its few highest days a year. Not a runnable range for the section: check before you go. River flow in France: Hub'Eau (hubeau.eaufrance.fr), data from the hydrometric services (SCHAPI, DREAL), Licence Ouverte 2.0. Credits
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
Cercle Nautique de Talloires 15 km
V Boat 17 km
The nearest named schools, clubs and kayak or canoe hire within 25 km, in a straight line. Listings, not a recommendation. Schools, clubs and hire: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits