You may need to use Google translate to read it in English.
I must admit that the last time we swam in the Ardeche in 2015 we were asked to stay out of the water by the lifeguard, because of 'pollutants in the water caused by high levels of run off fertiiser'. It shows how vigilant we need to be about things like this.
However, just up river in the Chassezac, we were swimming in the river daily until the 9th September, with no untoward effects at all.
Post last edited on 29/10/2017 20:48:57
Good grief! We were there in late August/early September, with a young dog who loves swimming. We were totally unaware of this blue-green algae risk, before reading this thread. What with processionary caterpillars and now this, it makes us stop and think whether our dog would be safer left at home, with friends!
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As I said, we were swimming in the Chassezac (a tributary which joins the Ardeche south of Ruoms). Where people swim too then warnings will be issued about the water quality, so rather than avoiding rivers and beaches altogether, just let the dog swim in areas where people are swimming too.
This is just another 'risk' where you weigh up the likelihood of the combination of rainfall, sunshine, and temperature which causes algal blooms, against the benefits to your dog of keeping cool.
There are always risks of one sort or another wherever you do, and avoiding all risks simply isn't possible.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Sites with dog swimming
