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Gorges du Verdon

Le Point Sublime, Rougon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Description

The Verdon Gorge is France's most famous river canyon, it is 25km long and up to 700m deep. It was formed by the Verdon river that owes its name to its turquoise colour, cutting through a limestone plateau. It is located between Castellane and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie in the southwest of the country and the gorge ends into the artificial Lake of Sainte-Croix. The area is extremely popular with tourists who can not only drive around its rim but also kayak, raft, hike or bungee jump. It is also a rock-climbing heaven with over 1,500 routes.

Access & Transport

Castellane, at the eastern end of the canyon, is 50km south of Dignes Les Bains and 90km west of Nice. The LER 31 bus service links Castellane to Digne in 65mins and to Nice in 2h with a bus-to-train transfer in Cagnes sur Mer train station. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, at the western end of the gorge, is 45km south of Dignes Les Bains, 90km northeast of Aix-en-Provence and 85km northwest of Fréjus.

Instructions & Recommendations

We suggest combining a drive along the rim with a more physical activity such as hiking or rafting (note that rafting is only possible when the dam releases some water, which is usually on Tuesdays and Fridays). The village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is also worth a visit.

Meta review

The Gorge is extremely famous in France and regularly featured in travel magazines covering the South East of France. Online reviews are likewise very complimentary, describing the views as dramatic, exceptional or amazing. Most of the visitors recommend combining a drive with a hike and/or a nautical activity to get the most out of your time there and better appreciate the scale. Another common advice is to avoid July & August if possible and come in June or September instead.

Environmental & Social

Eco-friendly activity. Socially neutral, or slightly positive if you are using an activity with local operators

Conclusion

The Gorges du Verdon are one of these special places you would want to teleport to every now and again. The views are genuinely spectacular and there is plenty of outdoor activities to keep one busy for a couple of days. Definitely worth a special trip from one of the larger cities in Provence but, of course, best to weave it into a regional itinerary.

Key positive

Exceptional scenery

Plenty of activities available

Key negative

Busy during summer holidays

Suitability

Suitable for all ages. We rate this activity as partially accessible because most visitors with reduced mobility will not be able to enjoy any water activity or hiking

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

June 2024

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
None
Timing
Duration of visit

av. transport time:1h

est. visit time:3h

Sunlight based

Sunrise / early morningOk

MorningOk

Lunch timeOk

AfternoonOk

Sunset / eveningOk

Night – bef. midnightNo

Night – aft. midnightNo

Pricing
Free

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