Valensole Plateau & Gorges du Verdon

Provence's biggest lavender fields on the Valensole Plateau, beside the Verdon, one of Europe's deepest canyons, the emerald Lac de Sainte-Croix and the faience village of Moustiers.

Valensole & Gorges du Verdon lies on the border of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Var departments in France's Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. To the west is the Valensole Plateau, at 500–600 m above sea level, Provence's largest lavender-growing area; to the east is one of Europe's deepest canyons, carved by the Verdon River, which ends at the emerald Lac de Sainte-Croix. The best season is mid-June to mid-July, when the lavender bloom coincides with the boating and swimming season on the lake, and harvesting begins around 20 July; May and September–October are good for hiking and driving along the canyon, with fewer people; in winter some sections of the ridge road are closed. There are three areas to explore: the lavender fields on the plateau and villages such as Valensole, Riez and Puimoisson; Lac de Sainte-Croix, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie at the canyon's western entrance, and boating at the Pont du Galetas; and the ridge road on the north rim, Point Sublime and the Balcons de la Mescla on the south rim, with Castellane further east. To the southwest are Lake Esparron, the Quinson gorges and the thermal baths of Gréoux-les-Bains. Getting around is practically only possible by car: about 1–1.5 hours from Marseille airport or Aix, about 2.5 hours from Nice, and public transport is very infrequent. We suggest staying in Moustiers, Valensole or a lakeside village for 2–3 days: one day for lavender and Riez, one day for boating and Moustiers, and one day driving the canyon loop. Notes: lavender fields are private farmland, so do not enter or trample them; the canyon's mountain roads are winding and narrow, and lakeside parking lots fill up very early in summer; the loop around the canyon is about 130 km, so allow plenty of time.

Top sights

• Valensole Lavender Fields – Provence's largest lavender region, where purple rows stretch across the Valensole Plateau to the horizon. Sunrise and sunset are the golde…
• Gorges du Verdon – One of Europe's deepest canyons, with turquoise-green river water flowing between limestone cliffs up to 700 m high. Driving the canyon rim…
• Moustiers-Sainte-Marie – One of France's most beautiful villages, its stone houses built into the cliffs, with a golden star suspended between two peaks and a centu…
• Lac de Sainte-Croix – A turquoise artificial lake at the exit of the Verdon Gorge. Lakeside beaches, swimming, and boat trips into the canyon are classic summer…
• Chapelle Notre-Dame de Beauvoir – A pilgrimage chapel set in the cliffs above the village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie; climbing the steps of the Stations of the Cross gives vi…
• Musée de la Faïence de Moustiers – A small museum showcasing fine Moustiers faience from the 17th and 18th centuries, where you can learn about the white-glazed, blue-decorat…
• Route des Crêtes – A circular ridge road on the north rim of the Verdon Gorge, with 14 viewpoints perched 700 m above the cliffs; the core route for seeing th…
• Point Sublime – The most famous viewpoint on the eastern stretch of the Verdon Gorge, overlooking the Samson tunnel at the gorge entrance and a river bend…
• Sentier Blanc-Martel – A classic hike across the floor of the Verdon Gorge, about 14 km end to end, passing tunnels, iron ladders and riverbanks.
• Balcons de la Mescla – A viewpoint on the south-rim 'Corniche Sublime' road, overlooking the river bend formed 250 m below where the Verdon and Artuby rivers meet.
• Pont de l'Artuby – A single-arch concrete bridge spanning the Artuby Gorge, with its deck about 180 m above the valley floor; it is one of Europe's best-known…
• Aiguines – A small village on the hillside above the south shore of Lac de Sainte-Croix, with a castle whose corner towers have coloured glazed-tile r…
• Riez – An ancient Roman town on the Valensole plateau, with four columns from an Apollo temple standing in a field and a 6th-century baptistery.
• L'Occitane en Provence Factory, Manosque – The headquarters and factory of the L'Occitane brand, where you can book a free tour of the production lines and browse the herb garden and…
• Castellane & Notre-Dame du Roc – A small town at the eastern entrance of the Verdon Gorge. A chapel sits atop a 184 m rock behind it, and the town is a base for gorge rafti…
• Lac de Castillon – A long, narrow reservoir north of Castellane, with emerald water wedged between the valley walls and fewer crowds than Lac de Sainte-Croix.
• Lac d'Esparron – A reservoir on the lower Verdon, with bays reaching between white limestone cliffs. It is good for boating and swimming, and quieter than L…
• Basses Gorges du Verdon – The lower gorge between Quinson village and Lac d'Esparron, with cliffs on both sides. You can paddle a kayak or walk the riverbank trail.
• Musée de Préhistoire des Gorges du Verdon – A prehistory museum designed by British architect Norman Foster, presenting 400,000 years of human history in the Verdon region.
• Gréoux-les-Bains – A spa town that has been in use since Roman times, with a Knights Templar castle on the hilltop; one of Provence's largest thermal resorts.

Where to eat

• La Bastide de Moustiers – A country-house restaurant founded by chef Alain Ducasse in 1994. It holds one Michelin star and a Michelin Green Star…
• La Cantine – One of the best-rated small eateries in the center of Moustiers. It serves "local and faraway" dishes cooked to order…
• Les Tables du Cloître – A small vaulted restaurant on a quiet lane behind the church. It serves home-style dishes made with Moustiers cold cuts…

Itineraries

• Classic Provence & French Riviera Road Trip – Enter via Avignon and exit via Nice, connecting the Luberon hilltop villages, Valensole, Verdon Gorge, and the coast
• Valensole to Sault Lavender Loop – In and out of Marseille, cover the Valensole Plateau, Sénanque Abbey, and Sault flower fields in four days.
• Barcelona to Nice South France Panorama – Cross the French Mediterranean coast, connecting cities by train and renting a car for the Provence segment.