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 and paddling into the gorge are both classic ways to explore.
The Verdon Gorge lies east of the Valensole Plateau. The Verdon River has carved a canyon about 25 km long and up to 700 m deep through the limestone plateau. Known as the “Grand Canyon of Europe,” its water shows a striking turquoise-green color from dissolved minerals. There are two scenic driving routes. On the north rim, the one-way D23 “Route des Crêtes” loop has more than ten lookout points; the Point Sublime and the Belvédère de l'Escalès are the best. On the south rim, the D71 “Corniche Sublime” passes the Belvédère de la Mescla and the Pont de l'Artuby. The full loop covers about 130 km and takes 4–5 hours. At the western end of the gorge, below the Galetas bridge, you can rent pedal boats and kayaks to paddle upstream into the canyon, at about €20–30 per hour, from May to September. For hiking, the Blanc-Martel trail (14 km) requires a headlamp. The gorge is open all day and free to enter. It is only reachable by car, about 30 minutes from Valensole. The mountain roads have many bends, and some stretches have no guardrails. Parts of the route close in winter.
Opening hours
All day (boat rental approx. May–Sep 09:00–18:00)
Nearby sights
- Sentier Blanc-Martel
- Route des Crêtes
- Aiguines
- Balcons de la Mescla
- Pont de l'Artuby
- Point Sublime
- Chapelle Notre-Dame de Beauvoir
- Musée de la Faïence de Moustiers