The road to verdon gorges delivers unforgettable vistas photo by yvonne jasinski credit card travelingmom where to stay. Delve deep into the verdon gorge and marvel at soaring limestone peaks, then enjoy free time to. Gorges du verdon road trip the recommended gorges du verdon circuit starts from moustiers sainte marie, a very pretty little town which tends to get overcrowded at peak tourist periods. Gorges du verdon alpesdehauteprovence 2020 all you need. The gorge du verdon, also known as the grand canyon of europe, lies in the mountains of southeastern france.
Gorges du verdon one of the most unusual locations we visited is the gorges du verdon, a river canyon in southeastern france that is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. Up to 700 m deep, the 21kmlong canyon varies in width between 6 and 100 m at the bottom and 200 to 1500 m at its rim. The canyon runs for 20km mi between the medieval towns of castellane to the east and moustiersstemarie to the west. There are two options for exploring the gorges du verdon by road.
Cliffs more than 700m 2,300ft in height rise on each side of the turbulent waters of the verdon river. And the most impressive must be les gorges du verdon the french use the plural. Explore gorges du verdon holidays and discover the best time and places to visit. Gorges du verdon france complete travel guide ipanema. If you love hiking or if you prefer canoeing, see our pages on these topics. Marked by its turquoisegreen water, the verdon river slices its way through this majestic setting and flows into the lake of saintecroix du verdon, only a.
From the village, take the d90 south, signposted rive gauche gorges du verdon and aigunes. It is often considered to be one of europes most beautiful. The rive droite which starts in the north, by the point sublime the first viewpoint. Provence itinerary route in gorges du verdon, france. Verdon gorge was carved into the limestone rocks by the relatively small verdon river as it flowed down from the alps. Les gorges du verdon is an aweinspiring canyon in the alpesdehauteprovence region of france. Gorges du verdon, a balcony road in france nicknamed the grand canyon of europe, the gorges du verdon is one of the most spectacular sites in the world and. The best way to experience gorges du verdon is to do the loop drive around the canyon see blue loop in the map below.
Not far from the iconic french riviera, gorges du verdon is popular with tourists. Campsites gorges du verdon 4 and 5 stars with water park. The circuit as far as trigance and back is about 90 km in all, and takes. During the afternoon we stopped at the sainte croix lake to fresh up. A guide to visiting the gorges du verdon in france find. Camping in the verdon camping in castellane in the. The gorges du verdon is a beautiful region in provence in france. Tips for visiting gorges du verdon in france the blonde abroad. If you book your accommodation from the link below, i will earn a.
Visiting verdon gorges in france europes grand canyon. From the village, take the d90 south, signposted rive gauche gorges du verdon. Gorges du verdon is a river canyon located in the provencealpescote dazur region of southeastern france. Verdon gorge as its known in english had to be included in my road trip. Top tips for visiting the gorges du verdon in france.
On the way to castellane the road follows the meanders of the verdon through one of the most picturesque canyons of europe gorges du verdon. Book a room here for the ambiance, the rooms, and a great meal. I had seen a video on facebook a couple of months earlier and was determined to go here i was just a couple of weeks too late to see the amazing lavender fields, so i focused on cycling in the gorges du verdon, an aqua rando tour in the gorges and enjoying the town of castellane. A guide to visiting the gorges du verdon in france ive been wanting to visit the gorges du verdon for years. We heard from damars friend about this place for the first time. It was formed by the verdon river, which is named for its startling turquoisegreen colour, one of the locations distinguishing. The ridge road the gorges du verdon tourist office. If youre traveling to verdon gorge from the east or south i. Your support will go a long way in helping tour operators worldwide get back on their feet down the road. The verdon natural regional park is a paradise for nature and sports enthusiasts alike. To save you the time with your map, the gorges du verdon are about 12 miles 20 km long and 300 metres deep.
Electric boat rental canoe kayak pedalo gorges du verdon. Gorges du verdon, a balcony road in france nicknamed the grand canyon of europe, the gorges du verdon is one of the most spectacular sites in the world and one of the most famous french balcony roads. To visit the verdon gorge, you have several options, and each will bring its share of surprises, discoveries and wonder. Gorges du verdon, alpes du sud, provence copyright c 2017 raft session aqua rando, canyoning, canoe et rafting dans les gorges du verdon. If you want to get the full feel of the canyon, there is only one place that makes sense as your lodging option. The lake of saintecroix the lake has appeared after the valley was flooded as a result of building the dam of sainte. If you then want to explore the gorges more, without embarking on the half day circular route, i have a good tip to let you see a little more but without signing up for. Description infos sur le village en savoir plus photos the verdon canyon is a unique site in europe crossed by the river verdon, you may find on this site the best advice in order to visit the verdon country in advance. Tips for visiting gorges du verdon in france located in southeastern france in the heart of provence, the gorgeous gorges du verdon took my breath away at first sight. Make beautiful walks from your cottage and view the rocks and gorges. The first being le couloir samson, situated at the entrance of the verdon grand canyon.
Panoramic views can be enjoyed from the terraces, theres a heated outdoor swimming pool and a spa to relax those tired limbs after a days hiking. The most accessible part of the gorges on the water can be found at the pont du galetas near sallessur verdon, on the road leading to moustiers saintemarie. Discover the best of provence and combine culture and nature on this aixenprovence and verdon gorge day trip from avignon. In august 2017, i spent 5 days in the beautiful area of the gorges du verdon. Gorges du verdon views from the upper road 5 minutes down the road and the nearby village of moustiers sainte marie is very picturesque and worth a look and walk around. The lake of saintecroix the lake has appeared after the valley was flooded as a result of building the dam of saintecroix. The words gorge and gorgeous both apparently derive from the same old french word gorgias fineelegant, or a fancy necklace. This road trip cant be complete without plunging in the magnificent lake, so take that chance in les salles surverdon before heading back to castellane on the. Turquoise waters, impressive cliffs, and a beautiful lake for all kinds of water activities. The gorges du verdon are a top tourist attraction in provence and one of the most beautiful river valleys in europe.
Tips for visiting gorges du verdon in france the blonde. For sheer, jawdropping drama, few sights in france can match the epic gorges du verdon. Located a couple hours north of the french riviera and east of the provence region, the gorges du verdon is the perfect addon to any. Provence road cycling tour climb mont ventoux gorge du. The pleasant small town of castellane is dominated by a 184 metre 603 feet high rock on. Les gorges du verdon or often called the grand canyon of europe is one of the mustsee natural wonders of provence. Also known as verdon gorge in english, this iconic spot is a dramatic line of limestone cliffs that make up the deepest gorge in france. The canyon varies from between 6 and 100m at the bottom, and 200 to 1500m at its rim. Located a couple hours north of the french riviera and east of the provence region, the gorges du verdon is the perfect addon to any south of france trip. The grand canyon of europe slices a 25km swath through hauteprovences limestone plateau all the way to. In a beautiful setting where nature is still wild, discover electric boat without license, pedal boat, canoeing, and now also standup paddle a fabulous site. Rock climbing routes in les gorges du verdon, 09 provence.
What to see in the gorges du verdon situated in southern france. However if you are unable to drive you can book a day tour leaving from. Also known as verdon gorge in english, this iconic spot is a dramatic line of limestone cliffs that make up the deepest gorge. If you are in the south of france, you should definitely visit the gorges du verdon.
A complete circuit of the gorges du verdon from moustiers stemarie involves 140km of driving, not to mention a relentless series of hairpin turns. But to get a more global, more general, you can totally borrow your car and do well around the gorge from my point of view, but this is only my opinion, the views and. Aqua trekking classic tour gorges du verdon provided by ride the verdon. The gorges du verdon is definitely one of the most beautiful places in france. Sample delicious french candy and gain insight into the ceramic trade for which the area is famous.
You will be able to admire the largest canyon in europe from the top of the cliffs, and try to spot the. From the bridge of suns, the road winds through sinuous gorges to the carajuan bridge. The book includes a variety of difficulties and styles of climbing, from steep single pitch sport routes to full day adventure climbs. Swim in the turquoise water of st croix lake in the gorges du verdon, france. Theres a cliffside road on either side of the gorges, but passing spots are rare, roads are narrow and rockfalls are. In a few places the river has been dammed to obtain electricity, and the reservoirs created in this way form lakes. Verdon gorge, provence france the second deepest gorge.
It includes the most popular crags of the verdon gorge region. The sainte croix lake is a huge artificial lake situated in the verdon gorge. Click here to book a hotel in the gorges du verdon the gorges date back to the triassic period 250200 million years ago. The circuit zigzags up and down the spectacular gorge of verdon, which is deservedly referred to as the grand canyon of europe. See more ideas about france, france travel and travel. Aqua trekking classic tour gorges du verdon provided by.
While there is no road up the gorge, there is a breathtaking circular corniche route around the rim of the gorge, and plenty of opportunities for boat and kayak hire. This is the best way to visit the grand canyon of france. The circuit as far as trigance and back is about 90 km in all, and takes a little under two hours not allowing for stops. The road was built specifically to give the best views, both of the canyon and the blue. Read more about what to do in the gorges du verdon and book a tour. While traversing the most picturesque french villages, expect tons of thrilling hairpin bends, steep drops and narrow roads clinging on the limestone cliffs. In any case, without a doubt some of the most gorgeous cycling in france is through its many gorges. The grand canyon of europe slices a 25km swath through hauteprovences. A road trip around the gorges du verdon francecomfort. The gorge du verdon is one of the biggest and most beautiful gorges in europe and therefore a very popular tourist attraction.
Verdon gorges, site visit, photos and information, by. Take a road trip along the north and the south rim and witness the beauty of. We rented a pedalo on the lake and wandered into the verdon canyon. Smallgroup aixenprovence, verdon gorge and moustiers. He suggested to go there for camping and he was right frankly i never thought there is such place in europe. Aqua trekking is a very popular activity within verdon gorges such that it is the only means possible to enter the interior of the verdon grand canyon. Moustierssaintemarie is the perfect starting point for visiting the canyons of du verdon and lies right in the middle of the beautiful gorges du verdon region. You can ride things on the river in the bottom of the gorge du verdon, looking up, but you can also ride things on the of the canyon, looking down. The gorges du verdon, also called the grand canyon du verdon, is a spectacular canyon that forms a border between the alpesdehauteprovence and the var. Fifteen viewpoints allow you to enjoy the best spots and discover the incredible features of the place. The gorges du verdon are located in the heart of provence in the south.
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