The Gorges du Verdon are a set of breathtaking blue rivers that flow between two mountains in the French Alps. Those mesmerizing landscapes are an ideal playground for all kinds of nautical sports : kayaking, rafting, paddling or even swimming…
Here’s a top 12 of the Gorges du Verdon things to do to make the most of your trip.
French landscapes can be really majestic if you know where to go. After visiting the best parks of Paris, the city of love, and seeing the most insane red ochre rocks at the Colorado Provencal, you cannot miss the bluest gorges of all of France.
If you’re the sporty kind, you’ll be able to enjoy a nice paddle or canoe session on the Gorges du Verdon. If you want to slide on the water effortlessly, you can also rent an electric boat with your friends or family and have a picnic on it in the middle of the lake Saint Croix!
Did you know that the gorges are home to one the best waterfalls in France? From the water, near or above, here are all the best ways to enjoy your stay at Gorges du Verdon in France.
Where is Gorges du Verdon in France?
When looking at a Gorges du Verdon map, you’ll see that they are part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur region, in the south of France. This is actually a river canyon separating the Préalpes de Castellane and the Préalpes de Digne.
On the map of Gorges du Verdon , you can see that they form the largest canyon of Europe. The canyon itself is about 25 kilometers long, but with the many lakes, there are around 100 kilometers to explore. Yes, you won’t get tired of it soon enough!
Is a Gorges du Verdon day trip worth it? Absolutely! Even if there’s loads to explore, you’ll still get a good preview of its vertiginous cliffs and blue water in one day.
However, it depends where you come from. To give you an idea of how big France actually is, Paris to Gorges du Verdon is a 9 hour ride and Gorges du Verdon to Nice, another 2 hours and a half.
Gorges du Verdon what to do?
Looking for Gorges du Verdon activities to do by boat, car, foot or even bicycle? We’ve got you covered! The diversity of natural landscapes of the Gorges du Verdon region is very attractive and conducive to all kinds of outdoors activities for friends, couples or families. It doesn’t matter if you’re the sporty or the chill kind.
Pont du Galetas : Gorges du Verdon’s best viewpoint
You know that picture of the Gorges from above you’ve seen all over social media? Yes, that one! It is actually taken from the Pont du Galetas.
Its ideal location at the exact beginning of the Gorges and the end of lake of Sainte Croix makes it an unmissable stop for drivers, moto riders or walkers.
You certainly won’t be alone and will want to walk down a bit for the picture, but it’s still a road, where cars drive fast. Enjoy the view carefully!
Lac Sainte-Croix : an ideal playground
Gorges du Verdon electric boat rental
You love being on the water but navigating with the strength of your arms isn’t really your thing? Renting an electric boat at Gorges du Verdon is extremely easy, and not too expensive if you spill the bill with your fellow travelers.
We rented ours at the Suf Center located on the beach of Salles du Verdon. A three hour rental costs about 100 euros, but you’ll have the boat all to yourselves.
It is quite ideal if you’re going with your friends or family members to have a chilly afternoon of eating, drinking and swimming. It takes about 40 minutes to one hour to get to the beginning of the Gorges from this spot.
With the one hour rental, you will be able to explore the magnificent lac de Sainte Croix, whose beauty extends over 22 km². It was 35 euros and it’s enough to explore the Gorges, but it’s still a great alternative on sunny days.
At the surf center, you can also rent a canoe, paddle, sailboard, pedalo or catamaran and have fun on the lake. I wouldn’t recommend it to go to the Gorges as your starting point is quite far.
After your electric boat session, you can chill at the surf center which is the best place to have a beer or pizza in a hippie setting while watching the sunset.
Gorges du Verdon swimming
Who wouldn’t want to dive into the emerald water of the Gorges du Verdon? Luckily for you, there are many great swimming spots all around the Gorges.
For the adventurous ones, there are some jumping spots at the beginning of the Gorges, not far from the Pont du Galetas.
Be careful with all the boats or other navigating transportation though, it can get quite packed ! For more tranquility, you can swim from one of the many beaches of the Lac de Sainte Croix, but also of the Lake Esparron or Lake Castillon.
Gorges du Verdon kayak
The most common way to explore the Gorges to Verdon from the sea is by kayaking. This is how you’ll get the closest from the idyllic water, without falling in (hopefully).
You’ll go exactly where you want to go thanks to the strength of your arms! We recommend going at least until the small waterfall, which offers a setting of unique and paradisiacal beauty.
When looking for your Gorges du Verdon kayak rental, try to find one as close as possible to the Pont du Galetas. There are Gorges du Verdon canyoning companies online and all around the lake of Sainte-Croix, but the only criteria you should look for is being close to the Gorges.
We booked on the most well referenced renting website and had to row for almost an hour on the lake before arriving at the Gorges.
It is a bit disappointing to spend more time rowing on the lake than inside the canyon when it’s the reason for your visit!
Gorges du Verdon hiking
You will be able to discover the Gorges du Verdon on the water, but also on land. With all the typical small towns, trails, viewpoints, beaches and lakes, they are an unreal playground for hiking enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels. Here a 3 good trails, from easiest to most difficult.
Point Sublime Verdon
One of the most famous viewpoints of the Gorges is called the Point Sublime. It’s accessible by the Sentier du Lézard, a 30 minutes round trip from the parking of Point Sublime.
It’s only 1 kilometer long so very accessible for children or people who cannot walk for too long. It offers a spectacular view on the beginning of the Verdon river which flows into the canyon.
Fisherman’s Trail
The Fisherman’s trail, or Sentier des Pêcheurs in french, is the perfect moderate itinerary as it’s a 2 hour and a half hike. You’ll walk around 6 kilometers with great viewpoints and some waterfalls on the way. However, there are some steep parts and it hasn’t been renovated so be careful!
Chemin du Bastidon
The Chemin du Bastidon is for moderate to experienced hikers. The first part of the trek goes like a balcony above the Gorges du Verdon.
On the second part, you will go up the Brusc ravine to the Barbin plateau, before crossing a pine forest to La Palud sur Verdon. This trail takes either 3 and a half hours, or 7 hours if you do the round trip from La Palud.
You can ask the tourist office for a car shuttle service.
Sillans La Cascade
A little bit further from the main tourist area, there’s the most wonderful waterfall of all the country. And that is a native who’s speaking! Sillans-La-Cascade, named after the waterfall, is a small village nestled 25 minutes south from Lake Sainte-Croix.
It’s not only made up of typical provincial houses and alleys, made of rocks, but it’s also home to a river surrounded by lush vegetation rolling down 42 meters of rocks to an impressive blue oasis cove.
Sillans La Cascade viewpoint offers a panoramic view of the tall waterfall, but you can’t access the cove from it. There must be another way to get down as some people were sunbathing near the water.
To access the viewpoint, you will need to walk on a dirt road for about 15 minutes from the parking of Sillans-La-Cascade.
If you happen to be there at lunch or dinner time, you can have a nice meal and local beer at La Gaudinette. It’s a small town but it’s where everybody meets! The food was fresh and nice and the staff, very friendly.
Moustiers Sainte Marie
After exploring the Gorges du Verdon on, in and near the water, you might want to discover a typical village. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, located …, is everything you could expect from a mountain village and more. It has a very rich historical heritage due to its location.
Explore the old town
Built between two rocky points, the village perfectly fits into the natural setting. You could literally wander in the old town for hours without getting bored.
It’s made up of cute paved walkways, adorable houses, tourist shops with local products, anticing coffees and restaurants… Small bridges connect the two parts of the old town because there is a waterfall in the middle of it.
Hike to the waterfall and cave
You can now head towards the Cascades du Riou, a nice waterfall not far from the old town. You will pass under beautiful ramparts and have a lovely view of the waterfall from a small stone bridge.
On your way back to the city center, you will walk in front of a Grotte Sainte Madeleine sign. That’s where the little hike begins!
As you go up, you’ll have an impressive view over Moustiers Sainte Marie and all the Gorges. That’s an ideal place to meditate or simply reconnect with nature and your inner self.
At some point in the trail, you’ll arrive at the sacred Grotte Sainte Madeleine. Iit is a natural cave that has become an important place of pilgrimage for Christians.
Notre Dame de Beauvoir Chapel
As you keep going on the trail, you’ll arrive to another sacred place : Notre Dame de Beauvoir Chapel. Is it a historical monument, whose architecture is half romanesque and half gothic. Its location at the top of a mountain makes it even more holy and impressive.
Where to stay Gorges du Verdon?
Before booking a last minute trip, you must be aware that there are not that many hotels in Gorges du Verdon. It may be extremely touristic, it’s not an “over built” kind of place.
You will be staying in the villages that already existed before the tourists discovered the place. Because of that, you won’t be able to find hostels for instance. Here are 3 options from low to high budget.
Gorges du Verdon camping
Doing camping in Gorges du Verdon is the cheapest option. With all the facilities offered by the campsites nowadays, you can choose the one that suits your budget and your needs.
For instance, Camping Domaine Chasteuil Provence is well rated. It is a great option to enjoy a few days in a beautiful French site when the days are warmer.
Gorges du Verdon hotel
The Studi-Hotel Résidence Plein Voile is located in the exact center of Salles-sur-Verdon. It has a small kitchenette, double bed and a bathroom area. It’s near the restaurants, bars, and only 200 meters away from the Lac Sainte Croix. the We recommend it for mid-budget travellers, a double room costs around 80 euros.
Gorges du Verdon hotel spa
If you want to treat yourself with a wonderful stay, you can head to the Hotel & Spa des Gorges du Verdon. It has two swimming pools, a wellness and spa center and restaurant. The suites are well designed and modern. A double room costs around 250 euros in high season.
🤔 Travelers often wonder… do they speak English in France?
Gorges du Verdon: sum up
You now know the 12 best things to do in Gorges du Verdon, on the water, in the water or on the vertiginous mountains. After exploring the wonders of the south east of the France, you should head to the Atlantic ocean and visit Bordeaux, a french city that constantly reinvents codes.
Before leaving France, it’s very likely you will first visit Paris. If you wish to avoid the crowds, here are 50+ non touristy things to do in Paris!
