# Gorges du Verdon A limestone canyon about 25 km long and up to 700 m deep carved by the River Verdon, which flows into the artificial Lac de Sainte-Croix. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/provence-alpes-cote-dazur/verdon-gorge · Revisado: 2026-11-12 ## What is the canyon like? The Verdon has cut a canyon of about 25 km into the limestone of Haute-Provence, with walls up to 700 m, before emerging into the artificial Lac de Sainte-Croix. The water is turquoise green, and from above it looks like a ribbon at the bottom of the cleft. It is visited in three ways, and it pays to combine them: from above, by car on the rim roads and their viewpoints; from within, on foot along the Blanc-Martel trail; and from the water, on Lac de Sainte-Croix, where the river leaves the canyon. Both banks can be circled in a day by car, with stops: the north goes through La Palud-sur-Verdon and the Route des Crêtes; the south, through the Corniche Sublime and the Artuby bridge. ## Where do I stay? Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, at the western tip, is the prettiest base: a stone village wedged in a cleft of the mountain, between two crags joined by a chain from which hangs a golden star. Above, a stone stairway climbs to the chapel of Notre-Dame de Beauvoir. It is one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France and is known for its pottery, the faïence, which has its own museum. It is a few minutes from Lac de Sainte-Croix. La Palud-sur-Verdon, on the north bank, is in the middle of the canyon: it is the base if you are going to walk the Blanc-Martel, because the shuttle leaves from there. Castellane, to the east, is the water-sports village, at the foot of a rock with a chapel on top. To sleep: in Moustiers, the Clos des Iris, nine rooms with a terrace onto the garden ten minutes' walk from the village, and the Domaine du Petit Lac campsite, between the village and the lake; in La Palud, the Hôtel & Spa des Gorges du Verdon, with a pool and spa. ## What is the Blanc-Martel trail like? It is the route along the bottom of the canyon, and it is demanding. It is 16 km one way, about 5 h 30 without stops and 6 to 7 h with them, with technical sections. It is recommended to do it from the Chalet de la Maline, 7 km south of La Palud, to the Point Sublime: that way you go downhill and arrive in time for the return shuttle. Halfway along is the Brèche Imbert, and at the end you cross the dark Trescaïre and Baou tunnels: bring a head torch. The shuttle runs from late April to early November, on varying days depending on the season and every day in July and August. It leaves at 8:30 from La Palud for the Maline and returns from the Point Sublime at 16:00, with departures also at 17:00 and 18:00 in summer. Return, €8.50 adult and €5.50 under-12s; one way, €4.50. Book online: you can pay on board if there are places left. Dogs are not allowed either on the trail or on the shuttle, and it is not advised for under-8s and anyone prone to vertigo. Carry at least two litres of water per person. The river's flow varies and can cover stretches of the path: ask at the tourist offices in Castellane or La Palud before setting out. ## And the Route des Crêtes? It is the driving route of the viewpoints over the north bank: 24 km in a loop from La Palud, with about fifteen viewpoints, each with its own small car park. The tourist office recommends doing it clockwise, starting next to the Auberge des Crêtes and ending in La Palud. The central stretch is one-way, for bikes too: narrow, with slopes of up to 15% and a drop with hardly any parapet. It is open from late March to late November and vehicles longer than 12 m or taller than 3.6 m may not enter. Go at the end of the afternoon: with the low sun, the walls turn orange and it is easy to see vultures gliding at road level. ## Can you swim? In Lac de Sainte-Croix, yes: it has pebble beaches and warm water in summer. At the Galetas bridge, where the river leaves the canyon, you can hire pedal boats, electric boats and kayaks to paddle into the mouth of the gorge. Inside the canyon, however, swimming is forbidden throughout the sector. ## What do I do and where do I eat? The essentials are the Blanc-Martel trail along the canyon floor and the Route des Crêtes for its viewpoints. To enter the gorge effortlessly, hire a boat or kayak at the Galetas bridge; for something livelier, rafting from Castellane. In Moustiers, climb the 262 steps to Notre-Dame de Beauvoir and visit the Faïence Museum. For eating, Le Chardon-Marie, on the church square in Moustiers, at midday and without booking; the Auberge du Point Sublime, next to the viewpoint of the same name, at the end of the Blanc-Martel; and, for a special meal, La Bastide de Moustiers, Alain Ducasse's Michelin-starred house. ## How do you get there from Spain? By car, on the AP-7 and the A9 to Nîmes, and from there via Arles and Aix-en-Provence. From Aix, the A51 towards Manosque and minor roads via Riez to Moustiers. From Barcelona it is about seven hours by car. The nearest airports are Marseille and Nice: from Marseille, Moustiers is less than two hours by the A51; from Nice, somewhat more. Without a car it is very difficult: buses are scarce and don't run along the rims of the canyon. ## Dónde está - Cerca: Nice (a 72.6 km) ## Qué hacer - **Blanc-Martel Trail, from the Chalet de la Maline to the Point Sublime along the canyon floor** (6 h 30 · 16 km · Fit adults and teenagers with a head for heights; not advised for under-8s · Round-trip shuttle €8.50 adult and €5.50 under 12; one way, €4.50): What it is The Blanc-Martel trail is named after Isidore Blanc and Édouard-Alfred Martel, who explored the canyon in 1905, and it runs along the floor of the Verdon's Grand Canyon, following the river. It is the only way to see the gorge from inside without a boat or a rope: you go down from the rim to the water, walk beneath walls hundreds of metres high, climb up and down metal ladders and pass through two tunnels cut in the rock. It is a serious walk. It is 16 km one way, about 5 h 30 of walking without stops and 6 to 7 hours with them, with technical passages. The tourist office advises against it for children under 8 and anyone with a fear of heights. Bring at least two litres of water per person, food and a headtorch for the tunnels. The route It is recommended to do it from the Chalet de la Maline, on the Route des Crêtes, to the Point Sublime: that way you go down more than you go up and reach the return shuttle on time. Halfway along you pass the Brèche Imbert, a long, steep metal ladder, and at the end you cross the Trescaïre and Baou tunnels, long and dark. Note for 2026: after a rockfall, a decree from Rougon town council closes the final stretch between the Couloir Samson and the Point Sublime. The Park indicates a diversion along the RD23A road and then the GR 49 to the Point Sublime, with the same total duration. Ask at the tourist offices in La Palud or Castellane before setting out: the river's flow can also cover sections of the path. The shuttle It is run by the Verdon Regional Nature Park. In the morning it goes from La Palud-sur-Verdon up to the Chalet de la Maline and in the afternoon it returns from the Point Sublime to La Palud: you have about seven hours between the two. In 2026 it ran from 3 April to 28 June at weekends, Fridays and bank holidays, every day from 29 June to 14 September, and Thursday to Monday until 1 November. It leaves La Palud at 8:30 and returns from the Point Sublime at 16:00, with departures also at 17:00 and 18:00 in summer. It costs €8.50 round trip for adults and €5.50 for under-12s; one way, €4.50. You must book your place on the Park's website. The car is left in the signed car parks in La Palud. Dogs may not go on the trail or on the shuttle. - **Route des Crêtes, the loop of viewpoints over the Grand Canyon from La Palud** (2 h 30 · 23 km · All ages, by car, motorbike or bike; vehicles over 3.6 m high cannot pass · Free): What it is The Route des Crêtes is the D23, a mountain road that leaves La Palud-sur-Verdon, climbs to the north rim of the Grand Canyon and returns to the village in a loop. Along the way there are fourteen viewpoints, each with a small lay-by for the car: Trescaïre, the Pas de Baou, Glacières, Maugué, l'Imbut, Carelle, l'Escalès, the Dent d'Aire, Guègues and others. At each one you lean over a drop of hundreds of metres with the green river at the bottom. It is the easiest way to see the Verdon from above, and the one that best explains its scale. The road climbs from 743 to 1,323 m in altitude. It is narrow, with steep gradients and stretches with barely a parapet: drive slowly and stop only in the lay-bys. Direction and the one-way section It is driven clockwise, as the signs in the village indicate. The start is on the D23, about 800 m from La Palud in the direction of Rougon. The section between the Jas d'Aire and the Chalet de la Maline is one-way, for bikes too; so if you start the wrong way round, you have to turn back. Allow an hour and a half by car unhurried and up to three hours if you stop at every viewpoint. Go in the late afternoon: with the low sun, the walls turn orange and it is easy to see vultures gliding at road level. By bike, with or without a motor, it is a demanding but much-sought-after outing. Dates and limits The one-way section closes in winter, from the fourth Friday in November to the fourth Friday in March: this season, from 22 November 2026 to 26 March 2027. The two ends, with viewpoints such as Trescaïre, Carelle or the Dent d'Aire, and the Chalet de la Maline remain accessible all year. Vehicles over 3.6 m high do not fit along the sides of the carriageway; large motorhomes should stick to the ends only. It is free. - **By boat or kayak from the Galetas bridge to the mouth of the canyon** (2 h · Families and anyone who can swim; the electric boat takes five people · Single kayak €10 an hour; pedalo, canoe or double kayak €20; electric boat €50): What it is The Galetas bridge crosses the Verdon just where the river leaves the great canyon and opens into the artificial Lake Sainte-Croix. Beneath the bridge, the water is an almost opaque turquoise green, and upstream you see the gorge walls closing in. The way in is by paddle: you hire a boat or kayak on the shore, pass under the bridge and go slowly up the mouth of the canyon between rock walls, on calm water. No guide or experience is needed. It is the easiest activity in the Verdon and the one children like most: in an hour or two you are inside the canyon, without the effort of the Blanc-Martel trail. Inside the canyon, though, swimming is banned. What you can hire and how much it costs It is hired out by the Base Nautique de l'Étoile, on the lakeshore next to the bridge, in the commune of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. The 2026 rates, for one hour, were: single kayak, €10; double kayak, two- or three-seater canoe or pedalo, €20; electric boat for five people, €50. Two hours cost double. With two hours you have time to go up the gorge unhurried and come back. The electric boat is the most comfortable with small children or grandparents; the kayak is the most agile and the cheapest. Hours and booking The base opens from March to November. The first departure and last return change with the months: 10:00 to 17:00 in March, October and November; 10:00 to 18:00 in April; 9:30 to 18:30 in May, up to 12 June and in September; 8:30 to 19:00 from 13 June to 31 August. Part of the fleet can be booked online, in one- or two-hour slots, in the municipality's shop; the rest is hired on arrival. When strong wind blows, a prefectural order closes boat access to the gorges. There is a snack bar with a shaded terrace next to the base. - **Rafting on the Verdon from Castellane, to Chasteuil or the Pont de Soleils** (3 h · 7 km · From age 7 and 30 kg, able to swim; beginner level · Discovery from €45; classic descent from €50): What it is Before entering the great canyon, the Verdon passes through Castellane, the Verdon's water-sports village, at the foot of its rock with a chapel on top. From there, the river runs between walls and forests towards Chasteuil and the Pont de Soleils, with rapids you run by raft. It is the other way to get wet in the Verdon: if the Galetas bridge is the calm version, this is the one that gives the thrills, without getting technical. It is run by Yeti Rafting, a company based in the centre of Castellane, beside the river, in rafts of four to eight people with a qualified guide. No experience is needed: both descents on this page are beginner level. Which stretch to choose Discovery, from Castellane to Chasteuil. It is 7 km and an hour and a half on the water, about three hours in all with preparation and the return. The company gives it a sporting level of 1 out of 4. It can be done from age 7 and 30 kg. It costs from €45 per person. Classic descent, from Castellane to the Pont de Soleils. Twice the river: 14 km and two and a half hours on the water, four hours in all. Sporting level 2 out of 4, still for beginners. From age 9 and 30 kg. From €50 per person. The company also has a sporty descent through the upper part of the Grand Canyon and a full one, for those who have already rafted; it does not publish their price on the website. The ages are indicative: they depend on the weather, the flow and how well each person swims. How it works Both descents run from May to September. They include wetsuit, helmet and life jacket, and at the end a shuttle takes you back to the base. You must be able to swim. The exact time and departure point are given when you book, and the day before the team calls to confirm according to the weather and the water. The base, on boulevard de la République, has changing rooms and left luggage. Bring swimwear, footwear that can get wet and dry clothes for afterwards. Castellane is about half an hour by car from La Palud-sur-Verdon along the D952. - **Moustiers Faience Museum, five centuries of faïence in nine rooms** (1 h · All ages; accessible building; treasure-hunt game for families · €5; reduced €3; guided visit €7; free under 16): What it is The glazed earthenware of Moustiers, the faïence, is the village's other claim to fame beside its star hung between the crags. It is still made in the village today. The municipal museum tells its story in nine rooms: why this village had what was needed to produce it and how its decorations, shapes and colours changed over time. It has more than 300 pieces spanning five centuries, with platters, plates, jugs and centrepieces from the old factories, and a section devoted to current production. It carries the Musée de France label and is small: in an hour you can see it unhurried. The building is wheelchair accessible. Hours and price It opens from 10:30 to 12:30 and from 14:00 to 18:00 every day except Tuesday, from April to October. In November it opens from the 1st to the 11th, and in December every day except Tuesday and Wednesday, until 17:30. In February and March it opens only at weekends and, during school holidays, every day except Tuesday. In January it is closed. Admission costs €5, and €3 for students, over-65s, the unemployed or people with disabilities. Under-16s do not pay. The guided visit, of about an hour, costs €7 and is at 9:30, from April to October, every day except Tuesdays and Sundays, with booking. For families there is a treasure-hunt game: €7 for one person, €12 for two and €16 for a family. You can pay by card, cheque or cash. Getting there The museum is in the centre of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, on rue du Seigneur de la Clue, a few steps from the church square. Leave the car in a village car park and walk up. The museum shop sells books, postcards and gifts. In early October the village holds a potters' market. - **Climbing to the Notre-Dame de Beauvoir chapel up Moustiers' 262 steps** (45 min · Anyone who can climb stairs; not suitable for pushchairs · Free): What it is Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is wedged into a cleft of the mountain, between two crags. Between them hangs a 135 m chain with a golden star in the centre, the village's emblem, with legends of faith, history, superstition and love. Through the same cleft climbs a cobbled path of 262 steps, flanked by the stations of a Way of the Cross, up to the chapel of Notre-Dame de Beauvoir, hanging from the rock above the rooftops. The chapel has existed since the 12th century and was extended until the 16th, so it is partly Romanesque and partly Gothic; it has been a listed historic monument since 1921. It was a place of pilgrimage. From the esplanade in front you see the whole village and the Verdon valley. The climb You set off from the centre of the village, along rue de la Bourgade, and climb on foot: there is no other way. It is 262 uneven steps, with steep stretches, which take a good quarter of an hour at an easy pace; allow half an hour or a little more with the descent and some time at the top. It is not suitable for pushchairs. It is free and open all year. In summer go up first thing or last thing in the afternoon: at midday the sun beats down and the steps fill with people. What else to see in the village Below, the church of Notre-Dame de l'Assomption has a 12th-century Lombard bell tower and an altar made from a 5th-century white marble sarcophagus carved with the crossing of the Red Sea. In the streets there are fountains, wash-houses and an aqueduct over the Adou torrent. Moustiers has been on the list of the Plus Beaux Villages de France since 1983. If you want to walk further, the tourist office suggests a loop that continues from the chapel through the olive groves of Les Claux. ## Dónde comer - **Le Chardon-Marie, home cooking on the church square in Moustiers** (Restaurant, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, €€). Qué pedir: the black olive and thyme tapenade or the paté de campagne to share, the dish from the blackboard and the lemon crème brûlée. - **Auberge du Point Sublime, country cooking at the entrance to the canyon** (Restaurant, Rougon (Point Sublime), €€). Qué pedir: the €24 formula of the day; if it is on the menu, the local lamb in rosemary jus with gratin, and the fig crème brûlée. - **La Bastide de Moustiers, Alain Ducasse's table with its own vegetable garden** (Restaurant, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, €€€€). Qué pedir: the seasonal menu, which changes every week with what the garden gives; ask for a table on the terrace under the plane trees. ## Consejos ### Do the Route des Crêtes in the direction the tourist office recommends Clockwise, from the Auberge des Crêtes, the one-way stretch links up without having to double back. ### Book the Blanc-Martel shuttle There is one departure in the morning. If you miss out on a place, there are taxis that do the transfer. ### Get up early for the lake In July and August the Galetas boats are hired early and by mid-morning there is a queue at the bridge. ### Fill the tank before going in There are few services between the villages of the canyon. Moustiers and Castellane are the starting points. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How many days do I need for the Verdon? Two days: one for the Route des Crêtes and the south bank by car and another for the lake and Moustiers. With a third you do the Blanc-Martel trail. ### Is the Blanc-Martel trail hard? Yes. It is 16 km with technical sections, 6 to 7 hours with stops, and it is not recommended for under-8s or anyone prone to vertigo. Bring a head torch for the tunnels. ### Can I go with a dog? At the viewpoints and the lake, yes. On the Blanc-Martel trail and its shuttle they are banned. ### Can you swim in the Verdon? In Lac de Sainte-Croix, yes. Inside the canyon swimming is forbidden. ### Can a motorhome do the Route des Crêtes? Only if it is under 12 m long and 3.6 m high. The central stretch is narrow and one-way: with a big vehicle, better to see the viewpoints at the ends. ### When is the Route des Crêtes open? From late March to late November. In winter the one-way stretch closes because of frost.