Le Chardon-Marie, home cooking on the church square in Moustiers
What to order: the black olive and thyme tapenade or the paté de campagne to share, the dish from the blackboard and the lemon crème brûlée.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 43.74° N · 6.36° E
Moustiers and the Galetas, the hanging star in the morning, the canyon by kayak in the afternoon.
The 262 steps up to Notre-Dame de Beauvoir, the Faience Museum, home cooking on Moustiers' square and two hours by kayak or boat at the mouth of the Verdon canyon.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Marsella fromBarcelona 1 h 15Valencia 1 h 30Alicante 1 h 45Madrid 1 h 45Málaga 2 h 15Sevilla 2 h 15Tenerife Sur 4 h
Part of Gorges du Verdon
Add to my trip
Total time11 h
By car1 h 45 each way
WalkingAbout 45 min, with 262 steps
On the water2 h by boat or kayak
BookingBoat online in summer
DaysWednesday to Sunday, April to October
Spend€40–75 pp
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
-
Leave Marseille 1 h 45 by car
by the A51 to Manosque and Valensole; nearly two hours
- 1
- 4 min on foot
-
2
Moustiers Faience Museum, five centuries of faïence in nine rooms
opens at 10:30 · €5; free for under-16s · closed Tuesdays
- 2 min on foot
-
3
Le Chardon-Marie, home cooking on the church square in Moustiers
no booking; Wednesday to Sunday at midday
68 place de l'Église, 04360 Moustiers-Sainte-Marie · +33 6 95 88 87 44
Restaurant €€Book - 15 min by car19,2 km
-
4
By boat or kayak from the Galetas bridge to the mouth of the canyon
Base Nautique de l'Étoile · kayak from €10, pedalo €20 an hour
-
Back home
In Marseille around 19:30
Approximate cost
About €30–45 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Climbing to the Notre-Dame de Beauvoir chapel up Moustiers' 262 steps
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is less than two hours from Marseille and twenty minutes from the Galetas bridge, where the Verdon leaves its canyon and flows into Lake Sainte-Croix. This plan combines the two in one day: the morning in the village, hung between two crags beneath its golden star, and the afternoon on the water, paddling into the mouth of the gorge between rock walls.
Getting there from Spain
Fly to Marseille (MRS) and pick up a hire car at the airport: from there to Moustiers it is about two hours via the A51 to Manosque, Valensole and Riez. Sleep the night before in Marseille or, better, already in Moustiers, and the day starts without a rush. From Barcelona you can also drive: it is about seven hours by the AP-7 and the A9, so it only makes sense as part of a trip of several days.
The day, hour by hour
9:45 · Notre-Dame de Beauvoir. Park in the village and climb the 262 steps of the Way of the Cross to the chapel, built against the rock below the chain of the star. At the top, the village and the valley lie at your feet. A good half hour there and back.
10:45 · Faience Museum. A few steps from the square, nine rooms with more than 300 pieces of the faïence that made Moustiers famous. One hour. It costs €5 and under-16s do not pay; with children, ask for the clue game.
12:15 · Lunch at Le Chardon-Marie. On the church square, home cooking with local produce: tapenade, pâté de campagne, the dish from the slate and lemon crème brûlée. It does not take bookings, so arrive early.
14:30 · Boat or kayak at the Galetas bridge. Twenty minutes by car to the Base Nautique de l'Étoile. Hire for two hours: single kayak at €10 an hour, double or pedalo at €20, electric boat for five at €50. You pass under the bridge and go slowly up the gorge. Swimming is not allowed in the canyon.
17:30 · Return. You reach Marseille around 19:30.
With children, with wind or with more time
With children the plan works as it is: the climb to the chapel is short, the museum is free for them and the electric boat is the most comfortable. If a strong wind blows, the prefecture closes boat access to the canyon: swap the afternoon for the viewpoints on the Route des Crêtes. If you stay the night, the Clos des Iris is ten minutes' walk from the village.
Time45 min
Change the route
If you want a special lunch: menu from €95, by reservation; closed Tuesdays and Wednesday at midday:
La Bastide de Moustiers, Alain Ducasse's table with its own vegetable garden
If it is windy and boats cannot enter the canyon: the viewpoints on the north shore, half an hour from Moustiers:
Route des Crêtes, the loop of viewpoints over the Grand Canyon from La Palud
With teenagers who want more thrills: rafting from Castellane, May to September:
Rafting on the Verdon from Castellane, to Chasteuil or the Pont de Soleils
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Auberge du Point Sublime, country cooking at the entrance to the canyon
What to order: 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
What to order: the seasonal menu, which changes every week with what the garden gives; ask for a table on the terrace under the plane trees.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Gorges du Verdon
From April to October, Wednesday to Sunday. Le Chardon-Marie closes Mondays and Tuesdays, and the museum on Tuesdays. May, June and September are the best months: in July and August there is a queue at the Galetas bridge from mid-morning.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Do not go on a Monday or Tuesday
Le Chardon-Marie closes those days and the museum on Tuesdays.
- 2Book the boat if you go in August
Part of the fleet is booked online and the bridge fills up from mid-morning.
- 3Climb to the chapel early
When it is cool and there is nobody on the steps.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does the day cost?
Between €40 and €75 per person: lunch, the museum and the boat or kayak. Not counting the car.
How long does it take from Marseille?
About two hours by car to Moustiers.
Can it be done with children?
Yes. The museum is free for under-16s and the boats need no experience.
And if it is windy?
In a strong wind you cannot enter the canyon by boat. Swap the afternoon for the Route des Crêtes.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/france/provence-alpes-cote-dazur/verdon-gorge/itineraries/moustiers-and-kayaking-on-sainte-croix
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.