The Grand Canyon in a day, from above in the morning and by raft in the afternoon.

The Verdon Grand Canyon seen in the two most impressive ways in a single day: in the morning, from above, from viewpoint to viewpoint along the Route des Crêtes, with the green river hundreds of metres below; in the afternoon, from the water, rafting down the Verdon from Castellane. In between, lunch at a family inn facing the entrance to the Couloir Samson.

It is a long day by car, with a little over two hours from Marseille on the way out and about two and a half hours on the way back. If you can, sleep in the Verdon and spread it out.

Getting there from Spain

Fly to Marseille (MRS) and pick up a hire car at the airport: to La Palud-sur-Verdon it is a little over two hours via the A51, Riez and Moustiers. The easy way is to arrive the evening before and sleep already in the Verdon, in La Palud or in Moustiers. From Barcelona you can also drive, in about seven hours by the AP-7 and the A9: it makes sense as part of a trip of several days around Provence.

The day, hour by hour

9:45 · Route des Crêtes. Leave La Palud by the D23 and do the loop clockwise, as the signs indicate: about 23 km and fourteen viewpoints, each with its own lay-by. Stop at the ones you like; allow two or three hours. The middle section is one-way.

12:45 · Lunch at the Auberge du Point Sublime. Return to La Palud and continue along the D952 to the Point Sublime. The inn has a terrace facing the Couloir Samson and cooks local food with producers from the Park: set lunch at €24, children's menu at €14. Book by phone. Afterwards, look out from the Point Sublime viewpoint, a few steps away.

14:45 · Rafting from Castellane. In twenty minutes you are in Castellane. With Yeti Rafting, the discovery descent runs 7 km of the Verdon to Chasteuil, an hour and a half on the water and three hours in all, from €45 per person. It is for beginners, from age 7 and 30 kg, and you must be able to swim. The wetsuit, helmet, life jacket and return shuttle are included. They give you the exact time when you book.

18:00 · Return. From Castellane to Marseille is about two and a half hours.

With small children or without rafting

Rafting is from age 7. With smaller children, swap the afternoon for a boat or kayak at the Galetas bridge, at the other end of the canyon. If you are good walkers and sleep in La Palud, the Blanc-Martel trail takes a whole day along the bottom of the canyon.