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43.85° N · 6.51° E · Gorges du Verdon

Rafting from Castellane, the Verdon by raft before it enters the great canyon.

Upstream of the great canyon, the Verdon runs down from Castellane between rock walls and rapids. Yeti Rafting runs it in rafts of four to eight people, with a guide, from €45: 7 km to Chasteuil to start, or 14 km to the Pont de Soleils. May to September, from age 7.

Part of Gorges du Verdon

The Verdon river on leaving CastellaneDennis G. Jarvis · CC BY-SA 2.0
Duration3 h
Distance7 km
Minimum age7 years
Best timeMay – September
StartYeti Rafting base, in the centre of Castellane
Discovery7 km · 1 h 30 on the water · from €45
Classic14 km · 2 h 30 on the water · from €50
Minimum age7 and 9, 30 kg
IncludedWetsuit, helmet, life jacket and shuttle
SeasonMay – September

Who offers it

Companies that run it

Activity company · Castellane

Yeti Rafting

Discovery rafting, from Castellane to Chasteuil. 7 km, 1 h 30 on the water. From 30 kg and able to swim. Wetsuit, helmet, life jacket and return shuttle included

3 h · Ages 7 and up · May – September

From €45 person Visit their website
Activity company · Castellane

Yeti Rafting

Classic rafting descent, from Castellane to the Pont de Soleils. 14 km, 2 h 30 on the water. From 30 kg and able to swim. Wetsuit, helmet, life jacket and return shuttle included

4 h · Ages 9 and up · May – September

From €50 person Visit their website

Independent companies: you book with them, on their terms. Prices are as they publish them and may change.

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.

Who it's for

Is it for you?

What to bring

  • Swimwear
  • Footwear that can get wet
  • Towel and dry clothes
  • Sun cream

More to do

More plans in Gorges du Verdon

The walls of the Verdon's Grand Canyon with the river at the bottom
Blanc-Martel Trail, from the Chalet de la Maline to the Point Sublime along the canyon floorOne-way walk · 16 km · 6–7 h · Demanding · Shuttle from La Palud April to November · No dogs
The Verdon canyon from the Tilleul viewpoint, on the Route des Crêtes
Route des Crêtes, the loop of viewpoints over the Grand Canyon from La PaludScenic road · 22–24 km · 1 h 30 – 3 h · 14 viewpoints · Free · Closed from late November to late March
The Verdon where it leaves the canyon, beside the Galetas bridge
By boat or kayak from the Galetas bridge to the mouth of the canyonBoat and kayak hire · 1–2 h · From €10 an hour · March – November · Unguided · For families
Faïence centrepiece from the Clérissy factory in the Moustiers museum
Moustiers Faience Museum, five centuries of faïence in nine roomsMuseum · 1 h · €5 · Free under 16 · Closed Tuesdays and in January · In the centre of Moustiers

Itineraries

Features in these plans

The Verdon canyon from the Tilleul viewpoint, on the Route des Crêtes
Day itinerary Verdon: viewpoints, Point Sublime and rafting Gorges du Verdon · 3 stops

Tips

Worth knowing first

  1. 1
    Start with the discovery descent if you go with children

    It is shorter and the minimum age is 7.

  2. 2
    Book in July and August

    The rafts fill up with groups.

  3. 3
    Combine it with Castellane

    After the river, climb to the chapel on the rock or eat in the village.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does rafting on the Verdon from Castellane cost?

With Yeti Rafting, from €45 for the discovery descent and from €50 for the classic.

From what age can you do it?

The discovery, from age 7 and 30 kg; the classic, from age 9 and 30 kg. You must be able to swim.

What is included?

Wetsuit, helmet, life jacket, guide and the shuttle back to the base.

When can it be done?

From May to September.

From €45 person
3 h
See options

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