Gorges du Verdon
Carved up to 700 metres deep into pale limestone by the turquoise Verdon river, the Gorges du Verdon in Haute-Provence is Europe's largest canyon — and one of France's most underrated spectacles. The water is an implausible shade of cyan-green, the cliff faces are world-class sport-climbing territory, and the two-lane road that traces the rim offers viewpoints that stop you cold.
Driving the Rim Roads
The gorge is best explored by car on two rim roads: the Route des Crêtes (D23) on the north bank and the Corniche Sublime (D71) on the south. The full loop from Castellane to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is about 130 km and takes a full day with stops — allow time at the Belvédère de l'Escalès on the north rim, where the drop to the river is a sheer 300 metres.
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, the village at the western end, is worth a slow hour in itself: a medieval settlement clinging to a cliff with a 12th-century chapel connected to the rock face by a chain and star, and a main square lined with faïence (hand-painted ceramic) workshops.
On the Water
The most visceral way to experience the gorge is from the river itself. Kayak and pedalo hire is available at Lac de Sainte-Croix, the vast turquoise reservoir at the canyon's western mouth — paddle upstream into the narrows where the walls close to just a few metres wide and the light turns emerald.
White-water rafting trips from Castellane run through the Couloir Samson, the deepest section of the gorge, between April and September. Aboard Aqua Verdon or similar local operators, half-day trips cost around €45–€55 per person and require no prior experience.
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