The Gorges du Verdon, located in south-eastern France (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence), is a river canyon, considered to be one of the most beautiful in Europe. It is about 25 km/16 mi long and up to 700 m/2296 ft deep, formed by the Verdon River and named after for its startling turquoise-green color.
The source of the Verdon River is close to the col d’Allos hill in the Trois Eveches mountain range, flowing into the Durance river near Vinon-sur-Verdon, after traveling 175 km/108 mi long. The most interesting part of this journey is found between Castellane and the Pont du Galetas, on the lac de Sainte-Croix.
Floating for several kilometers, the Verdon Gorge becomes the borderline between the departments of Var to the south and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence to the north in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. Recognized as the highest canyon in Europe, it is a dazzling and amazing destination for thousands of tourists.
It is split into three distinct parts: The “Prégorges” (‘pre-gorge’) from Castellane to Pont de Soleils, the Gorge itself from Pont de Soleils to l’Imbut, and then the third part which goes from l’Imbut to the Pont de Galetas. The Verdon Canyon is narrow and deep, with depths from 250 m/820 ft to 700 m/2296 ft and widths from 6 m/19 ft to 100 m/328 ft at the level of the Verdon river. Distance between one side of the Gorge to the other vary from 200 m/656 ft to 1500 m/4921 ft at the summit level. Swim, jump, slide, rappelling down waterfalls …
Canyoning can associate a sporty and playful activity, full of emotions with the pleasure to discover beautiful landscapes. From beginner to advanced, training schools on the spot can propose you various formulas, adapted to your needs. The only requirement is to know how to swim. The sport is permitted from May 1 to November 30, thus meaning during dry seasons. Various accommodation options can be identified across the area while the Parc of Verdon is nearby where you can have fun.
