Verdon Gorge

The Verdon Gorge (French: Gorges du Verdon Occitan: Gòrja de Verdon) is a stunning river canyon in the beautiful Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France. This amazing canyon is about 25 km long and up to 700 meters deep. It was created by the Verdon River, which shines with a special turquoise-green colour that makes this place very special.

Between the towns of Castellane and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, the river carved a deep ravine through solid limestone. At the end of the gorge, the river flows into the large artificial Lake of Sainte-Croix.

Many people visit the Verdon Gorge for its natural beauty. Tourists can drive around the top, rent kayaks to paddle on the river, or go hike through the area. The tall limestone walls are perfect for rock climbers, offering many challenging routes for multi-pitch climbing, from short climbs of 20 meters to very tall ones over 400 meters.

History

Long ago, during the Triassic period, the land where Provence is today sank under the sea. This left thick layers of limestone. Later, in the Jurassic period, a warm shallow sea covered the area, helping corals grow. Even later, during the Cretaceous period, the land rose up, and the sea reached where the Alps are now. Big movements under the ground broke the limestone layers, creating valleys and shaping the land.

When the Quaternary period began, huge glaciers changed the land. After the glaciers melted, rivers kept carving the land. This is how the Verdon Gorge was formed. The river’s powerful flow helped shape the gorge we see today.

The gorge was written about in books in 1782 and 1804. By the late 1800s, it started appearing in travel guides in France. It became well-known around the world in 1906.

In 2006, a plan to build a big power line through the gorge was stopped. Many people had worked for years to protect this beautiful place. In 2022, during a very dry time in Europe, the river’s water level dropped a lot, and in some spots, the river dried up completely.

Geography

The Verdon River starts near the col d'Allos hill in the Trois Eveches mountains. It flows for 175 kilometers before joining the Durance river near Vinon-sur-Verdon. Along the way, it passes through the lake of Sainte-Croix, which was created by building a dam. The old village of Les Salles-sur-Verdon had to be moved when the lake was filled, and it was rebuilt in a new spot. Now, it is the youngest village in France.

The Verdon Gorge marks the border between Var and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur région. The Gorge is split into three parts: the "Prégorges" from Castellane to Pont de Soleils, the deepest part from Pont de Soleils to l'Imbut, and the Canyon from l’Imbut to the Pont du Galetas. It is very narrow and deep, with depths up to 700 metres and widths as small as 6 metres. Some people say it looks like the Grand Canyon in the United States.

Hydro-electric dams

Between 1929 and 1975, five dams were built along the Verdon River between Castellane and Gréoux-les-Bains. These dams created several reservoirs, including:

• Lac de Castillon, which flooded the village of Castillon
• Lac de Sainte-Croix, which flooded the village of des Salles-sur-Verdon
• Lac d'Esparron-Gréoux, known locally as "lac d’Esparron"
• Reservoir at Chaudanne
• Reservoir at Quinson, sometimes called the "lac de Montpezat"

Notable features

The Verdon Gorge has some special places. One is called the Styx du Verdon, named after a river from Greek mythology. Another special spot is called the Imbut, where the Verdon River goes underground under big rocks and then comes back out again.

Tourism

The Verdon Gorge is a popular place for visitors, especially in the summer. The river looks a beautiful turquoise colour because of its icy sources and tiny bits of rock in the water.

You can reach the gorge easily. On the right side, you can drive up from the north using route D952 from Castellane to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. On the left side, you can come from the south using routes D71, D90, and D955 from Aiguines to Castellane.

Sport

The Verdon Gorge is a popular place for outdoor activities. Many rock climbers come here because there are over 1,500 routes to climb on strong limestone rock.

Fishermen also enjoy this area, especially for fly fishing. Other fun activities in the region include hiking, canoeing, paragliding, rafting, climbing, and canyoning.

Hiking and scenic walks

The Verdon Gorge is a great place for hiking and enjoying beautiful views. Some popular paths include Le sentier de Martel, Le sentier de l'Imbut, Le sentier du Bastidon, and the Rancoumas panoramic viewpoint near the Tusset Bridge.

The Sentier Martel path was created in 1928 by the Touring Club de France and was named to honor explorer Édouard-Alfred Martel, who explored the area in 1905. Martel's team was the first to successfully complete an expedition through the Verdon Canyon. Later, Robert de Joly became the first person to completely cross the Verdon Gorge in 1928.