Upstream, the mountainous part with Castillon Lake and Val d’Allos
Downstream, the Provençal part with the Saint Croix Lake and the lower gorges
By road, you reach the summit of the highest cliffs with breathtaking and exceptional views. There are two roads, one on the left bank and the other on the right bank. Both offer access to many unmissable spots: Point Sublime, Route des Crêtes (ridge road), Corniche sublime, Mescla Balconies… It takes about 1h30 to walk through the Gorges from east to west.
Gorges du Verdon en voiture 
Belvédère du Point Sublime Gorges du Verdon If you want to venture deep into Europe’s largest canyon, you’ll need your hiking boots to discover the many trails that run through the Gorges, often right next to the river. The Blanc-Martel trail, the Imbut trail and many others will allow all hiking enthusiasts to enter the privacy of this exceptional site.
It’s possible to conquer the canyon with your little adventurers. Several discovery circuits, starting at the Point Sublime, require less than 2h of walking and have little difference in elevation.
Sentier Blanc Martel The vulture is emblematic of the destination. Among the 4 species present in France, 3 nest in The Gorges du Verdon.
Every year, more than a million people from all over the world visit The Gorges du Verdon. This notoriety contrasts, in a striking way, with the wildness of the area and the slow pace of the pastoral life that nestles there.
If you expect to enter an urbanised territory, you will be all the more surprised by the presence of small villages which seem to protect the privacy of their panoramas.
Located in the heart of the Verdon regional natural park, the canyon is home to a wealth of flora and fauna. In order to ensure its long-term protection and management, the vigilance of visitors is essential. We are therefore counting on you to preserve this exceptional nature, soon labeled Grand Site de France!
Vautours fauves, les rois des Gorges du Verdon
Pastoralisme avec une chèvre dans les Gorges du Verdon 
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2A limestone plateau carved out over thousands of years by the Verdon River, The Gorges du Verdon form a mineral border between the departments of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and the Var.
It was not until 1905 and the very media full descent of the Verdon by Isidore Blanc and Edouard-Alfred Martel that the whole of France discovered this mythical place.
In the 1930s, the development of the Blanc-Martel and Imbut trails and the Ridge road (Route des Crêtes) opened the site to tourism. Between 1948 and 1975, the construction of five dams along the Verdon (Castillon, Chaudanne, Sainte-Croix, Quinson, Esparron), creating five artificial lakes of the same names, marked a new boom in tourist activity.
Access to the Gorges du Verdon is never closed and there is no charge. Depending on the weather conditions (snow, wind!), some routes or activities may be restricted, check with the tourist offices in the area.
Parking at ‘Point Sublime’ and in the village of La Palud-sur-Verdon. In order to reduce your ecological footprint, we invite you to use alternative means of transport to get around the Gorges du Verdon.
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Swimming in the river is prohibited because it is dangerous. That is your responsibility. Choose whitewater activities supervised by approved guides.
Wild camping is strictly forbidden in the canyon and on the shores of Sainte-Croix lake.
Each season, the Verdon takes on new colours, revealing a new face!
