Europe's Grand Canyon
Europe’s Grand Canyon. That’s what they call the Gorges du Verdon – and you’ll soon see the comparison holds true.
The Verdon river carves through the limestone plateau for 25 kilometres (that’s 16 miles), dropping up to 700 metres (2,296 feet) below the rim in places. The cliffs are sheer, pale and enormous. The river at the bottom runs a colour somewhere between turquoise and jade, depending on the depth and the time of day.
At the western end of the gorge, Lac de Sainte-Croix holds the river basin like a cupped hand. This turquoise reservoir is where most people get onto the water – and you should too. You’ll be surrounded by visitors and locals alike, especially on a hot day.
Hire a pedal boat, kayak or paddleboard from the beach at Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon or Bauduen, and paddle into the mouth of the gorge as the cliffs close in around you. The scale only becomes clear from down here, where the walls soar hundreds of metres above your head and the sky narrows to a ribbon of blue.
See if you can reach the Cascade Saint Maurin before turning back towards the lake – on hot days, you might see people directing their vessels under these falls, drenching themselves in a refreshing instant.
View Provence
