The Verdon Gorges, One Of The Most Beautiful Canyons
The south of France is the perfect showcase for nature tourism. The rich and unique region of Provence is home to interesting natural treasures, such as the unique Gorges de Verdon. These are considered one of the most beautiful places on the European continent.
Next, we invite you to visit the Verdon Natural Park and explore its spectacular canyons. We are sure that they will not leave you indifferent. Can you come with us?
The charms of purple Provence
Framed between the green Alps and the intense blue of the Mediterranean, one of the most picturesque regions of France is located. It is a territory dominated by extensive fields of lavender that turn everything purple as they pass.
This region of the French coast was populated by various waves of the first humans during Prehistory. Later, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Visigoths and Burgundians arrived and settled. Even Piedmontese and Italians! Therefore, it is a territory that is not limited to a single origin or a single legend.
If La Provenza stands out for something, it is for the variety of its geographical, natural, artistic or cultural registers. From the Mediterranean coast itself to the Alps, the cultural diversity of its settlements, the gastronomy, the traditions, the possibilities of accommodation in the best hotels, the good wines … without a doubt, a varied presentation menu that will cost you to fully enjoy.
Lavender, another of the great symbols of Provence, leaves an authentic plant spectacle in summer that attracts thousands of tourists. Its violet and blue colors stain the fields of the region in the flowering period, which runs from June to September.
There are different routes that run throughout the region where you can contemplate the beauty of this unique spectacle, but today we are taking you to contemplate another natural show worth visiting; We go through the Gorges de Verdon and its impressive canyons.
The gorges of Verdon in Provence
The Verdon Gorges are made up of a deep canyon formed by the Verdon River, considered one of the most beautiful canyons in Europe. It is about 25 kilometers long and about 700 meters deep.
The canyon was excavated by the Verdon, named for its astonishing turquoise color, a distinctive feature of its location, as it was built on karst lithology.
The Verdon gorges were first described in various publications between 1782 and 1804. By the second half of the 19th century, they were already featured in many French tourist guides.
The Verdon Gorges attract thousands of tourists every year, especially during the summer months. In addition, the striking turquoise color of the river plays an important role and is associated with the melting of glaciers and suspended rock dust minerals present in the water.
The gorges are easily accessible on the right bank, from the north (route D952 from Castellane to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie), and on their left bank, from the south of the region.
We go through the Verdon canyon
The route begins at the bottom of the right bank of the river, taking as its starting point Moustiers Sainte-Marie, a small town built as an amphitheater at the foot of an impressive crevice in a cliff. The road runs between huge limestone blocks and appears as a large balcony above the river.
The first of its many viewpoints is Galetas, which offers a magnificent panoramic view of Lake Sainte-Croix, with its admirable emerald waters. Next is the Mayreste viewpoint, where you can appreciate the slow and constant work of erosion with gigantic vertical walls and huge rocky blocks.
Once on the Col de l’Ayen, the road goes slightly away from the gorge and one of the most beautiful villages of Verdon appears, located at the top of a wide plain: La Palud-sur-Verdon, at the foot of the Montvernier crest.
The Verdon Gorges route measures about 23 kilometers – 15 of them are one-way – and has 15 viewpoints, from which there are dizzying views of the gorges and wonderful places.
The area is a constant of beautiful enclaves, such as the impressive cliff of the Rocher du Duc, which dominates the Couloir Samson. On the other hand, there are the ruins of the medieval castle of the small town of Rougon, in an environment of great beauty at the foot of a mountain peak.
If we go south, the majestic cliffs continue. Afterwards, the road enters the scrubland and returns at times to the cliffs, with viewpoints such as Carelle or Dent d’Aire.
The gorges of Verdon, a cinema route
We could make an infinite list of charming stops and places within this historic region and, specifically, along this spectacular Verdon canyon, but we would never finish.
In short, when nature combines perfectly with culture, outdoor sports, traditions and gastronomy, little more is needed to awaken that feeling that makes places like this completely haunted in just a few lines.
