Hiking in the French Verdon Gorge in Provence

It is advisable that you book your own night in Nice before this tour as you take the direct bus from Nice to Castellane early morning. Depending on your arrival time to Castelanne you should have time to take a short walk along a lovely path to the Chapel of Nore Dame du Roc which dates from the 13^th century.  Once you reach the top of the limescale ridge which overlooks the village you will be rewarded with lovely views across the surrounding landscapes.

Firstly, after breakfast you will have a short transfer to Chasteuil which is a typical shepherd’s village! You will follow the GR4 trail on the old Roman road deep Verdon valley, with glorious views. Now you will find the path descends towards Rougon perched on a rocky outcrop before you reach the famous Sublime Point.

A wonderful hike today deep into the Gorge. Firstly you cross the Verdon river via the old Roman Bridge and you start walking to the small village of Entreverges. Here you see the Rancoumas viewpoint which is situated at 981m high.  Here is a natural ramp which overlooks the Verdon Gorge allowing you to fully enjoy a spectacular view of the Verdon River which flows several hundred metres below.  If you suffer from Vertigo this viewing platform has no protection from the edge so you must take extreme caution.

Now after taking several photos you head in the direction of Trigance, which is a typical Provencal village. Here you see a historic building with four towers dating back to the 11th century.

Today you can either walk direct to your destination La Pauld or complete a loop walk first around Point Sublime.

Optional loop walk – Point Sublime – Samson Corridor – Point Sublime

You will need a flashlight for this walk. You descend down the Samson corridor after leaving Point Sublime, as you descend you will hear the rush of the river getting loader. Once at the river you will  discover the entrance to the Gorges du Verdon canyon, here it leads through the tunnels of the entrance of the famous “sentier Martel”. You can now explore the tunnels and its 2 windows carved into the rock with magnificent views of the Verdon canyon and its breathtaking cliffs. You then walk back to Point sublime by a different trail.

Walk – Point Sublime – La Palud

Either after breakfast or after you return from the optional loop walk to hear out again on the Baou path which leads between the cliffs and ravines to Rougon, a balcony overlooking the Gorges. This is an ideal location for some bird watching, especially vultures or just relaxing. You now continue top La Palud but before reaching the village you will be rewarded by some grand views across the Gorge.

EXTENSION – Bike Ride – La Palud – Route des Cretes – La Palud 16 miles 24km 650m up/down.

If you book an extra night, you can rent an e-Bike and embark on a cycle ride on the breathtaking “Crest road “. The loop ride is a 16 miles 24km ride along a panoramic road starting in La Palud sur Verdon. It takes you through a circuit covering the heights of the Grand Canyon up to 700 meters! During your bike ride you will discover 14 viewpoints so have your camera ready. Of course, riding an e-bike will make the journey a lot easier on the legs.

Depart after breakfast.