🏙️ Visit the Gorges du Verdon

Do you want visit Gorges du Verdon in 4 or 5 days ? Water activities in the Gorges du Verdon? Do you want to know where to sleep in Gorges du Verdon? In this article, I'll help you get organized to discover the Gorges du Verdon.

Here is the action plan for this article to save time (use the menu on the right to access the desired section):

Visit the Gorges du Verdon
Things to do in Gorges du Verdon
Where to find a hotel in Gorges du Verdon
Visit the villages of Gorges du Verdon

1) Visit the Gorges du Verdon

Before embarking on the sites to visit, here are some ideas for activities you can do:

Here is an idea of a visit itinerary to do in Gorges du Verdon:

Saturday: caves and waterfall

I left Marseille and chose the route with the shortest highway possible, making a few water stops. The good surprise: despite the crossing between vacationers, there are not many people on the road. This is the advantage of "riding a crab" instead of taking the north-south axes, and then it allows you to see the country.

First stop: the tour of fountains and laundries in Barjols

After just over an hour, I take one foot out of the car and you can already hear the gurgling of the water, a real common thread of this beautiful town, from a fountain, a kind of giant mushroom covered in green moss.

There are 38 fountains, that is, we cross one every 20 meters!

It is a pleasure to explore this town, even if it is a little steep, savoring the freshness of the fountain at ease and splashing happily. The water is very good, super cold, a delight!

We also find laundry rooms; it seems that bugades, large Provencal laundries, are still organized there. The historic tanneries have been rehabilitated artists' workshops, atypical houses or contemporary art venues.

We also discovered a local uniqueness: panels with a traditional spirit that sow more or less philosophical messages. The tree-lined main square offers a pleasant moment on the terrace, in the shade, for a little break before heading out.

Second stop: the valley of Carmes

Leave the village in the direction of Pontevès and Draguignan. After just 5 minutes, you will have to take a small road to the right towards an old market. We come to a small parking lot.

Interestingly, I didn't have too much trouble parking, the proximity to the waterfall allows some to stop for just half an hour to take a well-deserved dip and create a nice ride.

Going down, first turn right towards the cave. You will find small shaded pools where the water flows gently. A possible place for a cool picnic. You can also swim, but the surroundings of the waterfall below are much more accessible.

Before leaving, enter the cave and enjoy the view of the valley.

The Carmelite troglodyte convent

On the other hand, don't miss the troglodyte convent of the Carmelites, where the cold almost makes you shiver. The “barefoot brothers” occupied it for a century, starting in 1670. With the light of the telephone we can see small rooms that look like bedrooms, sculptures, beams ...

It's very cold, in every sense of the word.

After ten minutes of walking we arrive at a first picnic area perfect for the family, then to an observation deck that finally reveals the waterfall. On one side and the other, you can sit around the basin and go swimming.

Going to the right, you go directly to the waterfall and you can take a real photo of the "Tahitian shower" that will make your friends drool in Sardinia.

Third stop: Sillans la Cascade

We hit the road for a quarter of an hour. If you feel like it, make a stop in Ponteves, a charming hilltop village, but meet me in Sillans, where I continue my search, preferring water to old stone for a weekend.

Park in the place du 8-Mai-1945. It's worth it, sure, but it's the best place and you should get by like me, for 50 cents. Then go down the path that borders the parking lot.

You will see that it is signposted and you will find guards on the way. The waterfall and its basin are prohibited for swimming due to falling rocks. So, we mainly come to enjoy an eye-catching point of view on autumn. The colors seem unreal, the rumbling of the water participates in the show.

Along the way, I saw people coming off the main trail to join the stream and take a bath. I did the same, being careful not to slip on the rocks that separate the pools. And clinging to the gnarled branches of the trees that spread generously. I read later that swimming is prohibited.

I have the impression that it is above all about preventing mass tourism from distorting the place; the place seems to descend to the Bresque on the right bank to access a basin and a smaller waterfall, where you can bathe.

The guard did not tell me, I suspect that the locals want to keep their corners secret. It's hard to blame them!

Domingo: lago Sainte-Croix

It is decided, today I take off on the lake of Sainte-Croix. Before I wanted to climb Moustiers-Sainte-Croix, a magnificent village known for its impressive viewpoint (but also for the myriad steps leading up there, it often goes hand in hand!) And its earthenware.

I almost lost my temper. Cars parked anyway, succession of small parking lots that you can hardly get out of, people stumbling around without looking ... I would have done better to follow my theme and go directly to Sainte-Croix de Verdon, 40 minutes by car.

This typical Provencal hilltop village faces the lake. I managed to find a place in the lower part of town, near the rental boats. Suddenly you have to climb the stairs (only a few minutes) to go to lunch at l'Actuel, a restaurant that stood out for its favorable reviews.

There was no time to waste too much time and lose weight before paddling out on the lake, I just ate mango, cilantro, yuzu bream tartare, parmesan, and ricotta butter cookies. With the two appetizers and the little delicacies brought with the coffee, it was perfect.

My only regret: the panoramic terrace is closed with sliding windows.

It's time to finally play sports. I go to Lac Loc there is a bit of a queue, but it is mainly for the rental of electric boats or pedal slides. I dig up a beautiful all-green canoe and go out into the water in search of a little secret cove to play Robinson Crusoe. And even in high season, it is.

There I literally swim with happiness: the water is perfect, it takes on Caribbean reflections towards the edge. The silt-covered ground makes for a very soft and fizzy mud underfoot. Watch out, it slides a bit!

As for the price, it is frankly reasonable: 28 euros for half a day for two or 50 euros per day. Enough to make a great day out with a picnic on the island, in love.

2) Activities in the Gorges du Verdon

This is a summary of my article "Activities in the Gorges du Verdon Rafting, Canyoning, Hiking ...".

I imagine that if you come to visit the Gorges du Verdon, it is also to do activities. Well listen as you can imagine, you have a lot to do. On the menu Canyoning, Rafting, Paragliding, pedal boat rides, canoeing, kayaking, BTT, climbing, hiking ... In short, you have a lot to do!

For a pedal boat ride, go to the Sainte Croix lake, you will find your happiness easily.

Here you have a map that shows you the different places where you will carry out all these activities. In short, it is located between Lake Sainte Croix and Castellane.

A little tip: rent pedal boats on the Ste Croix lake and go up the Verdon gorges, in 2 hours you can take breaks for swimming, however the route stops at a certain place and you have to turn around but you are fine at bottom of the gorges. Otherwise, you still have the electric boat rental.

You do not have to go all the Gorges du Verdon, but you are tempted to always go further, the scenery is so magnificent!

Know that you have Saint Raphael, Nice, Cannes, which are not far from the Gorges du Verdon, so why not take a boat trip to see also the magnificent coves of the Esterel? (

3) Where to find a hotel in Gorges de Verdon

This part is a summary of the article "Where to sleep in Gorges du Verdon (to visit the villages or do activities ...)"

Well, it all depends on what you want to do, if you only want to visit the Gorges du Verdon, the villages… I advise you to stay in Moustiers. If, on the contrary, you go there for sports activities, it is better to look for the Castellane side.

A very good address

Well, I did not do this address, but I would have dreamed of going to the Table de Fanette in Fox-Amphoux. In an area in the heart of lush greenery, the cabin has just three bedrooms, which benefit from a hot tub and outdoor pool. There are room packages + truffle menu at 260 euros with access to the spa for two.

When you know that the truffle menu costs 79 euros per person, I think it is a great option. Also, if you are a gourmet, your palate will be at the party.

On the other hand in the good directions truffles: Chez Bruno, in Lorgues, a great classic with menus from 78 to 195 euros, but also La Truffe (hey, an original), whose images of desserts make you want to lick the screen. .

Jonathan's comment for astronomy fans:

We spend a night of astronomy on the shores of the Sainte-Croix lake and we can also sleep there, a memorable night! Here is the address "Great Observatory Cabin":

So I leaned against this Airbnb near Salernes, in the middle of an olive grove. It was very nice, the Norwegian couple who run it were celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary so I didn't see much of them. For dinner, I logically opted for the next town, Salernes, known for its pottery.

I first drank an excellent Belgian beer at the Biérodrome (the menu is well stocked for hop lovers) under the steamers on the shaded terrace.

For lunch, I saw Food'Amour (but not for the pun), a restaurant with a very nice little terrace next to the church. The dishes, prepared on site, were quite simple but very good, with a selection of fine wines. I returned to my hill to admire a magnificent starry sky.

4) Visit the villages of Gorges du Verdon

You have many charming villages to visit in Gorges du Verdon: Riez, Bargème, Entrevaux, La Rochette, Annot, Rougon, Esparron de Verdon, Beynes, St Jurs, Saint Julien de Verdon, St Martin de Brômes, Entrevennes, Ste Croix de Verdon, Valensole, Puimoisson.

Also, during the summer, find out about the many local festivals that take place there. You will see that there is a great atmosphere!

5) Gorges du Verdon

With the heat I began to wander, to dream of frost and ice cubes. Rather than keep sticking my head in the freezer every hour, I decided to participate in the great transhumance of body cooling.

Tired of these photos my friends post of sea caves in Sardinia when I don't have a vacation, therefore I invented a bespoke "fresh head" stay at the Verdon.

He had three imperatives given that he only had Saturday and Sunday: don't drive too much, access the maximum number of water points effortlessly, and avoid crowds. As I am nice, I share my new itinerary.

Well there you go, I think you have all the keys in hand to visita Gorges du Verdon - Gorges du Verdon 2 weeks as it should be

Do not hesitate to leave a comment at the bottom of the page to give me your impressions, share a good address, a hotel, a bar ... Sharing is good;)