Verdon Gorges

Every guidebook on Provence mentions it, but it really is something you mustn’t miss when you visit Provence.

The Gorges du Verdon, or the ‘Grand Canyon’ of the Verdon. Not quite as big as the canyon in America, but the man who was the first to explore the bottom of the Verdon Gorge in 1905 – speleologist Édouard-Alfred Martel – once said: “The Verdon Gorge is the most American of all French gorges”. And that is absolutely true.

No other French gorge is more reminiscent of the Grand Canyon. A depth of 400 metres and a length of roughly 20 to 25 kilometres make it a formidable rival to the famous Samaria Gorge on the Greek island of Crete, which claims to be the longest and deepest in Europe.

The Gorges du Verdon can be explored by car, by raft or on foot.