Gorges du Verdon in France – Guide to the spectacular gorge

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | The Gorges du Verdon in southern France is a dramatic gorge with towering limestone cliffs, winding mountain roads and the intensely turquoise Verdon River far below. We travelled around the Gorges du Verdon by motorhome for three days, experiencing the gorge from the roads above, the small villages around it and finally from a pedal boat down on the river.

Gorges du Verdon – one of our greatest experiences in Europe

We came to the Gorges du Verdon during our year-long road trip through Europe in 2015. The campervan took us first to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie and then further around the gorge, where narrow roads wind along the mountainside and new views await almost around every bend.

For three days we drove both north and south of the gorge, stopped at viewpoints, visited small villages, lived in our camper high above Lac de Sainte-Croix and took our first swim in the lake of the year. But perhaps the biggest contrast was when we finally left the camper and rented a pedal boat.

Two days earlier we had stood high above the gorge, looking down on the green-blue Verdon River. Now we found ourselves down on the water, surrounded by the enormous cliff walls. Despite other boats around us, it was almost eerily quiet – as if the mountains had swallowed up the sounds.

The Gorges du Verdon is sometimes called Europe's Grand Canyon. After three days here we understood why the comparison is made, but the area doesn't really need an American comparison. The Gorges du Verdon is spectacular all on its own.

What is the Gorges du Verdon?

The Gorges du Verdon is a mighty gorge in Provence in southeastern France, created by the Verdon River which has carved its way through limestone mountains over a very long time. The most dramatic part of the canyon is just over two miles long and at its deepest points the cliff walls rise up to around 700 meters above the river. 

The special thing about the Gorges du Verdon is that the area can be experienced in so many different ways. You can drive along the mountain roads on both the north and south sides, stop at viewpoints high above the gorge, hike along the trails, or get up close to the vertical cliff walls from the water. 

To the west, the ravine opens up to the large turquoise lake Lake Sainte-Croix, while Castellane lies to the east of the most dramatic part of the area. Surrounded by small villages such as Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, La Palud-sur-Verdon, Aiguines and Trigance, the Gorges du Verdon is perfect for a road trip where the road itself is a big part of the experience.

Moustiers-Sainte-Marie – our start at the Gorges du Verdon

Our trip around the Gorges du Verdon began in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, one of those French villages that almost looks too beautiful to be real. The stone houses are tightly packed along the narrow alleys and behind the village rise the dramatic mountains.

We stayed with our camper at Camping Saint Jean and set out to discover the village on foot. High above the houses is the chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Beauvoir, which is reached via a steep and winding staircase. The walk up was quite sweaty, but the view made it worth the effort.

Between two mountain peaks above the village, the famous star also hangs from a long iron chain. According to an old legend, it was erected after a knight returned alive from the Crusades. Regardless of how much truth there is in the story, the star adds to the almost fairy-tale feel of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie.

For us, the village was the perfect start to a few days around the Gorges du Verdon. The next morning the camper van awaited – and the winding roads around the gorge.

Driving around the Gorges du Verdon – a road trip along the gorge

One of the best ways to experience the Gorges du Verdon is by car or camper. The roads wind high above the Verdon River and sometimes the cliff is right next to the road. It’s slow going – but here the road itself is a big part of the experience.

The gorge can be driven on both the north and south sides. The north side goes via La Palud-sur-Verdon and here is also the famous Route des Crêtes. On the southern side, the road passes through Trigance, Pont de l'Artuby and Aiguines, among others. A complete tour around the gorge is almost 100 kilometers and the official tourist information recommends a full day if you want to do the entire tour with stops along the way. 

For us, the Gorges du Verdon got considerably more time than that. We traveled by camper van and spent three days in the area, which allowed us to stop whenever we wanted, visit the villages and swap the view from the high cliff walls for swimming and boating down at Lac de Sainte-Croix.

Two sides of the same ravine

It’s easy to think that there’s only one way to go through the Gorges du Verdon, but that’s not how it works. On the north side of the Verdon River, the road runs through the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, while the south side is in the Var department. Both offer dramatic views, but from different directions and angles. 

We drove the camper on the narrow and winding roads and sometimes there were no guardrails at the cliffs. In some places we couldn't go faster than a few kilometers per hour - but that didn't matter. No one comes to the Gorges du Verdon to break speed records.

Our advice: Don't just try to get from A to B. Stop at the viewpoints, get out of the car and give the area time. Some of our strongest memories are from the stops along the way, when we stood high above the green-blue river and tried to understand how big the gorge really is.

Route des Crêtes – the spectacular panoramic road

On the north side is Route des Crêtes, a 24-kilometer panoramic loop with around fifteen viewpoints above some of the highest cliff faces of the Gorges du Verdon. These include the viewpoints at La Carelle, l'Escalès and Dent d'Aire, with in some places more than 700 meters down towards the gorge. 

Don't expect 24 kilometers to be fast. The official recommendation is approximately 1.5–3 hours because you always want to stop at the viewpoints. 

Part of the Route des Crêtes is one-way and the entire loop must therefore be driven clockwise. The road is normally open from late March to late November, but weather conditions may affect availability.

Gorges du Verdon by motorhome

The Gorges du Verdon can be experienced by motorhome, but drivers should be comfortable with narrow and winding mountain roads. On the Route des Crêtes, vehicles are limited to a maximum length of 12 meters and a height of 3.6 meters at the tunnel sections. 

We drove around the Gorges du Verdon ourselves in a camper van. On the narrowest parts we took it easy and sometimes it was really slow, but for us the roads and the views were a big part of the adventure.

Castellane – at the gateway to the Gorges du Verdon

In the eastern part of the Gorges du Verdon lies Castellane, a charming little town on the Verdon River. After all the dramatic views along the way, it was lovely to stroll around the alleys and small squares and settle down for a cold beer in the sun.

It's almost impossible to miss Le Roc, the enormous limestone cliff that rises 184 meters directly above Castellane. At the top is the chapel Notre-Dame du Roc and those who want to can hike there from the city center. Expect about 40 minutes to the top and a fantastic view of Castellane and the Verdon Valley as a reward. 

This time we were content to look at the cliff from below. When evening came, we instead found an idyllic spot with the camper next to a rippling stream. We thought we had succeeded perfectly – until we discovered that the designated camper pitches were on the other side of the water.

Trigance – small mountain village with castle

When we left Castellane we continued on the south side of the Gorges du Verdon and stopped in Trigance, a small medieval village that climbs up the mountainside. High above the village stands the old castle, which is now a hotel and restaurant.

Trigance is not a place where you need to plan half a day. For us, it was one of those spontaneous stops that make a road trip around the Gorges du Verdon so wonderful. You come for the gorge and the nature, but along the way you see small Provençal villages that make you constantly find new reasons to stop.

We traveled by camper and appreciated the possibility of staying even with a larger vehicle. Then we continued on the winding road along the southern side of the gorge.

Pont de l'Artuby – the bridge high over the gorge

After Trigance we continued along the southern side of the Gorges du Verdon. The road wound through the mountains, through tunnels and past steep cliffs, before arriving at Pont de l'Artuby, one of the most spectacular stops along the way.

The bridge spans the deep Artuby Ravine and is located dizzyingly high above the valley. Here it is enough to stand on the edge and look down - but for those who want a much more adrenaline rush, Pont de l'Artuby is also famous for bungee jumping.

We were content with the view. Standing on the bridge and looking down into the gorge was exciting enough for us, and with the camper parked among the mountains, the setting almost felt like something out of a James Bond movie.

Our tip: Stop at Pont de l'Artuby even if bungee jumping is the last thing you would think of trying. The bridge, the gorge and the surrounding landscape make the place worth the stop in itself.

Aiguines – overlooking Lac de Sainte-Croix

After all the winding roads and deep ravines we arrived at Aiguines, a small Provençal village high above Lac de Sainte-Croix. Here the landscape changes. The narrow Verdon River opens up onto the large turquoise lake and from the heights around the village the view is fantastic.

We stayed a few days with the camper van at Camping de l'Aigle, which is located high above the lake. From the campsite we had a view of both the mountains, Lac de Sainte-Croix and the beautiful Château d'Aiguines – the kind of camping view that you'd like to sit and just look at for a long time.

From the campsite we walked into the small village and continued all the way down to the lake. It was supposed to take about an hour, but of course we managed to make a mistake and made the walk a little longer than planned. In the heat we got really sweaty, but down at Lac de Sainte-Croix the reward awaited: First dive of the year.

Aiguines became for us more than just a stop along the way. Here we began to leave the views down towards the Gorges du Verdon behind us and instead approach the water that we had seen far down there in the previous days.

Lac du Sainte-Croix – The turquoise lake by the gorge

At the western end of the Gorges du Verdon, the gorge opens up to Lake Sainte-Croix, a large turquoise lake surrounded by mountains and beaches. After several days on the winding roads high above the Verdon River, it was almost like entering a completely different world.

We had already seen the lake from the heights of Aiguines and had taken our first swim after the long walk down from the campsite. After a few days we moved the camper closer to the water and took in Camping Le Galetas, very close to the lake and the mouth of the Gorges du Verdon.

Lac de Sainte-Croix is a place where you can stay a little longer. Here you can swim, relax on the beaches and rent a kayak, canoe, SUP or pedal boat to get out on the water. For us, the lake also became the starting point for one of the very best experiences of the trip.

By pedal boat into the Gorges du Verdon

After several days of seeing the Verdon River far below us from the roads and viewpoints around the gorge, it was time for a change of perspective. At Lac de Sainte-Croix, we rented a pedal boat and set out on the lake, then pedaled into the intensely green-blue Verdon River.

It was hot, around 29 degrees, and when we entered between the high cliff walls, the whole experience changed. Here and there we saw small caves, rock formations and waterfalls as we slowly made our way further into the gorge.

The strangest thing was almost the silence. Despite the fact that there were other paddleboats and canoes out on the water, it was surprisingly quiet, as if the huge mountains around us were drowning out the sounds. We sat down on the river, looking up at the same cliff faces that we had seen earlier from above.

For us, this was one of the highlights of the Gorges du Verdon. First experiencing the gorge from the winding roads high above and a few days later being down on the water gave two completely different perspectives on the same landscape.

Our tip: If you have the chance, experience the Gorges du Verdon both from above and from the water. Renting a kayak, canoe or pedal boat at Lac de Sainte-Croix is a fantastic way to get up close to the gorge.

Read more: Pedal boat on the Verdon River in France

READ MORE: Facts about France - 30 things you (might) not have known

READ MORE: Canoeing in Ardeche, France - and the Pont d'Arc!