When to go to the Verdon Gorge?
→ The detailed month-by-month page, with real weather records
Best time: May to June and September
At a glance
Why go to the Verdon Gorge?
The Gorges du Verdon are the largest canyon in Europe, and one of the few places in France where nature sets the scale: 25 km of cliffs up to 700 m high, a river of an unreal green, griffon vultures reintroduced in 1999 circling above the viewpoints, and a 2,200-hectare lake at the exit that looks like a lagoon. You come to gaze down on them from the corniche roads, to cross them on foot along the Sentier Blanc-Martel, to paddle up them by pedalo from the Galetas bridge, or to raft down them from Castellane.
It is a destination for hikers and climbers first and foremost, with one of the finest climbing sites in the world on the walls of the Escalès, but also for families, who find easy days at the lake, the Quinson museum and the lower gorges, and for couples who want a village like Moustiers with lavender twenty minutes away. You have to accept the car, slow roads, full car parks in August and accommodation to be booked early, as capacity is limited.
May, June and September solve almost everything.
Map of the Verdon Gorge: what is where?
The map shows the 6 places covered in this guide, to picture the distances and plan your route.
- Point Sublime
- Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
- Lac de Sainte-Croix
- Route des Crêtes
- Castellane
- Aiguines
How much does a trip to the Verdon Gorge cost?
| Style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | €50 to €80 a day with a campsite or walkers' gîte, picnics, free viewpoints and trails, and a shared pedalo hire. | |
| Comfort | €110 to €170 a day with a village hotel, a restaurant in the evening, an electric boat on the lake, the Blanc-Martel shuttle and the Quinson museum. | |
| Premium | €250 and up with a bastide or château hotel, a Michelin-starred restaurant, rafting or canyoning with a private guide and a bungee jump from the Pont de l'Artuby. |
Is the Verdon Gorge safe?
The Verdon demands respect. On the trails, including the Blanc-Martel, set off early with two litres of water per person, a torch for the tunnels and walking shoes; summer storms arrive fast and the rocks become slippery. Water releases from the EDF dams raise the river level within minutes: never stay on the shingle banks at the bottom of the gorges without watching the water, and respect the signs. In a pedalo or canoe, a life jacket is compulsory, and get back before the afternoon wind picks up on the lake. When the fire risk is severe, from June to September, the hills can be closed: check the prefecture's map the day before. On the corniche roads, drive slowly; passing is tricky and cyclists are numerous.
What to see and do in the Verdon Gorge
- Route des Crêtes
- Point Sublime
- Sentier Blanc-Martel
- Lac de Sainte-Croix
- Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
- Balcons de la Mescla
- Quinson Museum of Prehistory
- Valensole plateau
Point Sublime
This viewpoint at Rougon, at the upstream entrance to the main gorges, offers the most breathtaking view of the Verdon after a ten-minute walk from the car park: the Couloir Samson, where the river squeezes between two vertical walls just a few metres apart, then the canyon opening out downstream. It is the finishing point of the Sentier Blanc-Martel and the start of a short foray to the first tunnel, open to all with a torch. The village of Rougon, on its rock, adds a higher and quieter view from the ruins of its castle.
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
Listed among the most beautiful villages in France, Moustiers clings to the foot of two cliffs, between which a golden star hangs at the end of a 135 m chain, a vow that legend attributes to a knight back from the Crusades. The village has lived from faience since the 17th century, with some fifteen workshops still active and a museum displaying pieces from the great manufactories. The Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Beauvoir, above the village, is reached by a zigzag path and overlooks the Lac de Sainte-Croix. The Friday market and the terraces beside the stream round off a gentle day.
Lac de Sainte-Croix
This artificial lake, created in 1973 by the dam of the same name, covers 2,200 hectares and takes on a turquoise colour from the limestone particles suspended in it. Its pebble beaches at Bauduen, Les Salles-sur-Verdon and Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon are the best swimming spots in the region, with water close to 24 °C in August. From the Galetas bridge, pedalos, canoes and electric boats head up the mouth of the gorges between 200 m cliffs, on water that turns emerald green. The villages around the lake, including Aiguines and its panoramic view, make a day's drive.
Route des Crêtes
Starting from La Palud-sur-Verdon, this 24 km loop strings together fourteen viewpoints on the edge of the Escalès cliffs, up to 700 m above the river. It is the prime spot for watching the griffon vultures, reintroduced in 1999 and now several hundred strong in the gorges, and the climbers tackling the big multi-pitch routes. The upper section is one-way, clockwise, and closed from late November to late March, but the view from the Belvédère de la Carelle remains accessible all year round. Allow two hours with stops.
Castellane
At the eastern entrance to the gorges, this small town on the Route Napoléon lives at the foot of the Roc, a 184 m rock topped by the Chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Roc, reached by a thirty-minute path. It is the base for white-water sports: rafting, canyoning, hydrospeed and river hiking take place on the Verdon between Castellane and Point Sublime, in step with the water releases from the Castillon dam. The campsites along the river make it the go-to stop for families and groups of friends. The market is held on Wednesday and Saturday mornings on Place Marcel-Sauvaire.
Aiguines
Perched above the south shore of the Lac de Sainte-Croix, this village in the Var is the starting point of the Corniche Sublime and the first viewpoint over the lake, with its castle of glazed tiles and a view that takes in the whole turquoise expanse as far as the Valensole plateau. In the 19th century Aiguines was the capital of the nailed boule, made from local boxwood, and a small museum of wood turners keeps its memory alive. From the village, the D71 climbs towards the Col d'Illoire, the Fayet tunnels and the Balcons de la Mescla. Climbers and hikers find gîtes and campsites here that are quieter than those on the La Palud side.
How many days, and which itinerary?
Three days give you time for the Route des Crêtes and the Corniche Sublime, the lake by pedalo and Moustiers. Allow five days to add the Sentier Blanc-Martel, a day of rafting from Castellane and Valensole in lavender season. A week lets you add the lower gorges at Quinson, other hikes and proper beach days.
🗺️ Day-by-day itinerary · 📓 Free printable Verdon Gorge guide (PDF) · 🌍 All of Provence
weekend
Saturday morning on the Route des Crêtes from La Palud from 9am, a picnic at a viewpoint, then down to the Lac de Sainte-Croix for two hours of pedalo under the Galetas bridge and a swim; evening in Moustiers with the climb to the chapel at sunset. Sunday along the Corniche Sublime from Aiguines, the Balcons de la Mescla and the Pont de l'Artuby, then back up towards Trigance and Point Sublime before heading home.
4-5 days
day 1 Route des Crêtes and Point Sublime; day 2 Sentier Blanc-Martel with the shuttle from La Palud; day 3 Lac de Sainte-Croix by pedalo in the morning, the beach in the afternoon, Moustiers in the evening; day 4 Corniche Sublime, Balcons de la Mescla, Aiguines and Bauduen; day 5 rafting or river hiking from Castellane, or the Valensole plateau if you are there between 20 June and 15 July.
one week
the five days above, then a day in the lower gorges with the Quinson Museum of Prehistory and a canoe trip towards Esparron, and a day of gentler hiking (the Sentier de l'Imbut for experienced walkers, or the Gorges du Baou at Moustiers for families) before a final swim in the lake.
Getting there and getting around
A car is essential. From Paris, the TGV reaches Aix-en-Provence in 3h, followed by a 1h30 drive to Moustiers via the Durance valley; Marseille TGV and then the A51 is the alternative, with an airport for those coming from further afield.
Once there, distances are short but the roads are slow and winding: allow 45 minutes from Moustiers to La Palud and 1h to Castellane. A Zou bus links Marseille to Castellane via Riez and Moustiers in summer, and the Verdon Regional Park runs the Blanc-Martel shuttle between La Palud, La Maline and Point Sublime from April to September.
Cycling is for strong legs: the Route des Crêtes and the Corniche Sublime are demanding classics, while the loop around the Lac de Sainte-Croix is more manageable.
Where to stay in the Verdon Gorge?
Budget: the campsites in Castellane along the Verdon, and those in Moustiers, Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon and Bauduen on the lakeshore, offer the cheapest pitches in the region (€20 to €35, mobile home €70 to €120 in season). The walkers' gîtes in La Palud-sur-Verdon and Rougon, at €25 to €45 a night, welcome hikers and climbers.
Comfort: the family-run hotels of Moustiers, with pools and views over the village or the lake, and the inns of La Palud, Aiguines or Rougon facing the gorges cost between €110 and €200 a night. B&Bs in the hamlets of the Valensole plateau or around Riez add peace and lavender.
Splurge: a country bastide in Moustiers or a perched château hotel in Trigance, with a gourmet restaurant, a garden and mountain views, between €250 and €500 a night. The number of rooms remains small throughout the region: book several months ahead for July and August.
Our places to stay, stop by stop, at three budgets →
What to eat in the Verdon Gorge?
The Verdon eats Provençal and mountain fare: Haute-Provence lamb, lake trout, AOP Banon goat's cheeses from a few kilometres away, lavender honey and olive oil from the hills of Riez. The Moustiers market on Friday, the Riez market on Wednesday and Saturday, and the Castellane market on Wednesday and Saturday bring together the producers of the plateau.
Allow €20 to €30 for a set menu in a village restaurant, and €60 to €120 for the Michelin-starred table in Moustiers. The Valensole distilleries sell essential oil, honey and lavender biscuits, and the wine cellars of Sainte-Croix and Bauduen offer Coteaux Varois rosés to taste.
A picnic is a must at the viewpoints of the Route des Crêtes, where there is nowhere to eat.
Entry requirements
Schengen area: an ID card or passport for EU citizens, 90 days visa-free for UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports.
Rules change: check your own government's travel advice before you go.
Frequently asked questions about the Verdon Gorge
When is the best time to visit the Gorges du Verdon?
May, June and September: the trails are open, the lake is already or still pleasant, the roads flow freely and accommodation is available. July and August bring heat, crowds at the viewpoints and full car parks, but also the Valensole lavender until mid-July. The Route des Crêtes is partly closed from late November to late March.
How many days should you spend in the Verdon?
Three days for the viewpoints, the lake and Moustiers. Five days to add the Sentier Blanc-Martel and a day of white water at Castellane. A week if you want the lower gorges at Quinson and beach days with no plan.
Is the Sentier Blanc-Martel difficult?
It is a long hike rather than a technical one: 15 km, six to seven hours, 252 steps at the Brèche Imbert and three tunnels, one of them 670 m long, to be walked by torchlight. You need to be in good shape, well shod, set off early with plenty of water and use the Park shuttle so you don't have to walk back. It is not recommended for young children or anyone prone to vertigo.
Can you swim in the Gorges du Verdon?
Yes, in the Lac de Sainte-Croix, on the beaches of Bauduen, Les Salles and Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon, as well as in the Lac d'Esparron and the Lac de Castillon. In the river itself, swimming is risky because of the water releases and currents; it is tolerated on a few pebble beaches, provided you keep an eye on the water level.
Can you visit the Verdon without a car?
With difficulty. A seasonal bus links Marseille to Castellane via Moustiers, and the Blanc-Martel shuttle links La Palud to the trail, but the viewpoints, the lake and the villages call for a car. An alternative is to stay in Moustiers or Castellane and do everything on foot, by canoe and by raft from there.
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