Verdon Gorge

The Verdon has cut a limestone canyon of close to 16 mi between the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and the Var, with vertical walls of almost 2,297 ft above the river, according to the Parc naturel régional du Verdon. Verdon Tourisme calls it the largest canyon in Europe.

A riverbed 6 to 328 ft wide, between five dams

The canyon is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top. English-language Wikipedia gives these measurements:

• 250 to 2,297 ft deep, depending on the section.
• 6 to 328 ft wide at the level of the riverbed.
• 200 to 4,921 ft from one rim to the other.

The river itself is tamed. Between 1948 and 1975, five dams were built along the Verdon and created five lakes:

1. Castillon.
2. Chaudanne.
3. Sainte-Croix, at the western end of the canyon.
4. Quinson.
5. Esparron.

Upstream releases make the water level change fast, and EDF generally releases water twice a week in summer: the whitewater companies of Castellane work on those days.

Vultures, the apron and a site classified since 1990

The cliffs are a nesting site, and the river is a marker of water quality:

• Three of the four vulture species present in France nest in the gorge, with more than 200 pairs of griffon vultures.
• The apron du Rhône, an endemic fish in critical danger of extinction, signals the good quality of the water, and is one of the reasons for the swimming ban in the canyon.

The gorge has drawn explorers, walkers and protection in turn:

1. 1905: Isidore Blanc and Édouard-Alfred Martel explore the gorge.
2. 1928: the Touring Club de France opens the path between the Chalet de la Maline and the Point Sublime, now the Sentier Blanc-Martel.
3. 1990: the site is classified under the French law on natural monuments and sites.
4. 30 January 2026: date of the application file for the Grand Site de France label, led by the Parc du Verdon with seven communes; the label has not yet been awarded.

More than a million people visit the gorge each year, according to Verdon Tourisme, which gives no year.

Safety on the Blanc-Martel and by the river

The Park rates the Blanc-Martel as difficult, a walk that can be exhausting, and does not recommend it for young children or people prone to vertigo. Before setting off:

• A rockfall has closed the section between the exit of the Couloir Samson and the Point Sublime, by order of the commune of Rougon: walkers detour by the RD23A, then the GR 49, in the same time.
• The path starts with 1,312 ft of descent, and the Brèche Imbert, with its 250 steps, is easier going down: one reason to walk from La Maline to the Point Sublime.
• Ladders on the route explain why dogs and mountain bikes are banned.
• Winter brings falling stones, and July and August heat and crowds: the Park prefers spring and autumn.
• Along the river, keep away from the banks: dam releases can raise the water fast.

Conditions change with the season: check with the Park and the commune of Rougon before setting out.