Visit the Verdon: complete guide
Visiting the Verdon is an excellent idea for traveling far, without leaving France. Follow our guide to not miss anything of this exceptional destination!
This year, you have decided to visit the Gorges du Verdon and you are right. These large lakes, nestled in the heart of the Provençal Pre-Alps, are real natural jewels. So obviously, they attract tourists and support thousands of people.
The surrounding lakes are also an opportunity to discover the whole region in all its aspects. Whether you are more adventurous or lazy, there is something for everyone and the whole family.
Thanks to numerous nautical, aerial or pedestrian activities, the lakes of the Verdon lift the mystery as they go, for the pleasure of young and old. Now, discover our complete guide to the destination!
Obviously, who would want to visit the Verdon lakes without taking the opportunity to discover its gorges?
Lakes and gorges are part of an extraordinary whole, a bubble of nature in the hollow of the pre-Alpine mountains.
If the Verdon and its gorges make the reputation of the places, we must not forget the natural and green envelope in which they are located. This is why, in 1997, almost 20 years after the installation of the dams and therefore the formation of the lakes, the Verdon Regional Natural Park was created.
Its goal is simple: to preserve the natural spaces of the region while maintaining the attractiveness and quality of life of the surroundings.
Both for the fauna and flora and for the inhabitants, moreover.
The park has a great diversity of heritage but also cultural as evidenced by the theme houses and museums. Circuits are offered for discovery: botanical, historical or curiosity trails... There is something for everyone who wants to learn more!
The Gorges du Verdon represent a narrow and very deep canyon: between 6 and 100 meters wide for 250 to 700 meters deep! Which makes it the largest canyon in Europe. In addition to offering breathtaking landscapes, it is an ideal place for hiking, water hiking and white-water sports (canoeing, rafting).
The Verdon Regional Natural Park
If the Verdon and its gorges make the reputation of the places, we must not forget the natural and green envelope in which they are located. This is why, in 1997, almost 20 years after the installation of the dams and therefore the formation of the lakes, the Verdon Regional Natural Park was created.
Its goal is simple: to preserve the natural spaces of the region while maintaining the attractiveness and quality of life of the surroundings. Both for the fauna and flora and for the inhabitants, moreover.
The park has a great diversity of heritage but also cultural as evidenced by the theme houses and museums. Circuits are offered for discovery: botanical, historical or curiosity trails... There is something for everyone who wants to learn more!
Visit the lakes of Verdon thanks to nautical activities
swimming
Free activity, swimming remains the easiest way to discover the lakes. As long as it is authorized (everywhere, except at Lac de Chaudanne), it allows you to cool off in a heavenly place.
With the Alps as a backdrop, swimming in the Verdon lakes is a real pleasure for body and mind. Change of scenery guaranteed for the brave! And yes, the Verdon being a river, the temperature of its water can sometimes be very cold!
In a pedal boat
The pedal boat is the nautical leisure that can be carried out with several people. With family or friends, go on an adventure, explore the nooks and crannies of the Verdon lakes. A real guarantee of fun, it is an activity much appreciated by tourists who love the freedom it offers.
Count about 30 € for the rental of a 6-seater pedal boat for 2 hours. However, there are several types of pedalo: 4-seater (€20 for 2 hours) and 5-seater toboggan (€26 for 2 hours).
By electric boat
Most of the nautical activity centers in the Verdon lakes offer electric boats for hire. You don't need a license to ride them.
Available for 5 to 7 people depending on the power of the model, they are rented by the hour. However, you are not limited to a single hour. Count between 30 and 35 € per hour of rental.
By canoe-kayak
Because canoeing is not only intended for sports sessions in the Gorges du Verdon, you can quite imagine doing it calmly. On the smooth surface of the Verdon lakes, paddle, play explorer for a few hours.
Single-seaters and two-seaters are available for hire from half an hour to a full day. Prices start at €7 per half hour on a two-seater and go up to €50 per day.