Gorges du Verdon - The European Grand Canyon

The Gorges du Verdon, otherwise known as the Grand Canyon du Verdon, is one of the most beautiful river canyons in all of Europe. It flows down from the Verdon River and is about 700 meters deep and 25 kilometers long. It is truly breathtaking. If you know anyone who’s visited the Gorges du Verdon, then you’ve already heard of how amazing this site really is. As if the pictures aren’t amazing enough, you can travel the lakes of the Verdon by kayak. While it’s not the kind of place you would stay for your vacation, it’s close enough to the French Riviera that you can certainly make a day trip or two to enjoy its vista. Because it is so close to the Côte d’Azur, it’s a popular tourism spot for vacationers from all over.  If you’re heading to the French Riviera for your holiday, you don’t want to miss out on all the best things to do in Gorges du Verdon.​

One of the reasons the Gorges du Verdon is so popular is that it’s accessible from both the North and the South. People come from all over to get a glimpse of the Gorges du Verdon’s turquoise waters and interesting rock formations. You can take a private tour with a car and drive around the rim of the second largest Canyon in the world. There are plenty of car rentals near the Gorges du Verdon so you can make a car booking with ease. If you want to travel in luxury, check out one of the luxury car rental sites. And, if you plan on making the Canyon your first vacation stop, then inquire about one of the airport car rental companies. Waste no time getting to what many consider one of the natural wonders of the world.

If you want to go directly to the heart of the Gorges du Verdon, take a boat rental. While on your private tour with a boat, you can embrace the gorgeous, blue waters and see for yourself the enormous, underground rock formations. If you’re a bit more adventurous, you can take part of some rock climbing while at the Canyon. Rock climbers from all over the world make sure to make this part of their French Riviera vacations. On your way to rock climbing, you can take a ride through one of the many tunnels that are built specifically for tourists. One of these roads has formations cut through so that you can see the Canyon while you’re riding through the tunnel. This is something you’ll never forget. And you can make your friend envious when you post your pictures of the Gorges du Verdon on social img.

If you aren’t into rock climbing, then take a long, afternoon hike with your travel companions. There are some amazing hiking trails along the Canyon. When you work up a sweat and appetite while hiking, you can look forward to taking a slow, cool Gorges du Verdon boat tour. If hiking isn’t the way you want to spend your vacation, then maybe you can rent a boat in Gorges du Verdon and go fishing. The Canyon is known to be a great fishing sight for locals. If you’ve never been fly fishing, this may be your perfect opportunity. Learn from the locals who’ve been fishing in the Canyon for a hundred years. They can teach you the tricks of the trade. Who knows – maybe you’ll even catch your own dinner along the French Riviera?

One of the things that Gorges du Verdon is known for is its water sports. If you’d rather keep your feet firmly planted in the water, you can spend the day kayaking or canoeing. If you’re more on the adventurous side, you can take advantage of the chance to go paragliding or rafting. There really is something for everyone at the Gorges du Verdon. You can take the day low and spend a lazy day on the water or, you can test your adventurous side and go canyoning or climbing. It really depends on what you’re looking for and how you want to spend your French Riviera vacation. 

For those who love hiking, there are several popular hiking routes to choose from. The most popular of these, the Sentier Martel, was created by the Touring Club de France almost a hundred years ago. People still come from all over the world to engage in this beautiful and slightly challenging hiking trail. The current hike runs about 9 miles long. Experienced hikers can finish the trail in about 12 or 13 hours. But if you don’t have 12 hours to dedicate to the hike, you can always take the shortcut along the water and complete it in about 7-8 hours. Whichever route you choose, it’ll be something to remember.

You may wonder if you can swim at the Gorges du Verdon. The answer is – of course! There are plenty of places where you can swim in the aquamarine waters of the Canyon. You’ll be swimming amongst the underground rocks, so you want to be careful and swim with a group. Or, if you just want to get wet, hop aboard one of the rafts and head down the river with a tour guide. There really is so much to do. You may need to schedule more than one day to spend at Europe’s largest Canyon – the Gorges du Verdon.

If you’re looking forward to scheduling your next trip to the French Riviera, you may want to consider carving out some time to visit the Gorges du Verdon. It’s close to the French Riviera and can be accessed by car or boat. It’s truly one of the most beautiful, natural places to visit on the Côte d’Azur. We hope you enjoyed this review. We’re confident that you’ll enjoy your next vacation to the French Riviera and hope you make a little time for the second largest Canyon in the world.