Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Gorges du Verdon

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Gorges du Verdon

Nicknamed the ‘Grand Canyon of Europe’, Gorges du Verdon is one of the most spectacular sites in the world. It is located in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of France. Verdon Gorge is a beautiful river canyon carved by the Verdon River which has white-water rapids and cliffs.

The views are breathtaking and this remarkable natural landmark is a popular tourist destination in France. Reaching a depth of 700 meters at numerous points, the Verdon Gorge is a popular destination for extreme sports enthusiasts. Fascinating features of the Verdon Gorge include the Styx du Verdon, a sub-canyon of the gorge and the ‘Imbut’, a funnel that appears to vanish into the rock.

The gorge is a popular location for kayaking and hiking due to its close proximity to the French Riviera. Rock climbers also flock to the area due to the range, number (over 1,500) and difficulty of the available climbs. Read on for the top 10 fascinating facts about Gorges du Verdon.

 

 

1.  Gorges du Verdon is the Deepest Canyon in Europe

Located in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, the Verdon gorges form the deepest canyon in Europe. It can sometimes reach up to 700 m deep. After taking its source in the massif of the Three Evechés, it throws itself in the Durance after doing a further 175 km. The gorges begin in the village of Castellane after the Chaudanne dam to end at the man-made Lake of Sainte-Croix.

Furthermore, the Gorges du Verdon is also amongst the largest canyons in Europe. It was carved by the Verdon River, which flows for 15.5 miles and does its final emptying into the Lac de Sainte-Croix. The limestone cliffs range in height throughout the canyon but soar, at times, to 0.4 miles.

It is a must-see site in France considering what awaits you is the promise of unforgettable memories. It is considered the French ‘Grand Canyon.’

2.  Gorges du Verdon’s Balcony Road

 

A narrow road was carved out of the cliff high above the green river. It’s one of the most famous French balcony roads. Tucked away in the heart of Provence, the loop road through the gorges, also known as the Grand Canyon du Verdon. It is totally paved running around the rim of the gorge. It truly is one of the most beautiful roads in Europe. The drive is 22.2 km (13.79 miles) long and part of it is one-way only.

It’s a hair-raising drive with a sheer vertical drop of more than 2,300 feet with craggy rock overhangs, blind curves and hairpin turns. All these without guardrails – adrenalin rush! It is not for the faint-hearted.

The guard rails or guard if any are only about a foot high and the drops are dizzyingly high. The road features dazzling heights, steep drops, fast and slow curves and viewpoints to impress anyone.

3.  A top Fascinating Fact about Gorges du Verdon, is its Formation

The whole area used to be under the sea in the Triassic era (around 250 million years ago). Millions of years of the compressed sea floor, sea shells and corals built up and were compressed to form limestone rock.

Over time plate movements caused the sea floor to rise until it emerged from the sea to form the alps. The ice age caused glaciation and as they moved and melted the soft limestone was worn away creating the valleys, rivers and rock formations of the Verdon Gorge.

The natural phenomenon of the canyon that visitors see today was created over hundreds of thousands of years. At the time the Verdon River carved a pathway through limestone cliffs over the course of 15.5 miles.

4.  The Fascinating Turquoise Coloured Water

The water of the Verdon River in the Verdon Gorge is a brilliant green colour. The canyon in France is one of the most beautiful in Europe. What’s most fascinating about the Gorges du Verdon is its stunning turquoise water, caused by glacial minerals.

Verdon Gorge turquoise coloured water is due to tiny particles of rock (most likely limestone), known as ‘rock flour’ or ‘glacial flour’, in the water and others say it is because the water contains microscopic algae.

This gorgeous colour lends itself easily to poetic and artistic descriptions of the site. The hue for which the site remains best-known also represents the source of the name of this remarkable geological feature.

5.  Gorges du Verdon is a Sports enthusiast Destination

 

Hikers can choose one of over 1500 routes to travel and some routes can take up to 3 days to walk through. Many experienced rock-climbers enjoy the challenging feat of having to scale upwards of 700 m. Nonetheless, whether tourists are willing to explore the gorge or not, it is still a beautiful view to behold.

Many find Verdon Gorge to be a place of great physical challenge and exercise. There is bungee jumping, white-water rafting over the rapids, mountain biking, as well as paddle boating. Visitors respond enthusiastically, responding that their experience at Les Gorges du Verdon was full of exciting sports activities.

Practical Information

Some of the well know hiking routes are;

·         Le sentier (pathway) de Martel which was named of the explorer Édouard-Alfred Martel. He and a team were the first to complete an expedition in the gorge.

·         Le sentier de l’Imbut

·         Le sentier du Bastidon

·         Le belvédère de Rancoumas par le pont de Tusset (the Rancoumas panoramic viewpoint near the Tusset Bridge)

 

6.  The Gorges du Vernon Swallows the River Verdon

One of the most remarkable facts about the Verdon Gorge is that some parts of the Verdon River suddenly disappear underground, only to remerge from the enormous underground rock formations a bit further.

This part of the canyon is referred to as the “Styx du Verdon,” a reference to the river Styx. In Greek Mythology, the river Styx forms the boundary between Earth and the underworld, which is kinda what literally happens to the Verdon River in the canyon.

7. Gorges du Vernon has something for those who would like to Learn

For some, the Verdon Gorge means a learning opportunity. There are geological formations to discover and wondrous caves to lurk in. For those who live locally in the villages and towns of Castellane, Moustiers Sainte Marie, Rougon, and La Palud sur Verdon, it is a great opportunity of being able to have a local business and thrive with a consistent stream of visitors and travellers.

Vultures were reintroduced into the Verdon gorge in 1999. Today Griffon vultures and black vultures are among the largest birds that can be seen in the gorges du Verdon, but there are also eagles and other large birds of prey. The vertiginous crags of the gorge provide perfect nesting areas for these large raptors.

8.  Édouard-Alfred Martel Opened up the Gorges du Vernon to the World

Verdon Gorge was the subject of an expedition in 1905, by Frenchman Édouard-Alfred Martel, a speleologist, a scientist that studied caves and completed a geological survey of the area.

Édouard-Alfred Martel is the ‘father of modern speleology’. He was a world pioneer of cave exploration, study and documentation. Martel explored thousands of caves in his native France and many other countries and popularised the pursuit of cave exploration.

He introduced the concept of speleology as a distinct area of scientific study, maintained an extensive archive and in 1895 founded Société de Spéléologie the first organisation devoted to cave science in the world.

9.  The Verdon River drains into an artificial lake near the Gorges du Vernon

One of the most fascinating facts about the Verdon River is that its entrance is literally situated near the location where the Verdon River flows into the Lake of Sainte-Croix. This is easily one of the most picturesque lakes in the region, mainly because it has the same turquoise colour as the Verdon River!

The lake was created during the construction of the “Dam of Sainte-Croix,” one of 5 dams constructed in the region between 1929 and 1975. The construction of the other important dams in the area also formed lakes, including the “Lac de Castillon” and the “Lac d’Esparron-Gréoux,” as well as the “Reservoir at Chaudanne” and the “Reservoir at Quinson.”

These artificial bodies of water really add to the overall charm of the region.

10. Gorges du Verdon is a Tourist Attraction

In the limestone of the Haute Provence plateau, the river dug a 25 km long canyon, 700 m deep in places. The Verdon Gorges were classified in 1990. They are the object of an annual attendance estimated at more than one million visitors and have an international reputation.

The best time to visit is during summer — June through August. The weather is constantly sunny. For fewer crowds, go in the off season (May or September). Just be aware that the rentals may be closed.

There are a number of destinations in the South of France that allow for a day trip to the Gorges du Verdon. Most are a couple of hours’ drive away, so you might alternatively prefer to stay in a nearby town for a few days.

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Provence is not all olive groves, vineyards, swimming pools, Mediterranean pine forests and lavender fields. The land is arid and in places barren and fairly inhospitable; but though the climate is generally dry, this area is crossed by rivers flowing down from the snowy peaks of the Alps.

Over millions of years, they have carved deep valleys in the limestone, none of them longer and deeper than that of the Verdon.