More about the Verdon Gorges (south east France)
The Verdon Gorges, located in the Alpes-de-Haute
The Verdon canyon, called “Le Grand Canyon du Verdon” in French, is the world’s second largest canyon. It is about 25 kilometers in length and more than 300 m deep. It was formed by the Verdon river, and one of the canyon’s most distinguishing characteristics is its startling turquoise-green colour.
The roads through the Verdon Gorges are buzzing with tourists in summer and become quiet in winter. Precautions are extremely important while doing any outdoor activities in “Gorges du Verdon” as Mother Nature often changes the weather in a matter of seconds at these high altitudes, and that can bring sudden rain and cause rapid waters in the river.
The most impressive part lies between the towns of Castellane and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, where the river has cut a ravine more than 300 m down through the limestone mass. At the end of the canyon, the Verdon river flows into the artificial lake of Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon (in French: lac de Sainte-Croix).
The limestone walls along the canyon, which are several hundreds metres high, attract many rock climbers. It is considered an outstanding destination for multi-pitch climbing. There are routes encompassing cracks, pillars and seemingly endless walls. The climbing is generally of a technical nature, and there are over 1,500 routes, ranging from 20m to over 400m. So there are many great spots for rock climbers.
Geological History of the Canyon:
During the Triassic period, the French region of
That is why you can find so many fossiles in this region!
The Cretaceous period saw what is now Basse
The Verdon Gorges have been marked as a national park called “Parc Naturel Regional du Verdon” and it is packed with visual delights… so please don’t forget to take your camera and numerous batteries!
Recent developments:
On the 10th of July 2006, the French Conseil d’État cancelled the declaration of public use of the EDF (Électricité de France; Electricity of France)’s project, relating to a high voltage line carrying 400,000 volts that had to pass through the Verdon Gorges. This decision ended 23 years of struggle by public groups and associations of environmental defense to preserve a site of exceptional natural interest, of which a part contains protected animals and plant species.
Tourism:
The Verdon Gorges are renowned as the most beautiful canyon in
Sport:
The Verdon Gorges are a popular destination for rock climbers, because they include more than 1,500 climbing routes on good limestone rock. They are also a favourite destination for fishing, particularly for fly fishing. Hiking, canoeing, paragliding, rafting, climbing and of course canyoning are some of the numerous sports available in the region.
Click on the videos to get a feel!
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