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The 'Verdon Gorge' (in French: ''Gorges du Verdon'' or ''Grand canyon du Verdon''), in south-eastern France (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence), is a river canyon that is considered by many to be Europe's most beautiful. It is the world's second largest gorge, at about 20 kilometers in length and more than 300 metres deep. It was formed by the Verdon River, which is named after its startling turquoise-green colour, one of the canyon's most distinguishing characteristics. The most impressive part lies between the towns of Castellane and Moustiers-Ste-Marie, where the river has cut a ravine more than 300 metres down through the limestone mass. At the end of the canyon, the Verdon river flows into the artificial lake of Sainte-Croix-de-Verdon (in French: ''Lac de Sainte-Croix'').
Because of its proximity to the French Riviera, the canyon is very popular with tourists, who can drive around its rim, rent kayaks or hike. The limestone walls, which are several hundreds of meters 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.

Contents

History

Recent developments

Geography

Hydro-electric dams

Overview

Key Dates

Notable features

Tourism

Itineraries

Sport

Hiking and scenic walks

Le Sentier Martel

History

The hiking route

Recommendations

Gallery

References

External links

History

During the Triassic period, the French region of Provence subsided and was covered by the sea, leaving thick layers of various limestone deposits. Several million years later, with the arrival of the Jurassic period, the area was covered by a warm shallow sea, which allowed the growth of various Corals. The Cretaceous period saw what is now Basse Provence being raised and the sea reaching the current location of the Alps, which were themselves erected during the tertiary era. As a result of the large scale geological activity resulting from this, many of the Jurassic limestone deposits fractured, forming relief with valleys and other such features. Indeed, it is to this epoch that the origins of the Verdon Gorge can be traced. The dawn of the Quaternary period witnessed large scale glaciation, transforming water pockets and lakes into unstoppable rivers of ice, which remodeled the topography, scouring and striating the landscape. At the end of this activity, erosion by rivers continued, forming the Gorge as it is today. The Verdon’s river bed was scoured for a second time of the accumulated coral and limestone sediments, by a water delivery rate nearing 2000 to 3000 cubic metres per second.

Recent developments

On the 10th July 2006, the French Conseil d'État annulled 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 which would have had to pass through the Verdon Gorge. 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 animal and plant species.^[1]

Geography

The source of the Verdon is close to the col d'Allos hill in the Trois Evêchés mountain range, from where it continues, flowing into the Durance river near Vinon-sur-Verdon after traveling 175 kilometres. The most interesting part of this journey is found between Castellane and the Pont du Galetas, on the lac de Sainte-Croix. Some decades ago, this Lake used to be the large plain of Salles-sur-Verdon, before the construction of a reservoir created by the erecting of the Sainte-Croix dam. At the time of the raising of the water level in 1973, the old village des Salles was evacuated by force, destroyed and inundated. The church was dynamited, as was the rest of the village, which has been reconstructed higher up the valley as a more modern settlement, to the great displeasure of its inhabitants. Today, it is the youngest village in France.
For Some distance the Verdon Gorge forms the border between the départements of Var to the south and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence to the north in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur région.
This region, between Castellan and the Lac de Sainte-Croix is called the ‘’’Gorges du Verdon’’’; ‘’’Verdon Gorge’’’. It is split into three distinct parts:

★ The “Prégorges” (‘pre-gorge’) which goes from Castellane to Pont de Soleils

★ The Gorge itself which goes from Pont de Soleils to l'Imbut, and

★ The Canyon which goes from l’Imbut to the Pont de Galetas.
The Verdon Gorge is narrow and deep, with depths of 250 to 700 metres and widths of 6 to 100 metres at the level of the Verdon river, and 200 to 1500 metres from one side of the Gorge to the other at the summit.

Hydro-electric dams

Overview

Between 1929 and 1975, five dams were erected on the course of the Verdon, between Castellane and Gréoux-les-Bains. These Dams hold back water in the following reservoirs:

★ 'Lac de Castillon', with the engulfing of the village of the same name

★ 'Lac de Sainte-Croix', with the engulfing of village des Salles-sur-Verdon, of the Roman bridge of pont de Garuby or pont d’Aiguines and of the “Bishop’s” spring at Bauduen. With marvellous and changing colours nearly every day, it has become a high spot for summer tourism. It is the largest reservoir in France;

★ 'Lac d'Esparron-Gréoux', known localy as “lac d’Esparron”. It is coloured green, like the Verdon, but unlike lac de Sainte-Croix, in which the colour blue dominates.

★ 'The reservoir at Chaudanne'

★ 'The reservoir at Quinson', sometimes improperly called the “lac de Montpezat”, the name of the village over which it dominates.

Key Dates

★ 1929 : Castillon Dam, setting of the first stone

★ 1932 : Interruption of work

★ 1936 : Fire which damaged the structure of the dam

★ 1948 : End of work on the Castillon Dam

★ 1951 : End of work on the Chaudanne Dam

★ 1960 : End of work on the Esparron-Gréoux Dam

★ 1973 : Water filled behind the Saint-Croix Dam

★ 1973 : Reconstruction of the village des Salles, 400 metres further up

★ 1974 : Sainte-Croix Dam starts production of electricity

★ 1975 : Water filled behind the Quison Dam

Notable features

The Styx du Verdon, so named by reference to the river Styx of Greek mythology is like a sub-canyon within the canyon itself.
The "Imbut", also known as "Embut" or "Embucq" is a sort of funnel where the Verdon disappears underground, beneath enormous rock structures.

Tourism

The Verdon Gorge is renowned as forming the most beautiful canyon in Europe, and attracts numerous tourists, especially during the summer period.

Itineraries

Two road itineraries allow one to visit the Verdon Gorge, one by the right bank to the North, going from Castellane to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie by the D952 and the other by the left bank to the South, going from Aiguines to Castellane by the D71, D90 and D995.
One can do the entire tour, leaving from Moustiers, by following the D957 to the pont de Galetas and then turning left in the direction of Aignuines. Then the D71 ascends, following the left bank of the Verdon up to the Col d’Illoire, where one can enjoy a splendid view over a part of the right bank of the Canyon, with a back drop of the summits of Plein Voir, le Pavillon (1624 metres), la cime de Barbin (1560 metres) and le Mourre de Chanier (1930 metres). Behind, there is a beautiful view of the reservoir of Saint-Croix. The route continues via tight hooks and difficult crossroads until l’Auberge des Cavaliers. This hotel is on the main cliff bank 300 metres above the Verdon and is the departure place for the hike known as “Sentier de l’Imbut”; “pathway of the Imbut”. The road continues, getting further away from the Gorge, and then re-approaching it at the entrance to the “tunnel du Fayet” (tunnels cut into the rock, with several openings to allow a view onto the other bank). One then continues on to the Pont de l’Artuby, which crosses over a Gorge of the same name. This bridge, whose exact appellation is “Pont de Chaulière”, has a length of 110 metres.
Spanning the river with one arch, it dominates over the Artuby river with a height of 180 metres and was constructed between 1938 and 1947. One arrives in due course at “relais des Balcon”, from where two panoramic viewpoints look over the “Mescla” (which means “mix” in provençal), where the Artuby flows into the Verdon. Opposite, there is a view onto the Imbert breach, with the cliffs of l’Escalès on the right. Then, forking onto the D90 in the direction of Trigance and its medieval castle, one crosses over the bridge which spans the Jabron river (this flows into the Verdon at the height of the Carejuan bridge), after which the journey continues to the left in the direction of the pont de Soleils, “Bridge of suns”. Here, one can go to the right to Castellance on the D952 or turn back to Moustiers on the left, passing via the tunnel de Gloige and the Point Sublime just below Rougon which permits an amazing view over the Couloir Samson (Samson corridor), which is the entrance of the part of the fluvial landscape designated as “Gorge”. A tip of the road, just after the tunnel de Gloige takes one down to a panoramic view with parking, from where it is easy to descend beside the river Verdon at the entrance of the Samson corridor. This is the arrival point of the famous “sentier Martel” (Martel pathway). Continuing down the D952 which again winds away from the Gorge, one passes the Palud-sur-Verdon (an important place of tourism for the Gorge, museum and of the Verdon and guide office etc.) From this village, it is possible to take the “routes des Crêtes” (road of the crests), which leaves La Palud and returns there by passing via the most beautiful panoramic viewpoints of the region. One must take this route, in the direction of the pointers showing the way, if wanting to complete the entire tour. Indeed, a part of this road being one way, it is necessary to take it before La Palud, and not from it. When travelling along this route, one passes in front of the “châlet de La Maline”, home of the French Alpine club. This is the principal point of departure of the “sentier Martel”. The route continues its descent into Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, passing by the Col d’Ayen, the Col de l’Olivier, the Cascades de Saint-Maurin and the panoramic viewpoint of Galetas, which provides a view of the Sainte-Croix reservoir and the dam of the same name below and the plateau of Valensole opposite. Some miles thereafter, one finds oneself back at Moustiers. This circuit represents more than 100 kilometres of not always easy and much encumbered roads during the tourist season.

Sport

The Verdon Gorge is an appreciated destination for rock climbers, since they include more than 1,500 climbing routes on good limestone rock.
The Verdon and her Gorge is also a favoured destination for fishermen, particularly for fly fishing.
Hiking, Canoeing, paragliding, rafting and of course Canyoning are some of the numerous sports practiced in the region.

Hiking and scenic walks

It is in the “Gorge” part of the formation that the most beautiful hikes one can do in these magical places are found:

★ 'Le Sentier de Martel'; ''Martel's pathway''

★ 'Le sentier de l’Imbut' ; ''pathway of the Imbut ''

★ 'Le belvédère de Rancoumas par le pont de Tusset' ; ''the panoramic viewpoint of Rancoumas near the Pont (bridge) de Tusset''

★ 'Le Sentier du Bastidon'; ''pathway of the Bastidon.''

Le Sentier Martel

History

This pathway, lain out in 1928 by the Touring Club de France, carried the name “Sentier Martel” as of 1930, and was named after the French potholer Édouard-Alfred Martel (1859-1938).
Martel visited the Verdon in 1905 at the behest of M. Jaquette, of the South East Electricity Company, in order to carry out precise hydrogeological surveys of the river Verdon. On the 11 August 1905, Martel, with a team of several people, took the path which goes from Rougon to the Samson Corridor. In the team, amongst others, were the following persons:

★ Armand Janet, who had attempted an exploration in 1896 without success

★ Isiodore Blanc, who was headmaster of Rougen School

★ Baptistin Flory, Fernand Honorat, Prosper Maurel, Tessier Zurcher and the geographer Cuvelier
These men left aboard three small boats of wood and cloth, and, after an eventful day, the group established a first encampment at the “Baume-aux-Pigeons”, after having turned back.
As of the 12th of August, one small boat being unusable, the men of the party had to carry materials and provisions on their backs. Martel and his companion went as far as the “Mescla” (from the Provençal “mesclun”, which means mix). The other men followed, going from ford to ford whilst carrying the craft which had now become unusable. The rest of the journey was made by the bank of the river on font, sue to the lack of water in the river. They arrived at mid-day at the place known as the “Estellié”.
At the beginning of the evening, it was already night when the men arrived in a narrow corridor to which Martel gave the name of Styx (the name of one of the rivers leading to hell in Greek mythology). In this corridor, a second small boat was knocked over, sending men and material into the water.
The second camp was established at Imbut (Provençal for narrow or funnel).
The main accounts say that at Imbut, Martel would have thought to abandon the expedition, but that he was encouraged to continue by his comrades, who did not want to give up, because of the efforts accomplished to get that far.
On the 13th of August, the group set off again in the direction of the “Baou Béni” and entered the canyon proper. Their progress was tedious and very difficult, notably the passage through the “Chaos”, a sporadic set of rock formations, of the Imbut. A third encampment was established at the place known as “the Cavalets”.
On the 14th of August, the slow progress continued among the tree trunks and chaos of the rocks. A part of the party gave up at the “Pas de Mayreste”. These men were tired and dishearented.
The group remaining, of whom Martel and Armand finally arrived at the “Pas de Galetas” near the Roman bridge of Aiguines (today disappeared underneath the waters of the reservoir of Sainte-Croix), had successfully completed the first exploration of the Verdon Canyon.
Martel and a part of his team made another attempt in 1906 with better equipment.
In 1928, between the 21st and 26th July, Robert de Joly effected a complete crossing of the Verdon Gorge. He was the first to pass over the vast heights of the Imbut, on board a type of natural rubber canoe.
In 1938, a French explorer and filmmaker, Albert Mahuzier effecting a stakeout out of the Gorge for a film he shot in 1939.
In 1945, a group of Scouts made a reconnaissance of the Canyon, and, in 1946, some members of the Canoe Club of France carried out an overall exploration of the Gorge and of the Canyon.
Another great specialist on the Verdon gorge, Roger Verdegen, traveled the Verdon during some years with the aid of a craft made from animal hides and natural rubber. With the passing of the years, he wrote a work which has become reference material on the subject of the Gorge.

The hiking route

''From the chalet de la Maline to the Point Sublime, passing through Martel’s pathway with a detour via the Mescla.''
The Sentier Martel (Martel’s pathway) travels on near 15 kilometres of the river Verdon by its right bank from the entrance into the canyon (Point Sublime) up to the Chalet de la Maline. The journey can be made in either direction. The hike has its charm when going in both directions. It is however preferable, especially in summer, to leave from the Chalet-refuge de La Maline (accessed from Palud-sur-Verdon, Route des Crêtes) because of solar glare on the south-facing slope and in order to reach places on the strongest down-slope when descending. It is also the best route for photography, because of the sun’s transit. Two vehicles must also be planned for. One must leave a vehicle at the start (Parking of Chalet de la Maline) and another at the arrival (Parking of Couloir Samson, or Parking of the Point Sublime). For those having only one vehicle available, there is during the tourist season a taxi service which one can call by telephone from the Point Sublime (by mobile or from the Café-restaurant). The service consists of small mini-buses, which cost between 25 and 30 Euros. If there are several people, the price is devised by the number of people, in which case one can go from the Point Sublime to La Maline for 5 or 6 Euros (2004 summer price). Leaving very early in summer, some experienced hikers do the round trip by foot in 12 to 13 hours. In order to travel it in the direction from La Maline to Point Sublime, it is advisable to set aside 7 to 8 hours with the detour via la Mescla.

From La Maline, the route descends in hairpins to join the water at the Estellié ford (footbridge destroyed at the time of fierce floods in 1995, and reconstructed since). One passes the Ravin de Charençon, then a stairway allows one to pass over the line of rocks at the Pas d’Issabe. Not descending towards the footbridge, but continuing to the left in the direction of the Pré (meadow) d’Issane, which is a small pebble beach and the first place where one reaches the banks of the Verdon. One then arrives at the tight “Étroit des Cavaliers”, a passage clutched between cliffs of nearly 300 metres apart. The path continues along the rover before going back up towards the Guègues scree. Above the path, in the scree, a tunnel 1196 long metres is found which allows one, in the case of storms, to avoid the dangerous climbs of the Brèche Embert. (This tunnel is strongly unadvised, being long, very sombre and propped up in places). After the descent down the bank of Guègues, the big cave of Baume-aux-Bœfus is reached, after which one continues, to arrive, before la Brèche Imbert, at a cross-roads with signposting indicating “Mescla – 30 mins” or “Point Sublime”.
It is advised to make the detour by the magnificent site of la Mescla, where the Artuby river joints the Verdon. Looking up, one would certainly see people on the panoramic viewpoint of la Mescla 200 metres above. It is here that the Abbot Pascal, one of the Verdon’s pioneers, drowned in 1928.

One can often see here, if arriving early, waterfowl quenching their thirst in the emerald water of the river. When the water is deeper at the place where the Artuby flows into the Verdon, it is not rare to see large chubs swaying gently in the frozen water. This is an excellent place to stop, pause, recover and muse of the beauty of the place.
Coming back on footfalls, one takes the direction of the Point Sublime. Reach then in a short while the Brèche Embert (after a short but violent climb) and its 6 stairways, totalling 252 metallic steps to descend 100 metres of uneven stairway.

Thereafter, the route re-ascends along the Verdon, now very high above the course of the water, then very near, to arrive towards a beautiful pebble beach in the Baumes-Fères stream. This is an ideal place for a mid-day break and even a swim for those who like fresh water! From here, one can catch sight below and on the left of the majestic cliff of l’Escalès.

The hike continues to go along the river bed, now in the shadow of trees, then under the sun on stones. Shortly before the three tunnels pierced into the cliff-face, one will be able to see on the other bank the Tours de Trescaïre, two impressive monolithic pyramids.
We then arrive at the Tunnel des Baumes, which is the first in a series of three tunnels used for the Sentier Martel of the seven created at the time of the fitting-out. Leaving it to the left and continuing below the cliff, one arrives at a small metallic stairway which joins the exit of the Tunnel des Baumes.

It is then necessary to continue, to arrive at the Tunnel de Trescaïre, whose length is 110 metres. The passage through these three tunnels necessitates the carrying of a pocket lamp. It would also be good to take warm clothing. Indeed, the temperate inside contrasts the warmth of the exterior. One must pay attention to one’s footfall, because of large water puddles covering the ground at some points and it is not rare to stumble on parts of former rails or waste from former construction sites. These tunnels were conceived with regards to hydroelectric fittings-out which were abandoned after the Second World War.

At the exit of the Tunnel de Trescaïre, one can see the constriction of the Gorge between the cliff walls of l’Escalès to the left and the rock face of l’Encastel to the right. Then comes finally the last tunnel, the Tunnel du Baou, 670 metres in length. This tunnel is curved and a bit after its entrance at about 150 metres into the tunnel, one can access the Baume aux Pigeons by virtue of a window hollowed out in the rock. Unfortunately, the metallic stairway which allows the descent is decayed and the access has been closed off. One can only catch a glimpse.
At the exit of this last tunnel, Descend beside the Verdon to the place known as the “Solitary”, before going over the Baou via a new footbridge and ascending to the Parking of the Samson corridor. Then, if you don’t have a car parked at this car park, rejoin the Point Sublime by following to the end of the GR4 pathway which joins the cliff edge before ascending 1120 metres to the Parking du Point Sublime.

Recommendations

The Martel walkway is not difficult for those used to hiking, but it is important to be prudent and not to be afraid of walking. One must also think before leaving. In the middle of the journey, forwards or backwards, is the same journey.
It is therefore advisable to persist once underway. This hike is unadvisable for small children and dogs are forbidden on the route, at the risk of having them taken away. If one takes children, they must be obedient, at the risk of a fall, truly an accident.
'It is imperative:' to have good walking shoes, sun glasses, warm clothing, and a hat or a helmet (the sun is scorching sometimes).
'It is necessary to take:' 2 litres of drink per person at the least, some food, a good torch per person for the tunnels are dark, cold and humid, and a plastic bag to carry your leftovers and rubbish.
'For photography:' Some reserve film and spare batteries, for it would be a shame to run out and not be able to take photos.
Finally, some money for a taxi or a bus, in order to be able to return to the Maline and regain your vehicle (Point Sublime to La Palud to la Maline is 17 kilometres, after le Martel, which is hard without a taxi or bus).

Gallery

References

1. Le Verdon sauvé des volts Eliane Patriarca

External links

★ Les gorges du Verdon (in French)

★ Verdon Gorge: Picture Gallery