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Holidays

Verdon Gorge - Europe's Grand Canyon

France
2 reviews
Available Departures: Apr, May, Aug, Sep

8 days from

US$2,725

without flights
Walk & Trek
Guided Group
MODERATE MODERATE

Walk the famous GR4 in France and discover the largest canyon in Europe

Trip Code: VER
Holiday Grades
          

Our Holiday Grades Explained

To show the relative difficulty of our holidays, each trip is graded on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most challenging. Although we have tried to make our grading system as clear as possible, it cannot take into account your personal interests, abilities or experience. If you have any questions about the nature of a particular trip or its suitability for you, please read the 'Is this holiday for you?' section or contact us.

 1 - 3 LEISURELY
1 - 3 LEISURELY

Suitable for most people in good health, holidays at this grade include only limited amounts of activity.

View leisurely holidays
4 - 6 MODERATE
4 - 6 MODERATE

Suitable for reasonably fit individuals, such as weekend walkers and cyclists. There can be the occasional more difficult day.

View moderate holidays
7 - 9 CHALLENGING
7 - 9 CHALLENGING

Physically challenging holidays, where you need to be prepared before you go.

View challenging holidays
10 - 12 TOUGH
10 - 12 TOUGH

Our toughest holidays, involving many long days, often in isolated areas. A high level of fitness and previous wilderness and mountain experience is essential.

View Tough holidays

Verdon Gorge - Europe's Grand Canyon

Highlights
  • Dramatic landscapes and picturesque provencal villages
  • Enjoy characterful accommodation and sample the wine and food of Provence
  • Verdon Gorge National Park; an UNESCO listed site
  • Wander past lavender fields and olive groves

At a Glance
  • Group Size 5 to 10
  • 5 days trekking
  • Max altitude - 1412 metres
  • Join In Saint André Les Alpes

Accommodation & Meals
  • 7 Breakfasts
  • 7 Dinners
  • 7 nights Hotel
Overview

This stunning walking holiday through Europe’s most beautiful river canyon takes in some truly dramatic scenery and offers a colourful and genuine flavour of Provence. The gorge itself is around 25 kilometers long; the bottom 8m to 90m wide, while the rims are 200m to 1500m apart! The National Regional Park of Verdon was created in 1997 to protect an environment that has evolved over two million years and also prides itself in being labelled a UNESCO World Heritage Site as the largest geological reserve in Europe. We’ll explore the gorge and its charming surrounding area with a variety of beautiful walks! The most impressive section lies between the medieval towns of Castellane and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie where the river has cut an impressive ravine into the limestone, reaching down to a jaw dropping 700m deep in places.


This superb walking journey shows us the very best of Provence, a region filled with picturesque villages, crystal clear rivers, towering rock formations, hidden tunnels, meandering rocky ladders, glorious views and some of the best food and wine in the world, including a night in the famous and beautiful medieval village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie and concluding perfectly in the ancient Roman town of Gréoux-les-Bains.

Is this holiday for you?

All six days of walking are moderately paced with time available for photo stops and occasionally simply ‘taking in the view’. However each of the days are a reasonable length, typically 7 – 8 hours of walking and so a good base level of fitness is required. Your main bag will be transferred for you, meaning you only need to carry what you require for each day.

All six days of walking are moderately paced with time available for photo stops and occasionally simply ‘taking in the view’. However each of the days are a reasonable length, typically 7 – 8 hours of walking and so a good base level of fitness is required. Your main bag will be transferred for you, meaning you only need to carry what you require for each day.

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Itinerary

We will meet at the group hotel in Saint André Les Alpes. Saint André is a quiet, local Provençal village and rests on a 12th century medieval castle built by the Templar Knights. KE Land Only package services begin with the overnight at the hotel.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

D

After breakfast our walk begins with a steady ascent through beautiful woodland and out into high meadows, from here we are rewarded with wonderful views out onto the Lac de Castillon and back towards the peaks of Haute Provence. We head up over the limestone plateau - reaching our highest point of the trip at 1412m. From here we descend to join the Voie Imperiale; a trail used by Napoleon on his return from Elba, in March 1815. After around a further hour of walking we reach the village of Castellane. Depending on our arrival time, there is also the option to walk up to the 'Notre Dame de Roc', from here we gain commanding views of Castellane and the Verdon River.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B D

Ascent

750 M

Descent

950 M

Time

6 hrs walking

Distance

24 KM

We leave Castellane and join the famous GR4; this follows the old route used by the Romans to reach Lyon. We climb for a short while up to a balcony trail; from here we can look down on the trail leading out ahead of us. As we continue along the Verdon valley we find ourselves surrounded by rocky outcrops and passing through unspoilt peaceful hamlets, we stop at one of these for lunch; the beautiful Chasteuil. There will also be the opportunity to buy soaps, balms and oils here, all made with lavender which is grown locally - provence's perfume. We now climb again up to a plateau at 1228m and continue onto the village of Rougon, where we can take a break and sample the crepes and ice cream; if we're lucky we might catch a sight of a Griffon Vulture soaring overhead. From here it is a short descent to our hotel for the night in Point Sublime.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B D

Ascent

700 M

Descent

650 M

Time

6 - 7 hrs walking

Distance

23 KM

Today we enter the famous 'Grand Canyon of Europe' -The trail today is a little more challenging underfoot. Once we have accessed the Couloir Samson we descend toward the river along the steep walls of the gorge, to join what is known as the 'Martel Trail'. We are then surrounded by stunning limestone walls and towering cliffs. Our trail works its way along the gorge passing fantastic view points and perfect riverside picnic places. A couple of other highlights of the day include a 650m tunnel straight through the rock and an impressive stairway. A final pull up and we exit the gorge; just a little way from the Chalet de la Maline bar and if time allows we can stop for a rest here and have a well-earned drink - while looking out on the breath taking panorama. We then take a short transfer to the lovely Provencal village of la Palud where we spend the night.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B D

Ascent

550 M

Descent

600 M

Time

7 hrs walking

Distance

16 KM

Firstly into the pine tree forest of Col de Plain Voir and up to a most memorable viewpoint above the turquoise lake of Saint Croix. We continue on through giant limestone crags and rock towers over the Crete de l'Ourbes, to reach 1213m. A relativly steep descent follows, which brings us down to the picturesque village of Moustiers Ste Marie. Steeped in the history of the Knights Templar Moustiers, it is truly a gem of a village; totally Provencal in its nature and character and with many lovely cafes, art workshops and galleries.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B D

Ascent

750 M

Descent

1000 M

Time

6 - 7 hrs walking

Distance

19 KM

Today we literally climb a mountain, Le Grand Marges, which is a stunning view point above the beautiful quaint village of Aiguines. We begin with a short transfer (30 minutes) to the village of Aiguines where we begin our hike. Aiguines, situated on a hillside, is a very traditional French village with its own privately-owned chateau, dating back to the Renaissance. The village is also well known for its crafts and wood workers. Our climb is rocky but steady and the views at the summit, 1576 metres, are wonderful. You can see Sainte-Croix lake, the Valensole plateau, the lower part of the Verdon gorges, the Digne and Castellane pre-Alps, including the Lachens mountain, the top of the Var region. Well worth the effort of getting there. Our route home is back along our ascent trail. You may want to sit out this day and enjoy spending time exploring Moustiers Sainte Marie and perhaps hiking up to the historic chapel above the village. We overnight once again in Moustiers.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B D

Ascent

798 M

Descent

798 M

Time

6 hrs walking

Distance

9 KM

This morning we travel to the old village of Quinson, just 35 minutes from Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. We have a stunning circular hike today as we explore the Basses Gorges du Verdon, the lower gorges of the Verdon river. The lower gorges have a fascinating history as humans in prehistoric times settled here in a number of caves and there is a museum in Quinson which details these communities. It does in fact claim to be the largest prehistoric museum in Europe. We will also hike along the old Verdon Canal path which was constructed in 1865 and used until the 20th century to direct the flow of water to Aix-en-Provence. Along the way we wander through the oak trees which supplied the raw material for the local charcoal industry. This walk is pure pleasure as we continue along the Lower Verdon Gorge with its turquoise water, dreamy pools, and peaceful coves before heading upwards to a high point above the gorge at the ancient chapel of St Maxime. At the end of the day we will take a private transfer from the village of Quinson to our overnight accommodation in the ancient and very lovely village of Gréoux-les-Bains. The village has many shops and cafes and is a wonderful place to end our traverse of the Verdon Gorge.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B D

Ascent

300 M

Descent

420 M

Time

5 hours walking

Distance

12 KM

KE Land Only packages end after breakfast at the hotel.

Meals

B
Download Trip Notes
The Route
Point Point
Airport Airport
Direction Direction
Polyline

Essential Information

We've compiled some of our Frequently Asked Questions to help you learn more about this amazing trip.

  • A professional English-speaking guide
  • All accommodation as described in the trip dossier
  • Services of a support vehicle for baggage transfers

  • Travel Insurance
  • Lunches
  • Visa fees (if applicable)
  • Airport transfers
  • Miscellaneous personal expenses


TRAVEL TO YOUR DESTINATION

In some cases you may choose to take a ferry and/or train to your holiday start and end destination. Please see further information on Travelling by Train.

If flying from the UK there are low cost airlines available to the start and from the end of your holiday.

To benefit from full financial protection, ease your holiday planning, and avoid dealing with airlines, we can book scheduled flights from the UK as part of a flight inclusive package. Scheduled flights are usually more expensive than low cost alternatives, however potentially less stressful if your flight is cancelled or delayed. If you book flights through KE Adventure Travel we will offset the carbon of your flight.

There are no group transfers for this trip, the group will meet at the group hotel in Saint André Les Alpes.

The most convenient airport is Nice. From Nice there is a spectacular train ride to the start of your trip at St Andre. It is on one of the very few private railways in France and with trains running four times a day it is an easy way to get to the start. It is also excellent value for money being about 18 Euros per person for a single journey of about 2.5 hrs. Please note that it is not possible to book these train tickets in advance and it is very easy to purchase these at the station; the timetable for the train service from Nice to Saint André Les Alpes on the historic Train des Pignes can be found here - http://tourisme.trainprovence.com/horaires-et-tarifs/?lang=en

To reach Nice train station from the airport either take a taxi from the arrivals areas costing about 30 Euros or if you have time use the local bus service costing 4 Euros per person. Previously we have used bus No. 23, but there maybe others that go there too.

The welcome meeting at your accommodation will be at 7pm followed by the evening meal.

At the end of the walk in Greoux-les-Bains there are several methods for onward travel. Marseilles is the closest airport but there are also options to return back to Nice plus an easy bus ride reaches Manosque where connections are possible across France including the near by Luberon region. Marseille airport is 1hr by road and 2hrs by train, Nice airport 2hrs by road and 3h30 by train.

If you have any problems on arrival please contact your leader (exact details will be sent prior to departure).

All breakfasts and dinners are included from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 6. Lunches are not included.

Water from the taps is perfectly drinkable on this holiday - please use this to fill your personal bottles for your daily activities. We do not encourage the purchase of single use plastic bottles.

In this beautiful area it is only fitting that the food come up to the same standards. Breakfasts will be continental style with French breads and pastries, lunch is an occasion as well as a meal with different types of fougasse (Provencal local flat bread with different fillings; olive/ham/cheese/sausage/herbs) , fresh fish and local dishes flavoured with provencal herbs . Evening meals will also be locally sourced food as much as possible, a particular highlight is the homemade hearty pesto / vegetable soup at the Auberge Pointe Sublime - local wine also available to buy every evening if you wish! With ice cream and crepes as possible additional snacks en route, you most certainly will not be going hungry.

The group will be led by an experienced and qualified mountain leader.

This holiday does not involve any significant ascent to altitude and we would not expect any altitude issues with this trip.

All breakfasts and dinners are included in the holiday price. For the non included meals we suggest you budget around 25 Euros meal.  You should also make your normal allowance for extra drinks and snacks etc as you would on any European holiday. In total we would expect 225 - 275 Euros to cover all miscellaneous personal expenditure.

There is no weight restriction as such on this holiday other than that imposed by your international carrier (normally 20kg). However, we do ask you to restrict your luggage to one trek bag/suitcase and one small daypack per person.

For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in ‘Dates and Prices’ table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements.

The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required, and you should have at least 2 blank pages for each country that you visit.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Please ensure that you check for the latest advice before travel. For the most up to date information on entry requirements, please visit the UK Government website.

If you have a severe allergy please inform the KE office before you travel. We will do all we can to help, but we cannot guarantee an allergy free environment on KE trips. You will need to carry your own treatment for the allergy with you, as 'adrenaline auto-injectors' are not carried as standard by KE leaders and staff. You should inform your leader on arrival of your allergy, and let them know where you keep your adrenaline pen.

Vaccinations

You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations.

GHIC / Medical cover

UK residents should carry a free Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment when you're visiting an EU country or Switzerland. This is not a substitute for medical travel insurance which is vital when travelling overseas.

The currency for part or all of this holiday is the Euro.

It makes a lot of sense to spend some time before coming on a trekking or climbing trip getting some additional exercise. The fitter you are, after all, the more enjoyable you will find the experience. For this trip you need to be aerobically fit and also capable for walking up to 7 or 8 hours each day for four days continuously. We would suggest that you adopt a weekly exercise regime.

Temperatures in this area of France, range from daily highs of 17°-21°C (63°-71°F) in April, and May, to daily lows of 5-9°C (41°-48°F) . In September and August the daily temperature ranges from an average 24-29°C (76°-84°F), down to 11-15°C (53°-59°F). 

At these times of year the days are often clear and sunny, however, as is not unusual in mountainous areas, this can mean that storms build up in the late afternoon.

As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ‘Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCDO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips.

KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe.  Should the FCDO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation.  We receive regular updates direct from the FCDO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground.  If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

KE do not encourage the use of single use plastic items. We are ensuring that our agents all over the world are working together to reduce the problem and educate those around them. We are leading by example in our KE office by reducing our plastic use.

It is an essential condition of joining a holiday with KE Adventure Travel that you have a valid travel insurance policy to cover the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation.  When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.

For appropriate insurance cover we recommend Campbell Irvine Direct.  Please go to our Travel Insurance page for further information and to get a quote.

This holiday is part of our Explore International range. Participants on these trips can book through KE or through one of our international partners. This helps us to gather together sufficient numbers of like-minded adventurers to get your holiday up and running quickly. Led by an English-speaking guide, the cosmopolitan nature of these groups can be an important part of the experience!

The following checklist should help you with your packing. As a general rule, you should always try to keep the weight of your equipment to a minimum.

You must bring the following items:

  • Hiking boots

  • Trainers or sandals

  • Socks Underwear

  • Trekking trousers

  • Waterproof jacket

  • Waterproof overtrousers

  • T-shirts and/or casual shirts

  • Fleece jacket or warm jumper

  • Sunhat

  • Warm hat

  • Gloves

  • Sunglasses

  • Daypack 30 litres (and a way of keeping the contents dry)

  • Headtorch and spare batteries

  • Sun protection (including for lips)

  • Water bottles 1 litre x2 (we encourage re-filling water bottles rather than single use plastic)

  • Washbag and toiletries

  • Antibacterial handwash

  • Swimwear

  • Small towel

  • Basic First Aid Kit including: Antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhoea treatment (Imodium), painkillers, plasters, blister treatment, insect repellent, and re-hydration salts (Dioralite). Glucose tablets and multi-vitamin tablets.

The following items are optional:

  • Gaiters

  • Trekking poles

  • Shorts / Skort (though preferable in the hotter summer months)

  • Camera

  • Spare laces

  • Small padlock (to lock your KE trek bag)

  • Reusable cloth bag for shopping (to avoid plastic bags)

Note:

We do ask you to restrict your luggage to one trek bag and one small daypack, however. Please bear in mind that you will have to carry your own bags for short distances. Some clients have found wheeled luggage to be more useful on this trip rather than a kit bag.

Cotswold Outdoor Red PantonMany of the Equipment items listed above are available from Cotswold Outdoor - our 'Official Recommended Outdoor Retailer'. When you book a holiday with KE you will receive 12.5% discount voucher from Cotswold Outdoor and other retailers.
>> Find out more

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 from 2 reviews

Lovely short trek ★★★★

We had four days of lovely walking, expertly led by Emma. The day through the gorge itself was great fun, with tunnels and impressive staircases to negotiate - we even had lunch on the beach too. It was so much more satisfying to do it as part of a longer point-to-point trek because there was plenty of variety of terrain on the other days to enjoy. The variety of small hotels we stayed in, some more idiosyncratic than others, all added to the charm. It turned out that lunch options mainly involv ed getting to the minimart or boulangerie first thing in the morning and this worked better than I had anticipated.
The travel arrangements for this trip took a while to research and sort out. Getting to the start wasn't too bad and the train trip was well worth doing. For the benefit of others, the 13:05 from Nice works best but note you can't buy tickets in advance and there's no left-luggage facility at the terminus. However, it's a shame that onward travel from Moustiers seems to involve an expensive taxi ride whatever you do. Our option (not mentioned in the trip notes) was to catch the airport shuttle from Manosque to Marseilles because the flight timings worked better and you can buy tickets for this online. Perhaps a group transfer back to Digne or Saint Andre might work better.
By Adventure from WORCESTER | 08 June 2016

Fantastic, fun, beautiful trip with an amazing guide! (Emma) ★★★★★

This trip was even more than I'd hoped for! I loved that it was "inn to inn" so that I only had a day pack and got to sleep in a bed! The little villages we stayed in were pretty and interesting. The hike

By Elizabeth from Chapel Hill | 19 May 2016

Traveller Reviews
4.5 out of 5 from 2 reviews

Lovely short trek
★ ★ ★ ★
We had four days of lovely walking, expertly led by Emma. The day through the gorge itself was great fun, with tunnels and impressive staircases to negotiate - we even had lunch on the beach too. It was so much more satisfying to do it as part of a longer point-to-point trek because there was plenty of variety of terrain on the other days to enjoy. The variety of small hotels we stayed in, some more idiosyncratic than others, all added to the charm. It turned out that lunch options mainly involv ed getting to the minimart or boulangerie first thing in the morning and this worked better than I had anticipated.
The travel arrangements for this trip took a while to research and sort out. Getting to the start wasn't too bad and the train trip was well worth doing. For the benefit of others, the 13:05 from Nice works best but note you can't buy tickets in advance and there's no left-luggage facility at the terminus. However, it's a shame that onward travel from Moustiers seems to involve an expensive taxi ride whatever you do. Our option (not mentioned in the trip notes) was to catch the airport shuttle from Manosque to Marseilles because the flight timings worked better and you can buy tickets for this online. Perhaps a group transfer back to Digne or Saint Andre might work better.
By Adventure from WORCESTER | 08 June 2016

Fantastic, fun, beautiful trip with an amazing guide! (Emma)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

This trip was even more than I'd hoped for! I loved that it was "inn to inn" so that I only had a day pack and got to sleep in a bed! The little villages we stayed in were pretty and interesting. The hike

By Elizabeth from Chapel Hill | 19 May 2016

DATES & PRICES

Private Departure?

Gather a few friends, family or club and take over your own departure.

2025

Dates

Adults from

Deposit

Status

More Information

  • Verdon Gorge - Europe's Grand Canyon
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: VER /01/25/
  • This trip begins on Sat 26 Apr and ends on Sat 3 May
  • This departure is available to book. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$600
  • Single Supplement Price: US$680 - Includes all 7 hotel nights - single rooms are limited
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Verdon Gorge - Europe's Grand Canyon
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: VER /02/25/
  • This trip begins on Sat 17 May and ends on Sat 24 May
  • This departure is available to book. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$600
  • Single Supplement Price: US$680 - Includes all 7 hotel nights - single rooms are limited
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Verdon Gorge - Europe's Grand Canyon
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: VER /03/25/
  • This trip begins on Sat 30 Aug and ends on Sat 6 Sep
  • This departure is guaranteed. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$600
  • Single Supplement Price: US$680 - Includes all 7 hotel nights - single rooms are limited
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Verdon Gorge - Europe's Grand Canyon
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: VER /04/25/
  • This trip begins on Sat 13 Sep and ends on Sat 20 Sep
  • This departure is available to book. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$600
  • Single Supplement Price: US$680 - Includes all 7 hotel nights - single rooms are limited
  • Download Trip Notes

Land Only Information

We sell this holiday on a Land Only basis and recommend that you book your flights to Nice Airport which is approximately a 2.5 hour train journey from Saint André Les Alpes. Please refer to the 'Joining arrangements and transfers' for further details.

Flights SHOULD NOT be booked until you have received your booking confirmation and the departure is showing 'Guaranteed to Run' or 'Limited'.

If flying from the UK there are a number of low cost airlines offering flights to Nice. These include Easyjet who have flights from London, Bristol, Liverpool, Newcastle & Edinburgh and Jet2 who have flights from Manchester and Leeds Bradford.

If you would prefer to book a 'flight inclusive package' using scheduled airlines from the UK please contact our flights department for a quote. Whilst flight prices are likely to be more expensive you will benefit from full financial protection.

ZEN_HOLIDAY_DATES_PRICES_LAND_ONLY_USD_NOTICE

BOOK WITH KE CONFIDENCE - No surcharge guarantee

The price of our holidays can change depending on a variety of factors but unlike some other tour operators, KE have undertaken to guarantee the Land Only price of your holiday will not change after you have booked. The price when you book is the price you will pay, whether you are booking for this year or the next. Book early to avoid any tour price increases, get the best flight prices and take advantage of our 'No Surcharge Guarantee'.

KE Adventure is a fully bonded tour operator. We hold an ATOL license (No: 2808) and are bonded with ABTA (Membership No: W4341)


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