In short: dizzying gorges, perched villages, lavender, thermal baths, and starry skies… The Verdon is a concentration of all the Provençal grandeur in a single territory.
A territory shaped by rock and time
The Verdon Regional Natural Park spans over 180,000 hectares between the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Var, where the Mediterranean flirts with the alpine reliefs. At the center of this geological mosaic, the Verdon has carved, meter by meter, its spectacular bed into the limestone. This millennia-old erosion has given birth to one of the jewels of the South: the Verdon gorges, with cliffs sometimes plunging more than 700 meters deep.
Three massifs dominate the region: Montdenier (1750 m), Chiran (1905 m), and Mourre de Chanier, the park’s highest point at 1930 meters. Their silhouettes watch over isolated valleys where nature reclaims its rights. This rugged relief also hosts a vital resource for Provence: an essential drinking water reserve, captured in retention lakes such as Castillon and Chaudanne.
An inky sky for star dreamers
Protected from light pollution, the park has become a key site for astronomical observation. On clear nights, the gaze soars towards the constellations with nothing but the silence of the mountains in between. Several villages organize starry nights, blending tales, night walks, and telescopes focused on the rings of Saturn or the Milky Way.
A living heritage between lavender and thermalism
The Valensole plateau, covered in a blanket of lavender and durum wheat, offers one of the most beautiful color palettes of Provence in summer. This agricultural landscape is anything but natural: it is the result of tireless work on a layer of pebbles millions of years old. The eye embraces infinity from the villages clinging to the heights, like Riez, whose Roman ruins recall another era.
In Gréoux-les-Bains, dubbed by Giono as “the romantic oasis of the Verdon,” water gushes at over 42°C. The thermal baths have attracted visitors since antiquity. The Templar castle, perched above the town, reminds us that this territory was also strategic.
Villages rooted in rock
Forty-six municipalities make up this contrasting territory, between fragrant hills and steep cliffs. Castellane, an emblematic stop on the Napoleon route, charms with its essence of an ancient Provençal village: cobblestone streets, fortified doors, fountains. From the Notre-Dame du Roc chapel, the view of the meanders of the Verdon justifies the ascent.
Esparron-de-Verdon clings above its lake, offering a spectacular panorama for lovers of untouched nature. In Comps-sur-Artuby, the Saint-André chapel is a testament to a piety rooted in stone. Each place holds its unique characteristics, always linked to the climate, topography, and collective memory.
Rare species in a biodiversity treasure
The Verdon contains nearly a third of French plant species. Holm oaks and kermes oaks line the rivers, remnants of the time when charcoal production dominated the local economy. One might spot ocellated lizards, great bustards, or griffon vultures, often seen soaring above the cliffs.
Of the 32 species of bats recorded in France, 22 live in the park. Wildlife enthusiasts can also hope to observe freshwater fish full of activity at the edges of the lakes. The Sainte-Croix lake, in particular, is a privileged spot for this aquatic biodiversity.
Breathtaking activities and landscapes
Between cliffs and calm waters, the Verdon Regional Natural Park delights with the variety of its activities. Canoeists weave through the sportiest sections of the Verdon while families and curious adventurers venture onto the lakes in kayaks or pedalos.
Hikers traverse the marked trails of the park, from the crests of Mourre de Chanier to the gentler valleys. Some paths cross the areas classified as “remarkable biodiversity”, offering a true natural spectacle to those who take the time to observe it.
An invitation to slow down
The Verdon is not a frozen backdrop. It is a living territory, rural, deeply inhabited. With a detour, a farmers’ market, or a conversation in the shade of a plane tree, visitors can feel the locals’ attachment to this rough and generous land.
The warmth of the climate, the slowness of the villages, and the power of the landscapes give the Verdon Regional Natural Park a timeless dimension. A destination where one lingers, not to check off places on a map, but to reconnect with the simplicity of a landscape that man has managed to tame without dominating it.
