Gorges du Verdon
Verdon Gorge is a deep gorge that the Verdon River has cut through the surrounding cliffs. As it is the largest gorge in Europe, it is sometimes referred to as Europe’s Grand Canyon.
General information
The Verdon Gorge is located high in the mountains of Provence. The river, cutting its way through the limestone plateau, has created one of the wonders of nature. The riverbed runs between limestone cliffs that form a gorge, which in some places is up to 800 meters deep and 21 kilometers long. There are roads on both sides of the gorge. The river meanders far below and flows into the artificial lake Lac de St. Croix.
.This gorge is the largest in Europe, sometimes called Europe’s Grand Canyon. The waters of the river cut through the soft limestone rock over 25 million years. The water gradually seeped through the limestone plateau deposits, carving out caves and tunnels. Gradually, these cavities became larger and larger, and finally the roof of the plateau collapsed, forming a spectacular gorge that resembles the letter “V” in section. In some places the walls of the gorge diverge for 1500 meters, but at the bottom, where the river flows, its bed sometimes narrows to 6 meters. In 1997, the Verdon Regional Nature Park was established to protect this unique gorge..
In 1905, speleologist Edouard Alfred Martel led an expedition to explore this area, which was hardly known to anyone except the locals. The gorge quickly became famous among tourists; today you can stop at special viewing platforms, admiring the views far below. North of the lookout, the road has been paved specifically to allow passersby to view the gorge, but drivers need to keep their eyes on the highway!
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