Photo : kallerna / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Canyon du verdon
The Verdon gorges, often called the Grand Canyon of the Verdon, stretch for about 25 kilometres between the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and the Var. Their depth can reach 700 metres, and their width varies from 6 to 100 metres at the bottom and from 200 to 1,500 metres at the top. The site has been protected since 1990 and is part of the Verdon Regional Nature Park.
The canyon owes its popular name to Édouard-Alfred Martel, who led the first complete descent in 1905 and after whom the trail is named. Among the curiosities are the Styx, a sort of mini-canyon within the canyon, and the Imbut, a narrow passage where the river disappears beneath the rocks. The Point Sublime viewpoint was developed in 1929-1930, at a time when tourism was growing thanks to roads and strong promotion.
The site offers many activities: hiking, climbing (more than 2,500 routes), canoeing-kayaking, paragliding, rafting and canyoning.
