Gorge Du Verdon - Get it on the bucket list! (1 Viewer)

[clanjones]

So, we are currently in to the 7th week away on a skiing and cycling trip. Skis have been put away and the tandem 'broken out' on the basis that the snow was disappearing fast only to wake up to snow on the mountains this morning! DOH.

We have wandered our way south stopping at Tallard, Forcalquier, Entrevaux and currently Castellane. We tend to stay for 4/5 nights and stay in ACSI sites and then do day rides. The current site, Camping La Ferme in Castellane costs 13Euro has free excellent wifi, barbecue pits, sitting out areas and peace and quiet! The best by far so far. I digress.

Yesterday we set off on the gorge du verdon ride and it was truly stunning. The photos don't really do it justice but I have posted a few. You can drive round it but I think you get a better perspective from the bike. The 'stoker' (my wife) takes photo's as we move along, sadly my head sometimes gets in the ways!

For the cyclists amongst you the distance was a shade over 70 miles with 9000 feet plus of climbing and plagiarized from else where, more hairpins than in Ena Sharples bathroom cupboard! If anyone want info on the tandem let me know.

Rest day today and moving on to Grasse tomorrow, hopefully to warmer temperature but also to get me some cycling leggings, my wife's long pink socks are not a great fashion accessory when cycling but they kept me warm yesterday!


View from north side


View on road from Castellane on North side


The Team - Just before descent to the Lac St Croix


Stunning view from the south side and after a long climb.


Don't Jump!


Still more climbing to do (The rock arches top left!)

 

[sylvester1954]

Was there last spring...stunning views a well kept tourist secret

 

[Hollyberry]

Stunning photos. Enjoy your trip, it sounds brilliant.

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[Yorick]

I found it by mistake a few years ago. We went to Gorge D'Ardeche but was French summer and was heaving. So went exploring elsewhere and found this place

 

[funflair]

RESPECT

Thats some hard climbing on a Tandem, did you go out the low side to the lake and back the high side (big climb from the lake to those arches in the rock).

We did it years ago but with full camping gear and mountain bikes as we flew in to Nice and the Tandem would be a bit long for the baggage carousel, we camped at Mustier St Marie so essentially did your trip in two days. After that we went up the Var and over the Col de St Catherine (I think) then Col de Turini (famous Monte Carlo Rally stage) eventually ending up in Monte Carlo on the harbour front and the only way out we could find to get back to Nice was through the Lowes tunnel without lights but plenty of horn beeping (them not us).

Martin

 

[Fletton]

Did the full circuit on my R1200GS...
2009 I think!..
deffo worth another visit

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[rb62]

Certainly an incredible place,went many years ago (twice!)in our camping days,stayed at a site just outside Forcalquier.The gorge was bad enough driving round in a car but cycling hope you were able to enjoy the view.

 

[DBK]

I've cycled the south side - what I remember was going east to west you have the drop very close to your elbow!

 

[clanjones]

Hi Martin - yes low side first - that was some trip of yours with camping gear! We saw some tourers and it looked really hard work, not that it wasn't on the tandem! We were going to move to Mustier St Marie and do the ride from there but we like it in Castellane so much we decided to do the ride from here anyway. One day I'll learn!

We are hoping to do a ride up to valberg north of Entrevaux but so far the weather hasn't been on our side and I left our bike snow chains at home!

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[suavecarve]

We did that and it is as scary and hard work as you suggest.
We did it in a Carioca 625 in 1.9 diesel though !

 

[dabhand]

Bloody hell, it was hard enough in the Motorhome!

 

[scotjimland]

Respect, with stunning photos, thank you for sharing.. inspirational..

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[Riverbankannie]

Funny, we were just putting this on our list of places to go to this year. Thanks for helping confirm decision. Cannot do it by bike though so will have to hope doable by 6.3 m PVC.

 

[clanjones]

Thanks guys love the comments, more than happy to post more photos as my navigator aka 'stoker' finds some more challenges! We have 2 more month's to go so there might be a few! (Must check the route climbs next time!)

 

[clanjones]

@Riverbankannie no probs in a PVC. There is also the route du cretes which is on the north side but was a shorter route. So we did the longer route don't ask me why!

Really recommend Camping a la Ferme in Castellane but there are loads of campsites

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[Carol]

Funny, we were just putting this on our list of places to go to this year. Thanks for helping confirm decision. Cannot do it by bike though so will have to hope doable by 6.3 m PVC.

We did it in the van 4 years ago, stunning, there is a camp site at the bottom were the turquoise water makes beautiful pools, perfect for lazy afternoons, if you have not been, a hairy road I know but worth every minute., one little memory we were on the camp site and heard a noise in the distance slowly getting louder, suddenly the air was full of sound as hundreds of goats were being driven down the gourge, I would not like to have been stuck behind them in the Motorhome/or bike, spectacular sight though.

 

[rb62]

@Riverbankannie no probs in a PVC. There is also the route du cretes which is on the north side but was a shorter route. So we did the longer route don't ask me why!

Really recommend Camping a la Ferme in Castellane but there are loads of campsites

If you get the chance to do the Route du Cretes do it,well worth it

also the Montagne de Lure.

 

[clanjones]

@rb62 funny you should mention Montagne du Lure! We were recommended a ride from Sisteron last year taking in Montagne du Lure by some French cyclists. A bit of a 'gut buster' but the descent was amazing!

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[rb62]

@rb62 funny you should mention Montagne du Lure! We were recommended a ride from Sisteron last year taking in Montagne du Lure by some French cyclists. A bit of a 'gut buster' but the descent was amazing!

Poor mans Ventoux but all the better for it,always deserted when we went and the views from the top were amazing

 

[Riverbankannie]

We did it in the van 4 years ago, stunning, there is a camp site at the bottom were the turquoise water makes beautiful pools, perfect for lazy afternoons, if you have not been, a hairy road I know but worth every minute., one little memory we were on the camp site and heard a noise in the distance slowly getting louder, suddenly the air was full of sound as hundreds of goats were being driven down the gourge, I would not like to have been stuck behind them in the Motorhome/or bike, spectacular sight though.

Is that Camping a La Ferme or a different one? Would I need to book in June ?

 

[magicsurfbus]

We were considering it on the way south a few weeks ago but I couldn't see many aires along the gorge on the CCI website - are there any?

I found it by mistake a few years ago. We went to Gorge D'Ardeche but was French summer and was heaving. So went exploring elsewhere and found this place

Ardeche Gorge is brilliant in Spring, just before the tourist season starts and before the river becomes wall-to-wall plastic goat boats kayaks full of braying tourists. We had the Pont d'Arc virtually to ourselves with free parking for two glorious days three years ago. Used the nearby aire at Vallons Pont d'Arc. Here's a phone panorama what I took:

Broken Link Removed

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[Carol]

Can't remember the name it's right at the bottom of the pass, not the one in the town, I'll look see if I can find it, it's in a forest like area with the river running through, lots of space, we did not book, but we never do, never know how long we will want to stay anywhere .

Is that Camping a La Ferme or a different one? Would I need to book in June ?

 

[deleted-member02]

The aire in Castellane isn't too bad for an overnight stop either (Camper Contact 2342)
Town's a few minutes walk, most shops have a 'new age' feel about them, reminded me of Glastonbury High Street!
Lac Sainte Croix, at the other end of the gorges is simply unmissable