When I was planning our recent trip to France as soon as I saw a photo of Gorges du Verdon I knew I had to go there. The entire rest of the trip was planned around it. Today I’m going to share that plan with you. I’ll show you the route we took, how we got there, and our biggest tip for the area. I’ll also share with you ways you can get there that aren’t what we did, but might be right for you.
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The Best Way to Visit Gorges du Verdon
Drive it from Nice!
So let’s get right to it. The absolute best way to get to Gorges du Verdon is to drive it. France is not a difficult country to drive in and you will love the flexibility. However, if me telling you to drive it has you freaking out and panicking, don’t run away, there are other ways to get there and I’ve got them for you below.
Other (less awesome) Ways to Visit
Take a Tour
Whenever I don’t feel comfortable driving myself somewhere a tour is my next choice. Be sure you book this early because tours sell out! Personally, I’m a fan of small tours, the smaller the better.
Top Tip:
Small group tours that stick to a small area will let you have the most bang for your buck!
Take a Train (or other public transport)
Definitely not my first choice, but you can take a train or bus all the way from Paris. This will take a while so consider flying first to Nice and taking the train or bus from there. Use Trainline to plan your trip!
When to Visit
Now, let’s talk about when you should visit. This is obviously a place with lovely water, so you want to go when it’s warm enough to enjoy it. We went in late June and it was still a little chilly for swimming.
If you can go later, such as late July/August that would probably be better. However, you’re going to encounter some crowds but it won’t be too bad.
However, if you want to also visit the lavender fields when they are in bloom, then you will need to visit from mid June through July.
Where to Stay
I’m not a huge fan of hotels so you will rarely see me recommending one, I use VRBO a lot and I’m a big fan of it. The place we stayed was a little apartment with everything we needed right in Moustiers Sainte Marie. To get the most of your time, plan to spend at least a couple of nights (if you can!).
What Else to See Nearby
Another reason I suggest driving and staying the area is because there’s more to see! Here’s our favorites…
Lavender & Sunflower Fields
First up, the lavender fields are an easy day trip from Moustiers Sainte Marie (the town you should stay in) and really, you don’t have to go far to get to them. They start right outside of the town. As a bonus, there are also giant sunflowers too!
Moustiers Sainte Marie
This is the village you should stay in when visiting the Gorges. It is small, has adorable shops, and right next to the gorge.
Le Salle Sur Verdon
I talk about this one more below, but head here to rent boats!
Our Biggest Tip for Visiting Gorges du Verdon
Now, if you’ve done any research on the Gorges then you know you have to rent a boat, kayak, or paddle boat and get on the water. This is a must do, however, don’t do it right next to the bridge (it’s pricey).
Instead, head to Le Salles Sur Verdon and rent a boat there. It will cost you the same amount (maybe less) to rent a boat for much longer than you get next to the bridge. You do need cash and you will need the boat for longer if you plan to get to the gorge because this farther away.
We rented a small boat for 3 hours one day and were able to go to the gorge, inside it, then back, and still have time to just hang out on the water. It also cost less to rent the boat here for 3 hours than it does to rent it next to the bridge for an hour. Yes, you read that right.
The first day we were there I wanted to just rent a paddle boat as soon as possible and get on the water so we did and it was pricey so we did it for the shortest amount of time. We wanted to spend more time on the water and get away from the crowds a bit so we drove out and found this little town.
So, if you take nothing else from this post, take this: rent a boat in Le Salles Sur Verdon (put it in google maps and it will come up). Take cash and spend about 100 euro for several hours instead of $50 for 30min.
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