Gorges du Verdon
The Provence keeps surprising me. The area is so rich of culture, food, wine and nature. Take the gorgeous Gorges du Verdon. Last year we were lucky to explore this region with a group of friends as we all got together on a camping site in Gréoux-les-Bains. The scenery of canyons that were carved by the Verdon is absolutely amazing and a must see when you are around. Let me give you some tips to explore the Gorges du Verdon with kids.
Lac de Sainte-Croix
There are several lakes and gorges to admire, but Lac de Sainte-Croix is by far the biggest one. It is as if you’re looking at the fjords in Norway. You could make a lovely hike around here, like towards the Gorge de Caletty and the charming village Bauduen, or along the Gorges de Baudinard to end up having a wonderful panorama view on the gorges (tips from the great family friendly hiking book Dans le Verdon, by Le P’tit Crapahut.
The turquoise colored water invites you to do some water activities. It is a great place to rent a water bike or an electric boat. When your kids have the right age, you could go stand up paddle boarding or go for a canoe adventure.
Another wonderful lake is Lac d’Esparron. A bit smaller and slightly less crowded. This lake is near the village Greoux-les-Bains, where you will find several camping sites. Oh, and a breathtaking poppy field around May….
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
When you are exploring the Gorges du Verdon with kids, you actually can’t skip this lovely, touristy village. The village is most famous for its ‘Étoile de Moustiers’. This is a star hanging on a chain between to hills which is just a beautiful accent to the sky. There appears to be a legend, where in 1210 a local knight that was prisoned, promised he would return and hang the star as a tribute to Virgin Mary. Well, it is a beauty!
As well as the uphill village itself. Charming buildings, lovely boutiques, good ice cream shops and several restaurants. All surrounded by a waterfall, fountains and breathtaking hills and vallies. The kids will probably like the ice cream shops and fountains the most! As my kids are too young and reckless, I haven’t walked the path that leads to the ‘étoile’. My little hike bible describes this as a hike for kids over 9 years old, as the path is very rocky and the top is steep and dangerous.
Another cool thing we haven’t tried yet, is canyoning. The tourist office of the Gorges du Verdon is offering very adventurous family canyoning around Moustiers, even for kids from 6 years old. I have put it on my bucketlist!
Valensole
Now another activity that you actually can not miss when visiting between mid June and the end of July, is paying a visit to the incredibly wide and beautiful lavender fields on the plateau of Valensole. Valensole is only half an hour drive from Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon and 45 minutes from Aix-en-Provence. Not that my kids will like it, but this year they will just have to surrender and pose for some pictures on these amazing purple fields.
