The south of France is a world-class destination for canyoning and the Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence regions have some of the best descents. The stunning scenery, crystal clear water and the variety of the canyons attract both holiday makers looking for a challenging activity and serious canyoning enthusiasts alike.
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When’s the best time of year to go canyoning in the south of France?
Canyoning is a bit like off-piste skiing – there are fantastic days when everything is doable, and days when the canyons are either dry or swollen with whitewater. A flooded canyon is extremely dangerous – you can’t fight against fast flowing water. In spring, some canyons are doable no problem, yet others are fed from sources high up in the mountains and the water is pumping dangerously fast. These canyons are to be avoided at all costs. It all depends on the weather conditions over the previous few days. A sudden rise in temperature can mean more snowmelt. Similarly, a lot of rain in the mountains or a thunderstorm can also result in a rapid rise in the water level and dangerously high water in the canyons.
Do I need to take a guide?
Yes, it’s always best to go with a qualified guide. If you do decide to go it alone, even if you have lots of experience, it’s a good idea to check in with local guides on the current conditions. If you can’t do that, make sure you recce the start or end of a canyon to make an assessment of water levels and whether the route is doable.
There are lots of companies offering canyoning, but make sure your guide is properly certified with the brevet d’état so you can enjoy the day safely.
Where to go Canyoning in the south of France
Book a Canyoning Trip in the South of France
Our canyoning partners offer full-day and half-day canyoning adventures and cater to all abilities and group sizes. Canyoning adventures are staged in magnificent mountain terrain in remote locations. Take a guide, you’ll be safer and you’ll have a lot more fun.
Canyoning Guiding
Join an experienced guide for an unforgettable canyoning adventure, from Verdon to the Cote d’Azur. Whether it’s your first time, or you’ve been canyoning before, each descent is tailored to match your fitness level and ambition, ensuring an exciting and safe experience.
Jump, slide, and abseil down rocky waterfalls under the guidance of expert instructors who prioritise your safety and enjoyment. Book your canyoning trip today and experience the wild side of the South of France!
Alpes-Maritimes canyoning
Where the Alps meet the Mediterranean, steep slopes and fast running rivers have carved out deep canyons. Almost every valley leading to the sea has a canyon worth exploring. Add to this the glorious sunshine and a season that runs from April to October and you have a fantastic destination for your next canyoning holiday. The centre of canyoning in the Alpes Maritimes is the Roya Valley about an hour’s drive inland from Nice. This is where you’ll find the more adventurous descents.
1. Canyoning Maglia – Roya Valley
GPS coordinates: 43.943901, 7.516716
The vallée de la Roya in the massif du Mercantour is undoubtedly one of the best spots in France for canyoning and Maglia is one of the most popular canyons in the valley. With its turquoise water, jumps, slides and abseils, Maglia is one of the most technical and beautiful canyons in the Alpes Maritimes. To get the adrenalin pumping even more, you can extend the descent to include a 60m abseil. Located inland from Menton, close to Breil sur Roya.
2. Canyoning Cuébris – Esteron Valley
GPS coordinates: 43.874672, 7.008872
Cuébris is a more remote canyon and doesn’t get as busy others in the region. A 25 meter abseil near the beginning of the descent is followed by a walk through white water and jumps into crystal clear turquoise water. There’s nothing too difficult making it accessible to everyone. The Cuébris canyon is located near Roquesteron in the Esteron valley.
3. La Bollène canyon near Nice
GPS coordinates: 43.985134, 7.320124
The Bollène canyon near Nice in the Vésubie Valley in one of the most popular in the Cote d’Azur. The big attraction is the two big natural water slides, plus the usual canyoning features like jumps, white water and abseiling down waterfalls. You’ll need a full day for the Bollène descent. Located close to the village of Lantosque in the vallée de la Vésubie.
4. Canyoning Barbaira – Rochetta Nervina
GPS coordinates: 43.889881, 7.599422
Located across the Italian boarder, just 50 kms from Nice, the Barbaira canyon is a gem. Beautifully clear turquoise water, jumps, water slides and abseils down waterfalls all contribute to an unforgettable 4 hour descent. Barbaira is one of the most fun canyons in the region, yet it’s accessible to all, as the most challenging jumps and abseils aren’t compulsory. Head to the village of Rochetta Nervina by the Vintimille péage.
5. Canyoning Gorges du Loup
GPS coordinates: 43.738833, 7.000450
The Gorges du Loup canyon is an ideal introduction to canyoning. Located near Grasse, it’s the most well known whitewater scramble (randonnée aquatique) in the Alpes Maritimes. The Gorges du Loup canyon is a bit of a choose your own adventure in that there’s always an escape route if you choose not to tackle a feature. However, if you’re keen, there are some lovely jumps and slides, and the possibility to discover abseiling. The descent is suitable for kids from 6 years old.
6. Canyoning Gours du Ray – Gorges du Loup
GPS coordinates: 43.796355, 6.942364
The Gours du Ray is a beautiful canyon located above Gréolières in the Gorges du Loup valley. The canyon has everything you need from a descent – white water, jumps, slides and abseils. It’s a very accessible canyon and is suitable for everyone, adults and children alike. Although it’s a straightforward descent, it’s rarely visited which makes it feel like proper expedition, and a real escape from the busy coast.
7. Canyoning Cramassouri – Vallée de la Tinée
GPS coordinates: 43.931992, 7.175639
The Cramassouri canyon in the Tinée valley is superb for making the transition from white water scrambling to full on canyoning. On a 3 hour descent you’ll get progressively more challenging jumps, slides, and some abseiling making it great for families. A truly beautiful, yet very accessible canyon. Located 1 km beyond the village of La Courbaisse on the Route de la Tinée.
8. Canyoning Clue du Riolan, Sigale
Length: 2600 m
Vertical drop: 210 m
Descent time: 4 h 30 min
GPS coordinates: 43.885621, 6.936365
The Riolan in the Esteron Valley is without doubt one of Europe’s most beautiful canyons, a real jewel. It’s not a very difficult canyon, but it’s a long, feature packed descent that requires you to be physically fit. You’ll find jumps, slides, abseils and long sections of whitewater walking and swimming. The canyon is 2.6 km long, drops 210 m and takes about 5 hours to complete. There’s a 15 minute walk in and the exit is straightforward, with an 8 km loop back on the road to the start.
Alpes de Haute-Provence Canyoning
Where Provence meets the Alps, the Alpes de Haute-Provence department stretches from the Luberon in the west to the Mercantour National Park on the border with Italy. Steep mountain rivers fill with meltwater and carve out deep canyons, the most famous of which has to be the Gorges du Verdon, which at nearly half a kilometre deep has earned it the nickname of France’s Grand Canyon. Needless to say, opportunities for canyoning abound and you’ll find everything from leisurely aqua-randos to steep, technical descents suitable for experts only.
1. Canyoning in the Gorges du Verdon
GPS coordinates: 43.943901, 7.516716
There are more than 15 canyons in and around the Gorges du Verdon. Some, like the Artuby canyon flank the Verdon gorge itself. Others like the Baudan Baou canyon take a bit more effort to get to. Couloir Samson is a display of nature at its most sublime and is labelled a “rando-aquatique” as it doesn’t involve any rope work. A canyoning trip in the Gorges du Verdon is a great way to discover some of the more isolated and spectacular scenery. Canyoning season typically runs from May to September.
South of France Canyoning Accommodation
Here’s a few recommendation options for places to stay near the canyons in the South of France. Breil-sur-Roya is a good base for doing Maglia Canyon and other Mercantour NP activities. Hôtel Les Chamois in La Bollène-Vésubie is a good place to stay for Bollène Canyon. La Colle-sur-Loup has a number of good accommodation options if you want to stay near Les Gorges du Loup. And, Puget-Théniers and Puget-Rostang are both a short drive away from the Clue du Riolan.
Auberge du Col de Brouis
This eco-friendly guest house on the border of the Mercantour National Park is a great option for staying near Maglia Canyon. As well as canyoning, you can hike, bike and climb in the mountains around the auberge. Enjoy mountain views from the terrace.
Gite de l’Abondance
Soak up tranquil mountain views and enjoy homecooked meals at the Gite de L’abondance. In addition to canyoning at nearby Maglia Canyon, it’s a great base for a variety of activities including trekking, biking and climbing, and cross-country skiing in winter.
Please leave a comment below if you need specific advice for your canyoning trip to the South of France, or if you have any recommendations to help us improve this article. Bonnes vacances !
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