The Gorges du Verdon, one of Europe’s largest canyons, lend themselves to one of the most spectacular road loops in Provence: the Corniche Sublime on the south rim, the Route des Crêtes on the north rim, separated by the Verdon’s turquoise waters and Lac de Sainte-Croix.
A loop that rings the canyon
From Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, a village perched above Lac de Sainte-Croix, the loop follows the Corniche Sublime (D71) along the south rim, through Aiguines and its viewpoints over the Balcons de la Mescla, before joining the north rim via the Route des Crêtes (D23) above La Palud-sur-Verdon. Expect around 130 km and 2,000 m of cumulative elevation gain for the full loop, on a narrow, winding road that skirts vertiginous drops over the canyon in places.
Getting the ride right
The profile, made up of repeated short climbs rather than one long pass, calls for pacing the effort across the whole day rather than targeting a single high point. The road, busy with tourist traffic in summer, especially on the Corniche Sublime, is best ridden early in the morning to enjoy the viewpoints (Point Sublime, Balcons de la Mescla) with better visibility and less traffic.
When to go
April to October, with spring and early autumn preferable as they avoid both the summer heat and the peak tourist crowds on these narrow roads.
Good to know
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, ranked among the most beautiful villages in France, offers a good choice of accommodation, with convenient access to Castellane at the other end of the gorges for splitting the loop over two days if needed.
