Provence: Luberon and Verdon

Before you go

• The Verdon Gorge is about 25 km long and up to 700 m deep, between Castellane and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, in the départements of Var and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.
• The right bank is reached by the D952 from Castellane. The left bank is reached by the D71, D90 and D955 from Aiguines. Plan both sides as separate drives.
• The Luberon rises to 1,125 m at the Mourre Nègre and has three ranges: the Petit Luberon, the Grand Luberon and the Eastern Luberon. Villages include Gordes, Roussillon and Ménerbes.

Planning

The Luberon massif stretches about 75 km from west to east, from Cavaillon to Forcalquier, in central Provence. Its valleys hold towns, villages and farmland between the ranges. The Verdon Gorge lies further east and can be seen from both banks, with the Lac de Sainte-Croix at its western end. The lake was created in 1973 and flooded the old village of Les Salles-sur-Verdon, which was rebuilt higher up.

Camping and access

In the protected areas of the Verdon, the local tourist board states that camping in any type of shelter is prohibited, including wild camping in a motorhome, trailer or rooftop tent. For the Luberon, check overnight and fire-risk rules with the municipality and the regional nature park. The gorge draws climbers, hikers and paddlers, and the rim roads are busy. In the main season pick campsites or motorhome areas ahead and confirm road conditions for long vehicles.

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