Castellane is a small medieval town in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, dominated by ‘the Rock’ (Roc Notre-Dame). Climbing it is a nice activity and fairly accessible to all ages – with the reward of a panoramic view of the whole region and the ruins of the ancient town of Castellane up there to explore.
But Castellane is really known as a base to explore the Gorges du Verdon, sometimes called ‘the Grand Canyon of Europe’. Lots of water-based adventure sports are of course available here, white-water rafting and canoeing foremost among them. There are also several lakes in the area, including Lac de Sainte Croix and Lac de Castillon, where more sedate boating and kayaking activities are available.
You can do a day hike through the canyon, with a great mix of paths, steps, tunnels and some basic via ferrata – as well as breath-taking views of the incredible turquoise waters of the river. As well as hiking in the gorge itself, there are several hiking trails around it, that offer lovely views of the surrounding foothills of the Alps.
On a recovery day, it’s worth doing the scenic drive around the top of the whole gorge, stopping to visit some of the pretty villages you’ll pass through along the way.
So you see - there's lots to do in the Castellane area. Go ahead - book your campsite now!
