Lac de Sainte Croix and Gorges du Verdon

Lac de Sainte Croix and Gorges du Verdon!

Lac de Sainte Croix, a haven of freshness

Are you on your way to the Gorges du Verdon, or just finishing your journey on the cornices overlooking them? Then you can't miss Lac de Sainte Croix.

Alps or Provence? One doesn't preclude the other. In the southern part of the French Alps, more precisely in the Pre-Alps, the Verdon gorges are the gateway to the Alps.

When you chose the Alpes de Haute Provence department for your vacation and visited the lavender-covered plateaux of Valensole, or the natural life of Castellane or Digne les Bains, you knew you could count on moments of freshness at Lac de Sainte Croix.

You won't regret it.

The colors of the South

The turquoise color when you admire the lake from the village of Sainte Croix du Verdon, and the almost green color when you look at it from the entrance to the gorges, are simply a reflection of what surrounds this vast lake: the omnipresent sky and greenery.

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The calm waters, warmed by the heat of the Mediterranean sun, invite you to laze and relax, before embarking on the sporty journey into the Verdon gorges. In fact, if you're into water sports, you'll want to take a kayak or pedal-boat to try and beat the Verdon current and admire the mouth of the gorges and its cliffs several hundred meters high. Go to the Saint Clair nautical base to hire all your equipment.

Nearby, you'll love discovering the history of earthenware in Moustiers Sainte Marie, an extremely mineral village at the foot of imposing cliffs. Do you already know the legend of the star? If not, let us surprise you.

The gateway to the Gorges du Verdon

And what about the Verdon gorges? This green river flows at the bottom of a notch that you can walk along both the south bank (the sublime corniche) and the north bank, particularly on the route des crêtes. You're overlooking vertiginous walls, home to nesting eagles, disturbed only by climbing enthusiasts in action in this fantastic setting. Following the loops of the river, you'll plunge deeper into the landscapes of Haute Provence. You can then continue on to Castellane, or even Digne, surrounded by fortress-like mountains.

To get as close as possible to the water, head for the Martel trail: the sky seems far away in the gap above your head between the two canyon banks.

Lac de Sainte Croix, in the Préalpes Provençales, offers a wide range of experiences.

The unusual aquatic world it unveils during your stay plunges you into a fairytale world of cliffs, cracks and dizzying vistas. Here at the lake, the fatigue of a hike is rewarded by a unique landscape...or by a refreshing plunge into the clear waters of a Verdon finally at peace.

Discover this region by reading the following articles from the AlpAddict blog!

Discover the Sainte Croix du Verdon lake on video

The best webcams around Sainte Croix du Verdon

(click on the village name)

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Activities not to be missed around the lake at Sainte Croix du Verdon

• Admire the view of the lake from Sainte Croix de Verdon, and stroll around the village
• Take the Muleteers trail through lavender fields and enjoy beautiful views of the lake.
• Kayak on the lake to the entrance to the Gorges du Verdon
• Pedal-boat rides on a cool summer's day
• Discover the very mineral village of Moustiers Sainte Croix
• Explore the Verdon Gorge on scenic routes
• Discover lavender cultivation and farming on the Valensole plateau

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