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Verdon
This stretch of the Gorges du Verdon is almost entirely a swim: rated a5 for water against a v1 vertical rating, 4.35 miles with only a single 10m rappel.
No confirmed permit or fee applies here and it is not on Alpes-de-Haute-Provence's forbidden or restricted list, but the record is genuinely unresolved rather than a confirmed 'no permit needed.' A 2008 order that would have restricted canyons ending in the Verdon below the Chaudanne dam has since been repealed, and a 2022 FNE advisory on responsible practice in the Verdon is guidance, not a binding rule. Given the a5 rating, swimming fitness matters more than gear on this one. Couloir Samson is the entry section, commonly run as a shorter rando-aquatique by itself. Griffon vultures nest in the upper cliffs and some side routes have seasonal raptor restrictions; verify with the Parc Naturel office. Wetsuit mandatory, water cold from dam-released depths even in August.
Logistics
| Manager | Parc naturel régional du Verdon |
|---|---|
| Permit | No permit, fee, or entry restriction found specific to this stretch of the Gorges du Verdon. Descente Canyon's regulation tracker shows only a 2022 responsible-practice advisory from FNE (Canyonning responsable dans le Verdon), not a binding rule, and this canyon does not appear on the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department's forbidden or restricted-entry list. An earlier 2008 order that would have restricted canyons ending in the Verdon downstream of the Chaudanne dam has since been repealed. Permit status genuinely unestablished rather than confirmed free. |
| Distance | 7000m |
| Elevation | ~151 ft net change |
| Time | 7 hr |
| Technical | longest 10m |
| Season | Jul-Aug, dam-release schedule permitting |
| Flood risk | Operationally controlled. EDF Castillon dam upstream determines flow; check release schedule daily. Canyon becomes unrunnable within minutes of a release. |
| Vehicle access | 2WD, 7 km shuttle required |
| Crowd | Heavy in season, commercial guides daily |
| Coordinates | 43.7655, 6.297 |
Sources
- permitType: https://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/canyon-reglementation/23208/legislation.html
- permit: https://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/canyon-reglementation/23208/legislation.html
- manager: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parc_naturel_r%C3%A9gional_du_Verdon
- nearest town: https://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/canyon-reglementation/23208/legislation.html
- desc: https://ropewiki.com/Verdon
- notes: https://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/canyon-reglementation/23208/legislation.html
- flood risk: https://raoulraftingverdon.com/couloir-samson-verdon/
- park: https://www.parcduverdon.fr
- heroPhoto: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Au_fond_des_gorges_-_panoramio.jpg