Gorges du Verdon Viewpoints: A Complete Guide to Exceptional Panoramas

A Complete Guide to Admiring the Verdon From Every Angle

The Gorges du Verdon, with their vertiginous cliffs and emerald river, offer some of the finest panoramas in France. Whether you're a traveller seeking jaw-dropping landscapes, an amateur photographer, or simply a nature lover, the viewpoints scattered along both rims deliver spectacular views. In this article we've catalogued every Verdon belvedere — those reachable by car, by a short walk, or via a longer hike. You'll find precise locations (right or left bank, access roads), panorama characteristics (cliffs, lake, rivers, vultures), accessibility and practical tips (parking, best times, crowds), and a star rating to identify the most impressive.

6 Exceptional Features of the Gorges du Verdon Viewpoints

Vertiginous, Sweeping Views

The viewpoints offer 180° — even 360° — panoramas over the canyon. From the Route des Crêtes, the Corniche Sublime, or perched trails, each stop reveals a unique perspective on limestone cliffs plunging up to 700 metres.

Accessible to All Visitors

Whether easily reached by car (like Pont de Galetas or Balcons de la Mescla) or reserved for experienced hikers (Rancoumas or Mayreste), the viewpoints suit every fitness level.

A Natural Spectacle That Shifts With the Light

Each viewpoint changes face with the time of day and season: golden dawn on the cliffs, dazzling midday with the emerald Verdon, sunset setting the rock ablaze, or morning mist floating over the canyon.

Spectacular Wildlife and Flora

Watching griffon vultures soar above the canyon is an unforgettable experience. From viewpoints like La Carelle or the Cavaliers belvedere, you can admire these great raptors riding thermal currents.

Historical and Geological Significance

Some viewpoints reveal millions of years of erosion (Point Sublime, La Mescla), while others like Pont de Tusset or the heights of Rougon offer a glimpse into the medieval past and Provençal traditions.

A Unique Sensory Experience

Beyond the visual: powerful wind on the cliff edges, absolute silence at the heights, or the echo of the Verdon resonating from the canyon floor. Each stop is an invitation to feel the immensity of this wild, preserved site.

Must-See Viewpoints at a Glance

• Belvédère de la Dent d'Aire – ★★★★★ (Right bank, La Palud-sur-Verdon) — THE iconic panoramic view, accessible via the Route des Crêtes. You command the canyon in all its grandeur, especially magical at dawn or dusk with vultures circling above.
• Col d'Illoire – ★★★★★ (Left bank, near Aiguines) — First viewpoint arriving from the Var side. A breathtaking panorama combining the emerald Verdon 300 m below and, in the distance, the blue lavender fields of the Valensole plateau.
• Point Sublime – ★★★★☆ (Right bank, Rougon) — Legendary belvedere at the gorge entrance, a 10-minute walk from the car park. From its suspended balcony, you discover the deep Couloir Samson. Also the finish point of the Blanc-Martel trail.
• Pont de Galetas – ★★★★☆ (Canyon mouth) — THE emblematic view where the gorges meet Lake Sainte-Croix. Easy car access; admire the turquoise waters from above as pedal boats and canoes glide below.
• Balcons de la Mescla – ★★★★★ (Left bank, D71 towards Trigance) — Impressive view over the Artuby-Verdon confluence. Translucent blue-green waters and a sharp meander make this one of the left bank's finest viewpoints.

Viewpoints Accessible by Car — Right Bank (Route des Crêtes)

The right bank is served by the D952 (Route des Gorges) and the famous D23 loop (Route des Crêtes) from La Palud-sur-Verdon. This 23 km circuit — one-way in places — features 14 belvederes revealing the mythic cliffs of the Grand Canyon. Allow 1.5 to 3 hours to drive it, stopping at each viewpoint.

• Belvédères de Trescaïre (lower & upper) – ★★★★☆: First viewpoints on the Route des Crêtes. The landscape plunges 400 m straight down — an immediately dizzying first impression. Visit early morning for solitude and possible chamois sightings.
• Belvédère de la Dent d'Aire – ★★★★★: Regarded as one of the finest viewpoints in the Verdon. A single sweeping gaze takes in the entire gorge and the river below, with a 700 m drop and griffon vultures soaring on thermals. Come at sunrise or sunset for extraordinary colours.
• Belvédère de la Carelle – ★★★★☆: Perched at a bend, ideal for watching climbers on the Escalès cliffs opposite. Vertiginous plunge into the narrow canyon.
• Belvédère de l'Escalès – ★★★★☆: Refurbished in 2018. A promontory jutting into the void, offering a face-to-face encounter with the towering Escalès walls. You may even spot highliners crossing the void on slacklines. Short 10-minute walk required.
• Belvédère du Tilleul – ★★★☆☆: Less well-known, offering a different, more intimate view of the canyon with the ruins of the Guègues farmstead visible on a suspended meadow.
• Belvédère du Pas de la Baou – ★★★☆☆: Eastern end of the Route des Crêtes, overlooking one of the narrowest canyon sections. Check road opening status by season.

Point Sublime & Couloir Samson (Rougon) – ★★★★☆

Outside the Route des Crêtes, the right bank has two other major viewpoints at the gorge entrance. Point Sublime is a natural balcony over the Couloir Samson — the narrow gateway to the Grand Canyon. 10–15 minute easy walk from the car park. Very busy in summer: arrive early morning.

Couloir Samson viewpoint – ★★★★☆

Less known than the upper view, this one sits at the bottom of the gorges, close to the river. You feel tiny between the walls — a rare and immersive perspective from inside the canyon.

Viewpoints Accessible by Car — Left Bank (Corniche Sublime)

The left bank (Var side) runs along the D71, known as the Corniche Sublime. Between Aiguines (west) and Pont de l'Artuby/Trigance (east), this 83 km road offers equally spectacular stops on the opposite side of the canyon.

• Col d'Illoire – ★★★★★: Just above Aiguines, the first belvedere of the Corniche Sublime. Sweeping view over the gorges, Lake Sainte-Croix, and — in season — distant lavender fields. Tables available for a picnic with a panoramic backdrop.
• Cirque de Vaumale – ★★★★☆: A phenomenal view over a vast natural amphitheatre carved by the Verdon. Beautiful in late morning when sunlight floods the interior.
• Falaises des Cavaliers (Lou Cafèou) – ★★★★☆: One of the Corniche's most impressive overhangs — a vertiginous 400 m plunge to the Verdon. The panoramic restaurant terrace lets you savour the view in comfort.
• Tunnel du Fayet – ★★★☆☆: At the tunnel exit, a widening offers an exceptional view along the enfilade of the gorges stretching westward.
• Pont de l'Artuby – ★★★☆☆: A 194 m-high arch bridge — famous bungee-jumping spot and impressive viewpoint over the Artuby ravine.
• Balcons de la Mescla – ★★★★★: Probably the most celebrated left-bank belvedere. A vertiginous plunging view over the Artuby-Verdon confluence. Orientation table and interpretation panels. Arrive early to beat the tour buses.

Viewpoints Accessible on Foot (Hiking)

Some of the Verdon's finest panoramas require a walk. Far from the crowds and roads, these belvederes often deliver the wildest views and total immersion in the canyon's nature.

• Belvédère de Tréguier – ★★★★☆ (Right bank, from Moustiers-Sainte-Marie): 4.2 km round trip, easy. Panoramic view over Lake Sainte-Croix and the Val d'Angouire. Family-friendly, peaceful, and uncrowded.
• Belvédère de Plein Voir – ★★★★☆ (Right bank, from Félines parking): 9.85 km round trip, +756 m elevation, difficult, ~5 hours. Exceptional panorama over the lake and gorges. For experienced hikers.
• Belvédère de Rancoumas – ★★★★★ (Left bank, between Trigance and Rougon): The Verdon's most exclusive viewpoint — accessible only on foot (4–5.5 hours round trip depending on route). A 180° view over the main Verdon meander, facing the Escalès and Dent d'Aire cliffs. No barriers — utterly wild. You'll often have this panorama entirely to yourself.
• Belvédère de Mayreste – ★★★☆☆ (Right bank, Bastidon trail): A mid-canyon viewpoint offering a perspective "from inside" — neither top nor bottom. Peaceful, with close vulture sightings possible.

Hidden Viewpoints & Lesser-Known Gems

• Belvédère Gaston Armanet – ★★★★☆: Often overlooked, with a striking view over the Imbut chaos 400 m below. On the Route des Crêtes, after the Maugué viewpoint.
• Village of Rougon: Climb to the castle ruins for a wide, peaceful panorama over Point Sublime and the upper left bank. Ideal at dawn when mist rises from the gorges.
• Faux Samson: A discreet rocky overhang near the Couloir Samson car park — a different perspective on the canyon entrance, often entirely alone.
• Plateau de Barbin: Short walk from the Moustiers road; lovely view over Lake Sainte-Croix and the Verdon mouth.
• Pont de Tusset: A pretty medieval bridge accessible on foot from Rougon or Trigance — contemplate the Verdon in a verdant setting, a prelude to the grand canyon.

Further reading

• Gorges du Verdon by car: full itinerary
• Blanc-Martel trail hiking guide
• Route des Crêtes: top viewpoints

Where to Stay

Villa OVerdon (3 bedrooms, garden, lake view) in Aiguines — perfectly placed to explore every viewpoint in the Gorges du Verdon. Learn more.