Castellane, best city for white river rafting in France
An ideal location for exploring the gorges and Lac de Castillon.
As soon as you arrive in Castellane, you’ll be amazed by the rock that towers over the town like a deity protecting it.
Castellane is France’s smallest sub-prefecture in terms of population, but its charm and proximity to the Gorges du Verdon make it particularly interesting.
Castellane, a medieval village to visit
Half-Provençal, half-Alpine, the town is an excellent place to spend your holiday in the Verdon. Castellane seems to say to you: “I’m not small and I’m not big either”, so you’ll appreciate this town with its large square where the shops are on display and where the market takes place on Saturday mornings. It’s a delight to wander around.
To climb up to Notre-Dame du Roc, leave the Sacré-Coeur church and take the path on the left, a real Stations of the Cross. Allow around 45 minutes for the walk, taking care not to forget a bottle of water, as there is no fountain at the finish. The climb is quite difficult, with a succession of large steps, cobbles, stones, etc. Not recommended for the frail, especially in summer, when it will be very difficult to find any shade.
After this walk, you can take the road towards Lac de Castillon for a swim (stop at the dam for a view downstream). We recommend the beaches at Saint Julien du Verdon.
There’s another lake not far away: Lac de Chaudanne, where swimming is not permitted, but pike and pike-perch fishing enthusiasts will be delighted.
What to visit around Castellane
To visit
– Dolmen des Pierres Blanches
– Le Roc, watching over the city
– Chapelle Saint-Thyrse
– Notre Dame du Roc
The town has been awarded the “Village et cité de caractère” label.
Lake Castillon just a few kilometres away.
Contact
Tourist Office
Tel : 04 92 83 61 14
Population : 1 579 inhabitants
Surface area : 117,79 km²
