A Week in Le Verdon in October
After the campground closed, we decided to experience what it’s like to be a guest by spending a week in one of our campground’s unique, nature-inspired accommodations: the NATURA VIP. This also gave us the chance to revisit the region, and we’re now able to share our one-week road trip guide to the Verdon with you.
Day 1: Tourtour
After settling into our rental, the NATURA VIP—which has a lovely terrace with a view of the Aups mountain—we planned our day around the slightly cloudy weather: a tour of the nearby Provençal villages.
We’ll start with the charming village of Tourtour, commonly known as the “village in the sky” because of its location high up on the mountain.
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On the way, a few kilometers from the campground, we stop at the impressive Taurenne olive farm, with its 253 hectares of rolling hills and 11,000 olive trees! The tour of the facilities is fascinating, and the hospitality is top-notch! We left without forgetting to pick up a small bottle of “L’Or de Taurenne” extra virgin olive oil. Then, we strolled leisurely through the picturesque little streets of Tourtour. In our opinion, it’s a must-see. As for the village of Ampus, we weren’t particularly impressed, even though it has all the hallmarks of a charming Provençal village.
In the end, Villecroze completely won us over! Not only is the 2.5-hectare wooded park—home to the troglodyte caves—an absolute must-see, but the little village itself is also charming. The most picturesque narrow streets are located just off the main street. This medieval-style village, with its numbered fountains and arcades, is a real gem. Take the time to stroll through the heart of this old village—you’ll be charmed!
Day 2: Régusse Market
Today, the sun is shining. We’ve made a slight change to our schedule to support your favorite baker, Julie, at her horseback riding competition in Le Poët, near Sisteron. But first, we’re heading to the Régusse market to meet Jocelyne, a goat cheese producer from Barjols: she offers absolutely delicious and very affordable goat cheeses, ranging from plain to those flavored with spices like paprika, herbes de Provence, chives, or pepper. They’re all a real treat! In the afternoon, Julie secured third place on the podium with a clear round at the show jumping competition. Congratulations, Julie!
Day 3: Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
With beautiful summer weather, we spent the day touring Lake Sainte-Croix. For lunch, we chose to eat at Les Terrasses du Lac in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon, which we highly recommend. The view of Lake Sainte-Croix from there is spectacular, and the food is tasteful and unpretentious.
Then we headed to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie via the Lavender Route, a remarkable road lined with lavender fields stretching as far as the eye can see—which, unfortunately, are in bloom in June and July, not in October!
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In Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, a stroll along the Chemin de la Chapelle Notre Dame de Beauvoir offers a splendid panoramic view of the charming little medieval village. With all its little pottery shops and picturesque narrow streets, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is a must-see!
We continue our journey to the famous Galetas Bridge, then to the village of Les Salles-sur-Verdon, and finally to the small village of Bauduen. We walk through this charming little village to reach the path along the lake, where we enjoy a magnificent sunset. The bravest among us, Philippe and Molly, even go for a swim: the water is still 20 degrees. It’s still very pleasant!
Day 4: Cotignac
On this fourth day of our vacation, we have to adjust to the more unpredictable weather, and our original plan—which included a visit to the Provençal market in Lorgues, the largest Provençal market in the region—needs to be revised. It’s still raining this morning—it doesn’t rain here very often, but when it does, it’s always a downpour! This morning, Molly, the campground’s mascot, is heading off to summer camp in Flayosc until Sunday.
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Little by little, the clouds are clearing. So, we decide to treat ourselves to lunch at a charming restaurant: La Bastide du Calalou in Moissac Bellevue, a charming establishment offering excellent gourmet cuisine made with high-quality ingredients and a very warm, attentive welcome. Everything is in place to enjoy a moment of pure bliss at this restaurant, just a stone’s throw from the campground.
We’ll spend the afternoon visiting Le Rocher in Cotignac. This small Provençal village was ranked fourth on the TV show “France’s Favorite Villages,” simply because of the charm of this village built on a tuff cliff! From the Provençal-style houses at the base of the cliff to the ancient cave dwellings clinging to the rock face, the atmosphere of this authentic village is sure to charm you! Be sure to park your car at the village entrance, as the narrow streets leading up to the cliff can be very tight. Our favorite shop in Cotignac is undoubtedly the little boutique “Vivre au Sud,” located in the lower part of the village, which offers fashionable clothing and jewelry.
Day 5: The Verdon Gorges
We woke up this morning to the azure blue sky so typical of our Provence, and our plan for the day is to visit both the left and right banks of the Verdon Gorges.
What a beautiful day! The Verdon Gorges are absolutely breathtaking, and we’re always blown away whenever we return to see them. To really enjoy this drive while completing the full loop around the Gorges—including the Route des Crêtes—you should allow about 3 hours, without making too many stops.
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As for us, we stopped in Aiguines, at the Bauchet Cliffs, the Artuby Bridge, the Mescla Balcony, and the various lookout points along the Route des Crêtes. For lunch, we decided to eat at Joe le Snacky in La Palud-sur-Verdon, where we enjoyed its sunny patio dotted with numerous fuchsia-colored umbrellas (a little nod to the color of the L’Oasis du Verdon campground). This unpretentious little restaurant offers great value for the money and is extremely well-located for all tourists! We wrapped up our visit with a stop at the Maison des Gorges (a very informative experience) before heading back to Aups.
With the sunset still casting a beautiful glow, we wrap up our day with a short stroll through the charming, picturesque village of Aups. We make sure not to miss a stop at the “Gare du Nord” shop to buy truffle cheese. There’s a wide selection of truffle-infused cheeses to choose from, ranging from sheep’s milk to goat’s milk and even Italian varieties. It’s a unique idea you might want to keep in mind for an appetizer with friends or family! Back to the campground tonight for a little barbecue on the patio of our rental!
Day 6: Lower Verdon Gorges
On our sixth day, we treat ourselves to an electric boat ride through the Lower Verdon Gorges. On turquoise waters and in absolute silence, we discover a prehistoric past: the scenery is breathtaking and absolutely magical—not to be missed under any circumstances! The gorge stretches 9 kilometers from the Quinson Dam to the village of Esparron.
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We couldn’t spot the Maison de L’Inca from our boat, but we later learned that this is perfectly normal, since you can only see it by looking for it on foot amid the vegetation!
Also note that even if you don’t take the boat, you can enjoy a lovely walk for the whole family along the Basses Gorges thanks to a beautiful hiking trail that runs the entire length between the Quinson Dam and the village of Esparron.
Day 7: Sillans-La-Cascade
The last day of our trip: Time flies… A week isn’t quite long enough to fully enjoy the region! We weren’t able to do everything we’d hoped to, but we really enjoyed exploring all these places in the Verdon Regional Nature Park.
For our last day, we decided to take a short walk along the Bresque River to the Sillans waterfall. It was a very pleasant stroll through the countryside. After a brief stop in Pontévès—an interesting little fortified village, though it shouldn’t be the sole destination of a walk—we were charmed by the stroll along the charcoal burners’ trail in Baudinard.
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This is a fairly easy, entertaining, and culturally enriching hiking trail about 2 kilometers long: it allows the more athletic to burn off some energy thanks to the equipment placed along the way, and for those who prefer a more leisurely pace, it offers a chance to learn about the coal-mining trade and all the plant life that characterizes this short trail. It’s an interesting family outing—the kids are sure to love it!
Tomorrow’s plans include cleaning up our lodging and packing our bags for the trip home, feeling recharged and with our minds full of beautiful scenery. We won’t forget a guest experience like this anytime soon, and we’ll do it again as soon as we can!
