To the beaches of Lake Sainte-Croix
9 kmFrom Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, a gentle descent to Galetas beach and the shore of the turquoise lake. Flat and short: ideal for a cycling-and-swimming outing.
Cycling · Routes & loops
Our cycling & mountain biking page sets the scene; here are the precise routes to ride. Ten marked loops from the Verdon Park, from an easy 9 km family ride to the Sainte-Croix beaches to the Tour du Verdon (258 km) — with distances, levels and official GPX tracks.
Short, flat and beside the water: perfect with children or for getting back in the saddle. An e-bike makes it even more relaxed.
From Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, a gentle descent to Galetas beach and the shore of the turquoise lake. Flat and short: ideal for a cycling-and-swimming outing.
From a half-day to a big ride: the finest Verdon scenery — lavender, lakes, villages and secret gorges — on marked loops with GPX tracks.
The “secret Verdon” around Quinson and Esparron: peaceful gorges and emerald water, far from the Grand Canyon crowds.
A heritage loop across the plateau and its villages, through the Roman Provence countryside around Riez.
A sea of lavender: in June and July, ride among purple fields and hilltop villages on Provence’s most famous plateau.
Rated easy despite the distance, this route links canyon viewpoints — a serene e-bike outing.
The grand tour of the turquoise lakes, from Sainte-Croix to Castillon: swimming possible at every stage.
Elevation, vertiginous balcony roads and cols: these routes demand effort, and reward it with the finest panoramas in the South.
Short but steep: the legendary La Palud loop and its 14 viewpoints over the canyon. We cover it in full detail on our cycling & mountain-biking page.
The Alpine Upper Verdon, its larch forests and climbs: fresh air far from the gorges, for well-trained legs.
The grand tour of the canyon via both banks and their balcony roads. Rated “black”: very difficult, reserved for seasoned cyclists.
The cycling journey of a lifetime in the Verdon, spread over several days.
The great crossing, from the Verdon’s springs to the lower gorges: a long-distance itinerary linking the whole area, to spread over several days.
All these routes are listed by the Verdon Regional Nature Park on the Vélo Loisir Provence portal, with a GPX track to download and an official level (from easy blue to very difficult black). It’s the reference for planning your ride. View the routes on Vélo Loisir Provence ↗
The most accessible is the 9 km link to the beaches of Lake Sainte-Croix from Moustiers-Sainte-Marie: flat and short, ideal for families. Around the lakes, you can also ride just one section of a longer loop to suit children. An e-bike remains a beginner’s best ally.
It depends on the mood you’re after: the Valensole Plateau Loop (53 km) for lavender, the Lakes Loop (71 km) for turquoise water, Verdon Viewpoints (57 km, easy level) for views over the canyon, or the Route des Crêtes (≈ 23-24 km, but steep) for the vertigo. All of them have a GPX track to download from the Vélo Loisir Provence portal of the Verdon Park.
Yes. The lake is part of the Verdon Lakes Loop (71 km), and you can ride just a section of it — for example the shore between Les Salles-sur-Verdon and Bauduen, pleasant and rolling. The 9 km link to Galetas beach also makes it easy to reach the water.
On the Vélo Loisir Provence portal, which lists the official routes of the Verdon Regional Nature Park with their GPX tracks, distances and levels (from easy blue to very difficult black). It’s the reference for planning your ride.
Yes, the Tour du Verdon by bike: about 258 km linking the Verdon’s springs to the lower gorges, to be ridden over several days. A complete journey through cols, lakes, gorges and Provençal villages.