Landmark · outside the Verdon, 9 km from Aups
The Sillans Waterfall
It is one of the highest waterfalls in Provence, less than twenty minutes from Aups — but it is not in the Verdon. The Bresque plunges about 44 metres into a turquoise pool, in a site classified as a sensitive natural area by the Var Département, in the middle of a two-stage safety works programme. Here is what is verified and up to date about the height, access, swimming — and above all about what is actually open today.
- Where
- Sillans-la-Cascade (Var, 83690), 9 km from Aups — outside the Verdon Regional Nature Park
- What it is
- A fall of about 44 m on the Bresque (a tributary of the Argens), one of the highest waterfalls in the Var
- Status today
- Viewpoint and left bank open; right bank (footbridge works) closed — full opening expected in the first half of 2027
- Swimming
- Prohibited in the pool at the foot of the falls; allowed downstream, about 1 km on foot
- From Aups
- ≈ 12.6 km / 16 min by road (D560)
- Parking
- Paid in season, several car parks in the village — a 15 to 25 minute walk depending on the one you choose
Key facts about the commune
- Commune
- Sillans-la-Cascade, a commune in the Var (83)
- Postal code
- 83690
- INSEE code
- 83128
- Population
- About 787 inhabitants (geo.api.gouv.fr, retrieved on 3 October 2026)
- Verdon Regional Nature Park
- Outside the Park since 2025
- Catchment area
- That of the Argens (the Bresque is a tributary of the Argens)
A 44 m fall, outside the Verdon catchment area
The Sillans waterfall is a fall of about 44 metres formed by the Bresque, which plunges from a ledge of tufa — a porous limestone, laid down little by little by water loaded with lime — into a turquoise pool surrounded by cliffs and forest. The site, owned by the Var Département, is classified as a sensitive natural area (espace naturel sensible, ENS) covering 369 hectares. The village of Sillans-la-Cascade has about 787 inhabitants (2023). Be careful not to confuse its catchment area with that of the Verdon: the Bresque flows into the Argens downstream, not into the Verdon — we explain below why we cover this place all the same.
Works 2025-2027: what is open today
The site closed completely on 3 November 2025 for works costing about €1.36 million (€1,358,064 including VAT) financed by the Var Département: securing the access routes, protection against bank erosion — 96,000 visitors in July and August 2025 alone — and the creation of a new one-way circuit, from the right bank to the left bank, via a suspended pedestrian footbridge shaped like a three-branch star (13.8 m, 30.3 m and 31.6 m) and a new 18 m² observation platform at the foot of the falls.
The schedule has slipped: the nature of the ground (tufa) and a mandatory ecological window interrupted the works in mid-April 2026, pushing full completion back to 2027. The viewpoint and the left bank reopened to the public in spring 2026 — as early as 8 May according to several tourist offices, officially from 1 June according to the Département — and that is the arrangement still in force at our latest check, on 19 September 2026. The right bank, where the footbridge is being built, remains closed to the public, and work is due to resume there in mid-October 2026. The Département aims for a full opening — both banks, on a one-way circuit — only in the first half of 2027.
- The works are not finished. The right bank and the area around the footbridge remain closed to the public: do not cross the construction barriers.
- The pool at the foot of the falls is off limits, for access and for swimming (risk of falling rocks) — only swimming downstream, away from the waterfall, is tolerated.
- The schedule may still change. Work is due to resume in mid-October 2026. Confirm the status for the day with the Office de Tourisme Dracénie Provence Verdon (+33 4 98 10 51 05) or the town hall of Sillans-la-Cascade (+33 4 94 04 63 04) before you set off.
Swimming: prohibited at the foot, tolerated downstream
Swimming is prohibited in the main pool, at the foot of the falls: safety barrier, risk of falling rocks, and protection of a fragile site — a rule confirmed by the Office de Tourisme Dracénie Provence Verdon. It is, however, tolerated further downstream on the Bresque, in shallower natural pools, about 1 km on foot from the main site. To swim in the Verdon itself — Lakes Sainte-Croix, Castillon, Esparron, Quinson — see our page where to swim in the Verdon.
Access & parking from the Verdon
The closest starting point in the LiveVerdon area is Aups, about 12.6 km (16 minutes by road, via the D560) to the south. On site, several car parks that are paid in season serve the site (left bank, right bank, church car park): allow 15 to 25 minutes on foot to the viewpoint depending on the one you choose.
This is not a place in the Verdon catchment area. The commune of Sillans-la-Cascade left the Verdon Regional Nature Park in 2025, and the Bresque that feeds the waterfall flows into the Argens — a catchment area distinct from that of the Verdon. It is nonetheless part of the LiveVerdon area: it is a natural stop less than twenty minutes from Aups, the closest village of the Verdon.
Frequently asked questions
How high is the Sillans waterfall?
About 44 metres according to Wikipedia and most regional sources, which makes it one of the highest waterfalls in the Var département. A few tourist guides give 42 m: both figures are in circulation, and we use the one that is most widely corroborated.
Is the Sillans waterfall open today?
Partially, as of our latest check (19 September 2026): the viewpoint and the left bank are accessible, reopened in spring 2026 after a full closure from 3 November 2025 to 1 June 2026 for about €1.36 million of works (securing the site, a new footbridge, protection against bank erosion). The right bank, where the new suspension footbridge is being built, remains closed to the public: the Var Département announces that work will resume in mid-October 2026 and that the site will open fully — both banks, on a one-way circuit — only in the first half of 2027. A reopening “on 8 May 2026” is circulating on several tourist guides: the date is broadly correct for the reopened part, but it does not say that the right bank stays closed for nearly another year. Always check the status for the day before you set off, especially after mid-October 2026.
Can you swim at the Sillans waterfall?
Not in the main pool at the foot of the falls: swimming is prohibited there (safety barrier, risk of falling rocks, protection of the site), a rule confirmed by the Office de Tourisme Dracénie Provence Verdon. It is, however, tolerated further downstream on the Bresque, in shallower natural pools, about 1 km on foot from the main site.
How do you get to the Sillans waterfall from the Verdon?
The closest starting point in the LiveVerdon area is Aups, about 12.6 km (16 minutes by road, via the D560) to the south. On site, several car parks that are paid in season serve the site (left bank, right bank, church car park): allow 15 to 25 minutes on foot to the viewpoint depending on the one you choose.
Is the Sillans waterfall part of the Verdon?
Neither through the Park nor through the catchment area. The commune of Sillans-la-Cascade left the Verdon Regional Nature Park in 2025, and the Bresque, which feeds the waterfall, flows into the Argens — a catchment area distinct from that of the Verdon. It is nonetheless part of the LiveVerdon area: it is a natural stop less than twenty minutes from Aups, the closest village of the Verdon.
When is the best time to visit the Sillans waterfall?
The flow is most spectacular after rain, in autumn and spring. Summer remains the peak visiting season, with a flow that is often weaker; the works under way (see above) may also restrict access depending on the period — it is best to check the status for the day before you set off.