A Verdon hike
No source agrees on these figures. Rather than silently picking one, we show the value we kept, where it comes from, and why we chose it — the other published values stay visible. We don’t erase contradictions, we explain them.
Valeur retenue après recoupement des sources. Les autres valeurs proviennent de traces GPS ou de variantes d’itinéraire.
The Route des Crêtes is the go-to panoramic loop on the right bank of the Grand Canyon du Verdon: about 24 km along the D23 starting from La Palud-sur-Verdon, lined with 14 viewpoints suspended above the void. It’s driven by car (allow 2 h), cycled, or ridden by e-bike — it is not a walking trail, but the most spectacular road route in the gorges. One detail to remember before setting off: one section is one-way, so the loop must be driven clockwise.
Verified on 5 July 2026 with the commune of La Palud-sur-Verdon (official website) and the Alpes-Haute-Provence Tourism portal.
| Distance | 24 km |
| Duration | About 2 h by car |
| Type | Road loop (car / bike / e-bike) |
| Direction | Clockwise mandatory (one-way section) |
| Start / finish | La Palud-sur-Verdon |
| Difficulty | Intermediate by bike |
| Viewpoints | 14 viewpoints over the canyon |
The length of the loop is not consistent from one source to another: two figures coexist, even between official publications. Here’s what we use — and why.
| Data point | Value used | Other value seen | Why we settle it this way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance | 24 km | 23 km (GEO · departmental 04 portal) | 24 km is given by Routard, Découvrir Ensemble, and the commune’s official website. The 23 km figure comes from GEO and the departmental portal. The gap is small; we go with the municipal manager’s figure, while honestly flagging the 23 km alternative. |
The classic direction — and the mandatory one on the one-way section — is clockwise starting from La Palud-sur-Verdon. The loop strings together 14 viewpoints overlooking Europe’s largest canyon. Among those named by official sources:
From the cliffs and above Rougon, you can spot griffon vultures (departmental 04 portal).
The road was built in 1973 for motor tourism — so it was designed from the outset as a scenic sightseeing route.
The D23 also suits cycling, with several levels of commitment:
gorges-du-verdon-par-la-route-des-cretes-velo).We’d rather state this openly than fill the gaps with guesswork:
These fields will be completed as soon as a reliable source documents them.
Data cross-checked and verified on 2026-07-05: Alpes-Haute-Provence Tourism portal, commune of La Palud-sur-Verdon (official website), Routard, GEO, Découvrir Ensemble, Visorando, camptocamp. Discrepancies kept and resolved above. No invented data: a missing field is flagged as such.
Clockwise: one section of the loop is one-way. The exact portion isn't specified by the sources, but the one-way section lies between Jas d'Aire and Chalet de la Maline.
14 viewpoints over the canyon, including Trescaire (a 400 m drop), La Carelle, L'Escalès, la Dent d'Aire, le Pas de la Baou, and Le Tilleul.
About 2 hours by car, excluding extended stops at the viewpoints. Allow more time if you stop at every viewpoint.
Yes: it's an intermediate-level loop by bike. An e-bike version exists, and a longer 68 km cycling loop from Aiguines also uses the D23 (Visorando variant).
23 or 24 km depending on the source: 23 km according to GEO and the departmental 04 portal; 24 km according to Routard and Découvrir Ensemble. We use 24 km (see the table below).