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Haute Provence And The Canyon Du Verdon
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A Relaxed group walking holiday in the landscapes of Haute Provence |
Ref: EX-DFH
8 days
from £665 (minimum 1 passengers)
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Destination:
France
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Highlights: Excellent hotel accommodation - Stunning landscapes - Lavender fields - Distinctive Provencal cuisine - 5 guided daywalks.
Provence, in the sunny south-east of France, is famed for its varied landscapes, distinctive cuisine, famous wines, herbs, lavender and local traditions. Our base near the village of La Palud is in the southern part of Haute Provence, right next to the magnificent Canyon du Verdon. Here the Verdon River has sliced through the limestone plateau to create Europe’s largest and most spectacular canyon. The canyon floor is only accessible by foot or raft; in places cliffs tower a dizzying 700m above the river and at others the canyon floor is only 8m wide. The scenery, however, is not all so extreme: to the west the high plateau gives way to low-lying hills and lavender fields, providing contrast and variety. La Palud, a village large enough to have a few shops, a bakery, pizzeria and a café/bar and has proved a great place from which to explore the spectacular scenery of woodlands, hamlets, sleepy villages, river valleys and rolling hills. We walk mainly on good paths and there is normally time for a relaxed lunch or an occasional early return to the hotel for relaxing by the pool!
Optional activities and excursions:
During our free day we have a number of options. Day trips to Moustiers Ste. Marie or Castellane take in the laid-back ambience of a Provencal town, with their chapels, potteries, lavender products, cafés, bars and restaurants. For the more energetic there’s a wide range of activities on offer, which can be organised locally. Rafting the gorge, kayaking, canyoning, horse riding, wind surfing and mountain biking are just a few. Alternatively, lie back and relax by the pool!
FLY DRIVE holidays:
For those who want to have more independence, organising their own daily activities rather than joining our group, we offer fly drive holidays staying at La Palud. Please contact us for further details.
Trip Profile:
Is this trip for you? Walking times on most days are between three and four hours, one walk is in the region of five hours and the day walking the Sentier Martel in the gorge lasts for about 8 hours including stops, lunch and even a swim. The pace is not hurried but to enjoy this trip to the full you should be used to hill-walking or have a good general level of fitness. Paths may sometimes be a little rocky, rough or overgrown and there will on occasion ascents and descents to get to the best view points. You can opt out of any walk and spend a day by the pool if you prefer.
Group & Staff:
min. 8, max. 16, plus leader.
Accommodation:
The Hotel Panoramic is an exceptionably good 2-star family-run hotel where the ‘patron’ takes great pride in his establishment and goes out of his way to ensure that everyone has an enjoyable stay. The accommodation here costs a little more than some, but this is reflected in the standard of the hotel facilities and the cuisine. There is a swimming pool, bar area, television and telephones in each room, a terrace, balconies and lots of space to relax in. The rooms are all en-suite, light and airy with twin and single rooms available on most departures. The situation is excellent; on the edge of the village just 10 minute walk to the centre of La-Palud-Sur-Verdon, surrounded by rolling hills and only 2 km from the north banks of the Gorge du Verdon. From the dining room and the poolside there are magnificent panoramic views out across the hills.
Food:
We take all of the six included evening meals in the hotel’s restaurant. There are plenty of excellent Provençal specialities made with delicious local produce. The three-course evening meal will include a hot or cold starter, a main course (usually with meat or fish) followed by cheese/dessert, and tea and coffee. Although vegetarianism is not common in France the chef will provide a balanced vegetarian meal. The local wines are of excellent quality and the wine list at the hotel has an good choice. The evening meal not included is on your free day to allow you to try out a local restaurant. Breakfasts include croissants, fresh French bread, butter, jam, yoghurt, orange juice, and coffee/tea. Lunch can be arranged by the hotel to take on the guided walks. This will include a filled baguette, fruit and mineral water. Alternatively, you can purchase your own picnic in the village or you may wish to take advantage of the delicacies of the local patisserie! |
Day 1 | Fly from London to Marseille. Travel by road to La Palud. For those booking land-only arrangements the joining point is the Hotel Panoramic. | Day 2 | Five guided day-walks and one free day. The highlight, and also the longest walk of the trip, is the route along the Sentier Martel, a path that leads deep into the heart of the Verdon Gorge. Starting at the Chalet de la Maline, we descend into the gorge, with spectacular views of the green waters and imposing cliff faces. The limestone path follows the twists and turns of the gorge, sometimes by the water's edge, other times higher for a bird's eye views down to the river. At one point the route descends some steep metal staircases and passes through some tunnels before emerging below the appropriately named Point Sublime. This all takes about 8 hours including stops, lunch and even a swim. The pace is not hurried but to enjoy this trip to the full you should be used to hill walking or have a good general level of fitness. On most days, however, we walk for three to four hours with perhaps one day being an hour longer. Paths may sometimes be a little rocky, rough or overgrown and there will on occasion be ascents and descents to get to the best viewpoints. You can opt out of any walk and spend a day by the pool. The order of walks is adjusted by the leader to best suit the weather conditions. A typical week includes a walk to caves and waterfalls. One route goes over a Roman bridge before visiting the citadel village of Trigance. A long high ridge provides an easy path with far reaching views to the gorge and Lac Sainte Croix. During the free day options include day trips to Moustiers Ste. Marie or Castellane, both Provencal towns with a chapels potteries, lavender products, cafes, bars and restaurants. For the more energetic rafting the gorge, kayaking, canyoning, wind surfing and mountain biking can be organised locally. Alternatively, lie back and relax by the pool! | Day 3 | As above | Day 4 | As above | Day 5 | As above | Day 6 | As above | Day 7 | As above | Day 8 | We travel back to Marseille airport for our flight to London. Those with land-only arrangements will leave us at Hotel Panoramic. |
Departures Between | Price from | 02 Oct 04 | *£665 | | *Prices subject to confirmation |
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FLIGHT INCLUSIVE PRICE
Local payment €90 (approx. £65)
Single room supplement £110
Insurance £25
This holiday is operated by Exodus Travels Ltd. ATOL 2582.
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Haute Provence And The Canyon Du Verdon
A Relaxed group walking holiday in the landscapes of Haute Provence
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