5 ideas for guided tours in French Riviera

• The Verdon Gorges

  This fabulous and beautiful destination is located on the border of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Var departments. The Verdon gorges are the largest canyon in Europe, with huge cliffs up to 700 meters high.

  It is a privileged place for hiking lovers, both at the top of the ridges and along the rivers. You will practice climbing and paragliding where you can observe the vultures flying. Finally, the area is a paradise for all water sports enthusiasts. You can even go into the gorges to simply swim around the Sainte Croix lake.

• The Provencal Colorado

  This site has been shaped both by the sea’s erosion, which retreated millions of years ago, and by the presence of ancient ochre quarries. It is located between the Vaucluse mountains to the north and the Luberon to the south, a few kilometers from the small village of Apt.

  The Provencal Colorado is characterized by its colorful cliffs, ranging from pale yellow to bright red, which in some places gives it the appearance of a western landscape. The “forest of Colorado” also offers many hiking trails.

• Saint-Véran

  This village in the Hautes-Alpes is located in the middle of the Queyras Regional Natural Park and culminates at 2042 meters above sea level. Here, like nowhere else, you will enjoy the tranquility of the mountain and its magnificent landscapes.

  Far from mass tourism, your hikes will take you through the surrounding hamlets and their wooden and stone chalets with slate roofs. In winter, Saint-Véran, described as the highest inhabited village in Europe, is transformed into a very friendly family ski resort (Beauregard ski area).

• Saint-Paul-de-Vence

  This village, located about twenty kilometers from Nice, in the hinterland, is exceptionally beautiful. Its gentle living environment makes it a privileged place where many artists have chosen to live. Even today, its mythical place remains the famous boules players’ square.

  You will appreciate the fortified historic center, which has kept its medieval architecture, where it is good to walk through its cobbled streets, with stone houses, small gardens and beautiful fountains. Saint-Paul-de-Vence also has a renowned center for modern art: the Maeght Foundation.

• Corniche des Crêtes

  Linking the town of Cassis to La Ciotat, the Corniche des Crêtes, on the Canaille mountain, offers magnificent panoramas of the Mediterranean and creeks.

  All along the road, which is about twenty kilometers long, there are numerous cornices built at the top of the highest sea cliffs in France, such as those of Soubeyranes, which allow you to observe a spectacular landscape. To make this hike by foot it will take you from 2 to 4 hours according to your pace along the cliffs on a very well-marked path.