Located only 6 kilometers from Moustiers, the Sainte-Croix lake, which is the largest of the Verdon lakes, is a must-see for us!...
But the other lakes of the Verdon Regional Natural Park are also of great interest.
So here is a small presentation of them. ☺
Sainte-Croix lake, created in 1973, covers an area of 22 km² and offers the richest range of activities in the Verdon Park (see the following link for more information about the activities offered by the water sports centers). The "small lakes" of the Verdon are also of great interest.
On this page, we present you briefly these lakes, their location and their distance from Moustiers; but also their main points of interest: both in terms of activities that it is possible to do there and beautiful villages in the surroundings to visit.
+ If you come to visit the Verdon Park with your own boats, we invite you to consult the following article:
► Canoe-Kayak: where to enter the water in the Parc du Verdon?
Castillon Lake
⭐ Access point : Saint-Julien-du-Verdon
⏱ Distance and driving time : 1h15 - 74 km
► To do | To see ! : At "base nautique communale du Touron", you will find all of the following activities → water skiing, wakeboarding, towed buoy, canoeing, paddle, windsurfing, optimist, catamaran, or even boat without a license and pedal boat!
+ Due to its location, the small village of Saint-Julien-du-Verdon (less than 150 inhabitants) is worth a stop. Stroll through its narrow streets or at the end of the peninsula on which the village is nestled and enjoy the superb 360° panorama on the banks of the lake and on the cirque of beautiful mountains that surround it!
➕ More Info : Verdon Tourisme
Chaudanne Lake
⭐ Access point : route D102 (along the road. At the point where it turns away from the lake shore to head towards the village of Demandolx, or shortly before...)
⏱ Distance and driving time : 1h15 - 50 km
► To do | To see ! : Thanks to the rental company "Action Aventure location", you can rent stand-up paddles to paddle on the waters of this small lake of 5 km² located only 10 minutes drive from Castellane. Moreover, this lake with its wild atmosphere can also be an interesting fishing spot.
+ The small village of Demandolx (about 130 inhabitants), perched at an altitude of 1100 m, a few steps north-east of the lake, offers charming views of the beautiful peaks on either side: Teillon (1893 m) and Crémon (1760).
➕ More Info : Verdon Tourisme
Montpezat Lake
⭐ Access point : 1 km south Montpezat village
(04500, Montagnac-Montpezat)
⏱ Distance and driving time : environ 30 mn et 23 km
► To do | To see ! : The gorges of Baudinard (in which the lake of Montpezat is located) offer a rich and varied range of activities with our partner "Aquattitude"! → canoeing and pedal boating of course, but also paddle (and even electric paddle!), or mountain biking and hiking trips...
⚠️ NOTE : swimming is forbidden in the gorges of Baudinard (→ i.e. on the whole sector from the Sainte-Croix dam to the Quinson dam) + a part of the gorges of Baudinard is forbidden to paddles (→ the one between Montpezat and the dam of Sainte-Croix)
+ The commune of Montagnac-Montpezat, nicknamed "truffle village" and gathering more than 400 inhabitants in its two villages, can also offer pleasant strolls in the heart of its narrow streets, with its perfumes and its " so characteristic light ".
➕ More Info : Montagnac-Montpezat City Hall
Artignosc Lake
⭐ Access point : 2,5 km East Saint-Laurent-du-Verdon
⏱ Distance and driving time : 35 mn - 30 km
► To do | To see ! : the "Base Nautique d'Artignosc", as well as "Aquattitude", allows you to practice the following activities in this very attractive and "intimate" part of the lower Verdon Gorges → canoeing, pedal-boating and paddling. In addition, as the water sports base rightly points out, the place is perfectly suitable for fishing, "in permanent contact with a diversified flora and fauna".
+ Moreover, the village of Artignosc-sur-Verdon, in the department of Var, will also allow you to wander freely in its alleys formed by beautiful old houses (carefully restored), or in the magnificent and preserved surrounding nature.
➕ More Info : Mairie d’Artignosc-sur-Verdon
Quinson Lake
⭐ Access point : Quinson
⏱ Distance and driving time : 35 mn - 30 km
► To do | To see ! : At the small lake of Quinson, 2 professionals can rent boats to follow the very pleasant courses of the low gorges of the Verdon, between Quinson and Esparron lakes:
- "Verdon Electronic", to rent electric boats, from 2 to 8 places
- "Location Nautic", to rent electric boats (from 3 to 8 places), but also canoes, pedal boats and paddles.
+ In addition to a pleasant walk in its narrow streets, the "medieval village of character" of Quinson offers mainly two activities not to be missed in the Verdon Park:
- the visit of the "Museum of Prehistory of the Verdon Gorges" : one of the biggest museums of our department.
- the Garde Canal trail, an itinerary of average duration and difficulty (between 3 and 4 hours of walking for about 10.5 km and 300 m of altitude gain) with, in particular, a superb view of the Lower Verdon area from the promontory of the Sainte-Maxime chapel!
➕ More Info : Office de Tourisme et des congrès Durance Luberon Verdon
and its Bureau d’Information Touristique at Quinson, chapelle Saint-Esprit
Esparron Lake
⭐ Access point : Esparron-de-Verdon
⏱ Distance and driving time : 40 mn - 34 km
► To do | To see ! : take advantage of the great diversity of activities proposed on this stretch of water thanks to the 3 professionals highlighted on the page dedicated to the lake of Esparron → electric boat, canoes and pedal boats, but also catamaran, dinghy, windsurfing, stand-up paddle, fishing and rowing with the "Club Nautique Esparron-de-Verdon" !
+ Finally, the small medieval city of Esparron can also lend itself to pleasant "family hikes" (with 3 nice itineraries of about 6 km each that you will find described under this link) to discover the local heritage with children!
➕ More Info : Office de Tourisme et des congrès
Durance Luberon Verdon
Crédits photos :
→ ©AD04-Teddy Verneuil (canoë dans gorges de Baudinard, lac de Castillon, lac de Chaudanne)
→ ©AD04-Thibaut Vergoz (lac du Cadenon | lac de Montpezat, lac d'Esparron)
→ ©Agence de développement des Alpes de Haute Provence (lac de Quinson) et ©CampingFrance.com (lac d'Artignosc)