The spectacular Gorges du Verdon should be on any visitor’s tick-list. The river here runs into the lake of Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon, and sitting above the lake are the beautiful sites of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, which hosted the 1991 Paragliding World Championships.
The main sites of Mont Denier and Courchons face the lake and are reached via the Plateau de Vénascle, where the local school is based. The higher launch gives the possibility of XC flights towards St André. Both sites offer soaring flights with spectacular views of the gorge, lake and across the lavendar fields of Provence.
Courchons is famous for its pleasant evening soaring on the west-facing cliffs which work until sunset during summer.
Nearby, Aiguines gives stunning flying on the south side of the gorge. There are two launches here, the du Puit launch is easiest.
verdon-passion.com, thermo1223.free.fr
Photo: Ant Green
This appeared in the 2016 Travel Guide as part of Golden Ticket, a collection of sites where the Alps touch the Mediterranean on the Cote d’Azur and you’ll find spectacular year-round flying.
