Canoe-rafting in the Verdon Gorge

THE CANO-RAFT ACTIVITY

Rafting in the Gorges du Verdon - Aboard Rafting

THE CANO-RAFT ACTIVITY

The ideal craft for adventurous paddlers…

A cano-raft is a two-men inflatable craft which the paddlers autonomously manoeuvre using a double-blade paddle. Thanks to its inflated self-bailing structure making it a very stable boat, beginners can paddle in white water without having had any previous experience of white water activities.

A cano-raft trip brings the same sensations as a white water canoe trip and offers a possibility of having fun and playing with the water, without experiencing the drawbacks of flipping over with a rigid canoe. With an cano-raftt, in case the paddlers do flip over, all they have to do is to jump back on the boat and off they go again!

The guides accompany them in their own boats and indicate the way, while giving the tips on how to ride the Verdon waves.

The equipment

Self-bailing canoe-raft requiring no bailing
Double-bladed paddle
High-visibility buoyancy aid
Safety helmet
5 mm or 3 mm neoprene wetsuit, depending on the season
Neoprene jacket or windbreaker depending on the season
Neoprene socks according to season

Period of validity

From April until October

The flow of the Middle-Verdon is dam-controled.

During Spring (from April until June)the water releases occur on a regular basis, thanks to the thawing of the snow which feeds the Castillon Lake above the dam, upstream from Castellane. In the event that water releases are temporarily interrupted, we suggest riding the Verdon upstream from Castellane on the Upper-Verdon (the Fontgaillarde Gorges). This natural flow section is fed by the thawing of the snow in the spring. The trips on the Upper Verdon take place about 30 mn. away from Castellane.

During Summer (July and August) the water releases are only planned on specific days (usually on Tuesdays and Fridays).

During Autumn (starting mid-September), the water releases are regular again and make the Middle-Verdon trips possible every day again.

To know the water release forecasts for the Middle Verdon and the flows of the Upper Verdon, dam water release schedule.