Var Verdon Canyon Challenge

Hey Cow Boy ! Welcome to the French Canyon ! 🤠

France really has nothing to envy Americans about! 🇺🇸 And yes, we also have our Grand Canyon, the largest in Europe! Straddling the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Var departments, the Parc Naturel Régional du Verdon and its 188 000 hectares, is a true mosaic of landscapes 😍. From the horizontality of the Plateau de Valensole to the steep verticality of the chalk cliffs of the Gorges du Verdon, through the serene expanse of the great lakes of Castillon, from Sainte-Croixand Esparron, of Quinson, this land of contrast awaits you in June for the mythical: Var Verdon Canyon Challenge 🏃.

With its very first edition in 1993, this sporting event is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year! Ladies and gentlemen, we’re talking about a trail pioneer 📖. For a bit of history, it was founded by a man named Jean Giacosa, a nature enthusiast and lover of the largest canyon in Europe who created the Var Verdon Canyon Challenge, formerly “ La Grande Course du Verdon et du lac de Sainte Croix”. At its inception, this race was a 120 km journey over three days with a cumulative elevation gain of over 9000 meters. Through his association AÉRIA, Jean then evolved this event and made it a fixture on the regional trail calendar in PACA 👌.

Today it features 4 events on the program, open to men and women of all ages, backgrounds and fitness levels who want to experience this exceptional sporting adventure in nature! 🍃 Starting with the tiny, the 8 km. Small but mignon fierce, the 17 km will let you take on a relatively short yet demanding challenge. The 24 km is just as tough and offers a condensed version of the Trail Entre Deux Rives (the longest distance) with splendid sections along the ridges and the summit of the Grand Margès. If you’re an experienced runner you can tackle the 40 km 🔥. Long and technical, it hides a sumptuous route that takes you along the famous Trail of the White Explorer Martel. For these last two trails, bring your headlamp as the start is just before sunrise 🔦.

The Var Verdon Canyon Challenge is the perfect chance to catch up with friends or family at an extraordinary event 🤗. Everyone can find a distance that fits, and no matter which distance you choose, it’s a unique terrain in the world that opens its doors to you: the Parc naturel régional du Verdon and the réserve géologique de Haute Provence. Some rocky passages, some climbing on rocks. You’ll also cross bridges and descend the countless steps of the Imbert breach ladders 😰. And in the caves, beware it may get dark… TA G...be totally black … TA G... 😅! When one thing ends, another begins; you’ll also run along ridges to enjoy an exceptional panorama. Up top, keep your eyes wide open; with a bit of luck you might spot vultures 🦅 in the air or even some trout in the streams. In short, lovers of wide open spaces, this trail in the heart of Europe’s largest canyon is made for you!

And for a post-race vibe to match, there’s plenty to do in the region! From Menton to the Camargue, from Marseille to Barcelonnette, via Avignon, Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Nice, the area is a sunny canvas! How about cycling through theisland of Porquerolles, sipping in the vineyard views of Bandol or trying a pétanque game in Saint-Paul-de-Vence ? 🤔 And of course, the unmatched scents of lavender, thyme, rosemary and the songs of cicadas will be part of it ☀️.