Canyoning in the Riou waterfall near Moustiers Sainte Marie

This very vertical canyon is one of the jewels of the Alpes de Haute Provence but it is only possible in spring because it become dry in summer.

This course is a chain of dizzy abseiling in beautiful sunny waterfalls. The atmosphere is bright and aerial.

Watch out : most of the time the activity in this canyon is made up of river walk and huge abseilings of 45 metres in height. This course is therefore for sporty people which have no vertigo.

Price per person: 65€

Data sheet - Canyon du Riou

Price per person: 65€/pers.
Difficulty: sporty and vertical
Minimum age: 16 years
Totale duration : 4hrs 30min
Activity duration: 3hrs
Approach walk: 50 minutes
Return walk: 10 minutes
Equipment to be taken: Sport shoes, swimming suit, bottle of water and lunch
Equipment supplied: bag with waterproof box, neopren suit, helmet, harness
Highest obligatory jump: no jump
Highest obligatory abseil: 45 metres
Maximum number of person per monitor : 8
Period of activity: spring (april, may)
Lenght: 1500 metres
Difference in height: 240 metres
Département: Alpes de Haute Provence (04)
Village nearby : Moustiers Sainte Marie

Description of the canyoning activity - Canyon du Riou

The meeting point with your qualified instructor will be on the carpark of the canyon located in the of Moustier Saint Marie at 1 hour driving (45km) from Castellane.

After having received your personal equipment (helmet, harness, neoprene suit and a bag with a waterproof box), you will follow your monitor on a 50-minute approach walk , on an old roman footpath.

At the beginning of the canyon you will take a lunch break before listenning explanation of your instructor about the safety instructions concerning the practice of the canyoning and the abseiling.

Then you will dress up with your equipment and start the adventure.

The first part of the canyon is a walk in the river located in the narrow canyon. Sometimes we have to climb down or make small jump.

Then we walk in an open part of the canyon with fresh pool.

After this warm up, we enter in the vertical part where we will make a lot of abseiling in waterfall which can measure 45 metres.

At the end, we walk back 10 minutes throught the village of Moustiers to come back to the car

Road map of the activity canyoning - Canyon du Riou

How to come:

From CASTELLANE (04120 - Alpes-de-Haute-Provence): Take the D952 road towards MOUSTIERS-STE-MARIE. Cross LA PALUD SUR VERDON and continue to the next intersection at the exit of Gorges du Verdon. Turn right towards MOUSTIERS-STE-MARIE and arriving at the first roundabout take the first right towards MOUSTIERS-STE-MARIE / PARKINGS. Entering the village of MOUSTIERS, before the sign meaning forbidden (from the street that crosses the village), take the road that goes right to "parking / center". The meeting point is on the highest car park (several car parks in floor). Count 1h10 journey between CASTELLANE and the meeting point.
From MARSEILLE (13000 - Bouches-du-Rhône): Join AIX EN PROVENCE via the A51 At AIX EN PROVENCE, take the A51 motorway towards GAP / DIGNE. Take exit 17 towards GREOUX LES BAINS / VINON SUR VERDON. Stay on the D952 direction RIEZ / MOUSTIERS. Cross VINON S / VERDON, GREOUX, RIEZ always direction MOUSTIERS. Arriving on the outskirts of MOUSTIERS SAINTE MARIE, at the first roundabout continue straight towards CASTELLANE / LA PALUD SUR VERDON (do not take MOUSTIERS center) At the second roundabout take the second exit towards MOUSTIERS / PARKING Then in the village, in front of the forbidden direction (street which crosses the center of the village), to take the road (Calade Tempesta) which goes up on the right towards "center / parking". Park on the highest parking, the appointment is here! Count about 2 hours of journey.
From NICE (06000 - Alpes-Maritmes): Take the A8 towards TOULON / MARSEILLE. Take the 36 DRAGUIGNAN exit and drive on the D1555 towards DRAGUIGNAN. Before DRAGUIGNAN take the D557 towards FLAYOSC / SALERNES. Cross FLAYOSC then join VILLECROZE and AUPS. In AUPS, follow the D957 ANY DIRECTION then MOUSTIERS-STE-MARIE. Pass LES SALLES SUR VERDON then arriving at the edge of MOUSTIERS, at the first roundabout take the first right towards MOUSTIERS-STE-MARIE / PARKINGS. Entering the village of MOUSTIERS, before the sign meaning forbidden (from the street that crosses the village), take the road that goes right to "parking / center". The meeting point is on the highest car park (several car parks in floor). Count 2h40 ride.
From GRASSE (06130 - Alpes-Maritmes): Join the A8 towards TOULON / MARSEILLE. Take the 36 DRAGUIGNAN exit and drive on the D1555 towards DRAGUIGNAN. Before DRAGUIGNAN take the D557 towards FLAYOSC / SALERNES. Cross FLAYOSC then join VILLECROZE and AUPS. In AUPS, follow the D957 ANY DIRECTION then MOUSTIERS-STE-MARIE. Pass the ROOMS ON VERDON then arriving at the edge of MOUSTIERS, at the first roundabout take the first right towards MOUSTIERS-STE-MARIE / PARKINGS. Entering the village of MOUSTIERS, before the sign meaning forbidden (from the street that crosses the village), take the road that goes right to "parking / center". The meeting point is on the highest car park (several car parks in floor). Count 2h15 of journey.

Equipment to be taken: Sport shoes, swimming suit, bottle of water and lunch

GPS coordinates: 43.846084, 6.223032

Payment on-site of the activity: Only cash, there is no ATM on the spot.

Warning: Plan to arrive a little early in case of excessive delay the monitor can not wait to other participants.