UNFOLDING

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Monday :RAFTING on the Middle-Verdon

Meet at 9:00 am at our main office in Castellane (see access map).

Then meet at 9:30 am at our private ground “Adventure Forest” (see the access map) – our guides are there to welcome you.

They then hand out the equipment and give a safety talk. You are now ready to embark on a rafting day trip that is about to take you to the Samson Corridor (4 hours and 22 km of navigation).

The first section is relatively easy; there is plenty of time to become acquainted with the rafting navigation techniques. On this first part of the river, class II rapids – which are relatively easy – are mostly encountered. The morning ride ends with the negociating of the “Barre St. Jean”, a rapid graded III (medium difficulty) requiring more manoeuvering than the previous ones.

Soon after this exciting moment, it is time to stop for lunch on the river bank at our private beach ” The pinewood”. Following the midday break, your descent continues towards the Verdon gorges.

Right at the entrance of the gorges, a fun rapid called “La Dégoulinante” is waiting for you for a real roller-coaster ride on the waves. From that point, we take some time to marvel at the work of millions of years of erosion on the impressive limestone cliffs surrounding us between the successive class II and III rapids.

But the excitement is not quite yet over, as the right-angle shaped “Solitaire” rapid – the steepest and the fastest rapid of the day – is soon coming up. This exhilarating rapid marks the end of the descent. Getting out of the raft, you can admire the beauty of the Samson Corridor, as you help to deflate and roll up the raft before carrying it on the “Sentier Martel” trail. This entails a 10 mn walk out of the gorge to reach the Samson Corridor Belvedere, where our bus is waiting to drive you back to Adventure Forest.

Tuesday : CANO-RAFT on the Middle Verdon

Meet at 9:30 am at our private ground “Adventure Forest” – our guides are there to welcome you.

They hand out your equipment and give a safety talk. You are now ready to embark on a cano-raft descent on the Verdon that will take you from Adventure Forest to “La Pinède” beach (8 km and 1h30 of navigation).

The difficulty level on this trip is progressive, with an easy first section and a more challenging one at the end. In the first part, you ride mostly small rapids (class II), which gives you time to become fully acquainted with the boat and learn to manoeuver it smoothly.

Towards the end of the descent, you hit the exciting “Barre St. Jean” class III rapid (medium difficulty), which is the final one of this descent. Depending on the route you choose, this rapid can be more or less challenging. But it is definitely the place to apply what you have learnt during the trip. In any case, it is the highlight of your descent and a lot fo fun.

After getting changed, you are driven back to Adventure Forest in the company bus.

Wednesday : AIR-BOAT on the Middle-Verdon

Meet at 9:30 am at our base “Adventure Forest”, where the guides will welcome you.

They hand out your equipment and give a brief safety talk. You are now ready to embark on an air-boat descent of the Verdon that will take you from Adventure Forest to “the Pinede beach” (8 km and 1h30 of navigation).

The difficulty level on this trip is progressive, with an easy first section and a more challenging one at the end. In the first part, you ride mostly small rapids (class II), which gives you time to become fully acquainted with the boat and learn to manoeuver it smoothly.

Towards the end of the descent, you hit the exciting “Barre St. Jean” class III rapid (medium difficulty), which is the final rapid of this descent.

We stop above it to scout it from the shore. Together with the guide, we then discuss the best way to run it, looking at the different possible routes. Depending on the one you choose, this rapid can be more or less challenging. But it is definitely the place to apply what you have learnt during the trip. If things do not go the way you had planned – no worries : you might take an unintentional dip but the guide is there to help you out and a large pool at the bottom of the rapid welcomes the swimmers, making it a safe and fun run.

When everyone has run the rapid, you then carry on to “la Pinède” beach, where the trip ends.

After getting changed, you are driven back to Adventure Forest in the company bus.

Thursday : HYDROSPEED in the Middle-Verdon

Meet at 9:30 am at our private ground “Adventure Forest”, for a half-day white water swimming descent. The guides hand out the equipment and give a safety talk.

Then, you are ready to set off for a descent of the Verdon of 4 km which takes 1h30.

Helped with a specially designed floating board called “hydrospeed”, we use flippers to make our way down the river as indicated by the guide.

The first section is easy, it gives you time to practice this particular type of swimming. Then, small rapids (class II) come up before you penetrate inside the entrance of the Verdon Gorges.

After a series of class III rapids (medium difficulty), you run the final “Solitaire” rapid (medium/high difficulty), which brings you to the Samson Corridor, where ends the trip.

Friday : FOREST HIGH ROPE COURSE

Meet at 9:30 am at our rope course “Adventure Forest”.

Move from tree to tree on a series of varied challenges at a height of 2 to 12 meters above ground. Test your balance on Nepalese bridges, slide on death slides, thread your way through hanging barrels – all of this in complete safety. All you need to do is to put on a harness, follow a few simple safety instructions, and all the fun and excitement will be yours !

A total of 50 varied and progressive challenges await you in the forest.

This real forest adventure is performed in an exceptionnally beautiful 3 ha. site planted with pine trees and broadleaved-trees, and is bordered with cliffs overlooking the Verdon river.

Saturday :CANYONING in the Jabron

Meet at 9:00 am at the former “Les Chasseurs” restaurant (village of La Batie, 10 km from Castellane on the N 85 road to Nice), (see access map), for a real incursion inside one of the tributaries of the Verdon river : the Jabron canyon.

The canyoning guide is there to welcome you on the car park of the restaurant. He hands out your equipment and you are ready to go. A 30 min. walk takes you right up to the entrance of the canyon.

There, you are introduced to the abseiling techniques and then gradually penetrate inside the canyon.

Soon, you need to adapt your progression technique. Abseiling down a 5 m “rappel”, sliding down a natural stone slide, and jumping in clear pools at the heart of the canyon become the necessary techniques…

At the end, we walk back in the forest brings to the start.

The Jabron canyon is a short but spectacular canyon, accessible to everyone in reasonable fitness.

None of the jumps and slides is compulsory and can be abseiled down instead, if you wish not to jump.

ADDITIONAL

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informations

The flow of the Verdon river is regulated by the Castillon dam, which is operated by the EDF (French National Electricity Company). In the fall (from about mid-September until October), the water releases are regular. White water sports as rafting, cano-raft and white water swimming are then possible. This programme offers you the possibility to explore the Verdon Canyon.

  • Rafting: day in the Middle Verdon
  • Cano-raft: half-day in the Middle Verdon
  • Air-boat: half-day in the Middle Verdon
  • Hydrospeed: half-day in the Middle Verdon
  • Forest high rope course
  • Canyoning: half-day in the Jabron canyon
  • September

IMPORTANT :

  • The activities rely on favorable weather conditions. In the event of heavy rainfall, the canyon may be flooded rapidly. For this reason, in case of high risks of rain, the guides reserve the right to postpone the outing.
  • The Verdon water levels are regulated by the national Electricity Company. This implies that, in case of low water level due to insufficient dam release, we may perform our white water activities on the Upper-Verdon or on the Var.
  • Activities alone : 210 Euros per person.
  • To book, contac us.
  • No previous experience of white water activities is necessary
  • Minimum age : 16
  • Being able to swim is esssential
  • Things to bring:
    • No previous experience of white water activities is necessary
    • Minimum age : 16
    • Being able to swim is esssential
    • Things to bring:
  • Fully qualified and experienced guides,
  • Approved (European standards) up to date safety gear
  • Individual equipment adapted to each activity
  • Shuttle service back to the put-in (for activities on the Verdon river)
  • Insurance (civil liability insurance covering ABOARD Rafting’s activities).

Castellane

Adventure Forest

Jabron Canyon