Barrême / Saint-Auban

After Barrême, avoid the road by climbing to the summit of Clavoune (1338 m), popular with paragliders. The trails are very smooth as far as Saint-André-les-Alpes. From Saint-André-les-Alpes, the route follows the eastern shore of Lac de Castillon, from its source to the dam (watch out for cars on the N202!). It crosses Saint-Julien-du-Verdon, perched on an almost-island of the lake, and then climbs towards Soleilhas, via Demandolx and the Col de Saint Barnabé. Demandolx is a tiny village with exceptional views over the Castillon and Chaudanne lakes. As for the road to the Col de Saint-Barnabé (1365 m), it features a series of 8 hairpin bends at an average gradient of 6%, allowing you to gain height quickly, while enjoying superb panoramic views. The descent to Soleilhas is fairly short: just under four kilometers, with a few more beautiful switchbacks. From Soleilhas, a bright village nestled in a valley surrounded on all sides by mountains and forest, follow the course of the Estéron, a tributary of the Var. It leads to Saint-Auban, an ancient village set in terraces at the foot of the immense Tracastel rock, famous for its Clue, a magnificent gorge much appreciated by canyoning enthusiasts.

Don't miss

• Saint-André-les-Alpes: at the confluence of the Issole and Verdon rivers and at the end of Lac de Castillon, fed by the reservoir of the Castillon-Demandolx dam, near Castellane. A protected, unspoilt village in the heart of the Verdon regional nature park and the Haute-Provence geological nature reserve, dominated by Mont-Chalvet (1,613 m), a world-renowned site hosting numerous international paragliding competitions.
• The Verdon regional nature park: located in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Var departments, it brings together territories and landscapes as diverse as the Valensole plateau, the Verdon gorges, the Haut-Var, the Digne and Castellane Pre-Alps, and the Sainte-Croix lake.
• Soleilhas : a beautiful village, with an enviable cultural and historical heritage, set in the wild and magnificent landscapes of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.