The Turquoise Abyss.

In the heart of Provence, the Verdon River has carved a limestone sanctuary that plunges 700 meters deep, creating a vertical world of stark white cliffs and emerald waters.

The Verdon Gorge is a masterpiece of karst erosion. Millions of years ago, this region was covered by a warm, shallow sea, leaving behind massive deposits of coral and shell that compacted into limestone. As the Alps rose, the Verdon River began its downward incision, slicing through the soft rock like a wire through clay.

Chemical Weathering

Limestone is uniquely susceptible to chemical weathering. Rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, becoming a weak carbonic acid. This acid dissolves the calcium carbonate in the rock, widening fractures and creating the "lapies" (grooves) and caves that honeycomb the canyon walls.

Glacial Flour and Color

The Verdon’s signature color is not an optical illusion. It is caused by glacial flour—fine particles of silt and rock dust generated by glacial erosion in the upper Alps. These particles remain suspended in the water, scattering shorter wavelengths of light (blue and green) while absorbing others, resulting in the canyon's famous radiant glow.