Canyoning
Here is an invitation to discover with your own eyes the most beautiful rivers of the Alpes Maritimes ! In a playground stretching from the Côte d’Azur to the Mercantour and as far as the Gorges du Verdon. In each valley, from la Siagne, la Roya, via le Loup, le Paillon near Nice, le Var and its affluents, Cians, Tinée, Vésubie, Estéron, water has shaped spectacular gorges and canyons over thousands of years. A mysterious world, aquatic, organic, mineral and vegetable. As soon as the weather is fine, canyoning is the perfect opportunity to explore these environments and refresh yourself in the spray of the waterfalls or clear pools. It’s a fun, sporty activity. From family discovery to extreme expeditions; you should certainly find your happiness here among these jewels scattered in the different valleys… These adventures also allow you to discover some remarkable geological environments rich in biodiversity ; we will take great care to preserve this heritage.
How to choose ?
What is canyoning ?
Is it difficult ?
Don’t panic, there is something for everyone! The difficulty of a canyon will depend mainly on 3 parameters :
The duration of the effort : Between a small and refreshing walk or an extreme canyon, there is little difference in the end; most of the time it is still walking, swimming, jumping, sliding and roping. But if it lasts for hours, it will be much more tiring. So it’s mainly your physical ability that will determine whether you can do a short session of a few hours or a long day.
Vertical difficulty : Nature has sculpted waterfalls of varying heights that involve rope descents, slides or jumps of varying size. Be aware that jumps and slides are never obligatory. Either it is possible to walk around them easily, or it is not possible and in this case we can always help you down with a rope, which, trust us, is not very complicated! What is required, however, is to cross a certain height when there is no way around it. This mandatory height is specific to each canyon and is indicated under the term “Cascade Max” in the canyon descriptions. In order that you enjoy the session, it is nevertheless preferable to be able to jump a certain height depending on the difficulty of the canyon: approximately 1m for the Green canyons, 2m for the Blue, 3m for the Red and 4m for the Black. Water difficulty : Linked to the water flow and weather conditions. This natural variable has a considerable influence. We will make sure that conditions are always comfortable, especially for the less athletic and especially for the very young from 8 years old, who are more sensitive to the flow. Usually during the summer the flows are easy but sometimes they are more substantial. And some canyons are by nature more watery than others. Some sessions can be a little more « powerful » but always with optimal safety. In conditions of very high flow, even a small canyon considered easy can become very technical, even impassable if there is too much water. At this time, it is wise to give up on your sofa in front of Netflix.Which level to choose ? Green, Blue, Red, Black ?
To help you in your choice, we have assigned a colour representing the difficulty to each canyon. The Greens ones are the easiest, then the Blue, the Red and finally the Black, the most difficult.
| Difficulty | Description | Minimum age | Sports skills required | Experience required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Canyons | Half day without rope descent. | From 8 yers old | Accessible to the less athletic. Know how to swim without necessarily being an Olympic swimmer. Jump from 1m high into the water. A few kilometres of hiking with a little bit of relief. | Accessible to beginners who have never practised. |
| Blue Canyons | Half day with initiation to rope descent. | From 12 or 14 yers old | Being able to swim comfortably in the water even if there is a little current. Jump from a height of 2m into the water. Being able to climb up and down a ladder. Go on a hike for a few hours with some relief. | Accessible to beginners who have never practised. |
| Red canyons | Mainly full-day canyons. The approach and return walks can be substantial. Rope descents frequently reach 10m. | From 14 years old | Be able to swim comfortably in the water even if there is a current. Jump from a height of 3m into the water. You are ready to take on the challenge of abseiling with a little help and encouragement if needed. If you can run up the stairs to the 5th floor without slowing down, you have more than enough physical ability! | Previous experience is highly recommended, but if you are very sporty and are sure to be comfortable with water and heights you can try a red canyon for the first time. |
| Black canyons | These are big canyons, very long or very vertical, or both at the same time ! | From 16 years old | Be able to swim comfortably in the water even if there is a current. Jump from a height of 4m into the water. Abseiling is not a problem for you. You are very athletic and have a lot of stamina. You have a taste for long efforts and for surpassing yourself. | Experience in canyoning and particularly in abseiling is essential. |
If you are booking for a group, consult all your teammates to agree together on a level of difficulty so as not to put anyone in an uncomfortable situation.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you need additional information, we are available to answer your questions. You can also consult the FAQ.
What you will need.
- For canyoning, all participants must know how to swim and how to immerse themselves without being afraid of water.
- You must bring the required equipment and sport shoes with laces in good condition. Sandals, ballerinas, aquashoes and other light shoes are not allowed.
- It is natural to be a little afraid of heights, but you must not be subject to pathological vertigo.
- You must not have any medical contraindications for the chosen activity and be in good physical condition.
- You must respect the minimum age, the required sporting abilities and the experience required. for each activity.
- You must not be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
- Children under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
- Parental consent is required for any minor not accompanied by a legal guardian.
- You must respect the safety instructions given by the instructor.
- Participants accept the risks associated with the natural environment they will be exploring and are aware of the only obligation of means relative to safety incumbent on the professional.
- If you do not have any medical contraindications, but are dependent on special medical care or treatment, or if your health condition requires special attention (asthma, diabetes, disability, phobia, recent injury…), you must inform the instructor BEFORE the start of the activity.
- Pregnant women are not allowed to participate in the activities, whatever the stage of pregnancy.
- The activities are forbidden to people with respiratory difficulties, cardiovascular difficulties, pathological obesity, tetany attacks, epileptic seizures, etc…
All the routes
Canyoning | Valley | Minimum Age | Duration | Authorized period | Price | |
| Roya | 8 years old | 3:00 | April 1 to October 31 | 60€ | |
| Loup | 8 years old | 1:50 | April 1 to October 31 | 55€ | |
| Loup | 12 years old | 2:40 | April to 2nd weekend of September | 55€ | |
| Loup | 12 years old | 2:25 | April 1 to October 31 | 60€ | |
| - | - | - | - | - | |
| Estéron | 14 years old | 2:15 | 1st april to 31 october, monday, wednesday, friday, sunday | 60€ | |
| Paillon | 14 years old | 3:30 | April 1 to October 31 | 75€ | |
| Vésubie | 14 years old | 3:40 | April 1 to October 31 | 75€ | |
| Estéron | 14 years old | 4:15 | April 1 to October 31 | 80€ | |
| Vésubie | 14 years old | 4:45 | April 1 to October 31 | 80€ | |
| Estéron | 14 years old | 4:50 | April 1 to October 31 | 80€ | |
| - | - | - | - | - | |
| Estéron | 14 years old | 5:05 | April 1 to October 31 | 80€ | |
| Nervia | 14 years old | 5:00 | April 1 to October 31 | 80€ | |
| Haut Var | 16 years old | 3:05 | June 15 to October 31 | 90€ | |
| Loup | 16 years old | 5:30 | April 1 to October 31 | 90€ | |
| Tinée | 16 years old | 4:50 | April 1 to October 31 | 90€ | |
| - | - | - | - | - | |
| Vésubie | 16 years old | 5:55 | April 1 to October 31 | 90€ | |
| Vésubie | 16 years old | 6:00 | April 1 to October 31 | 90€ | |
| Roya | 16 years old | 5:35 | April 1 to October 31 | 90€ | |
| Roya | 16 years old | 7:15 | April 1 to October 31 | 90€ | |
| Siagne | 16 years old | 7:00 | June 15 to October 31, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday | 90€ | |
| Cians | 16 years old | 8:20 | April 1 to October 31 | 150€ | |
| Cians | 16 years old | 8:00 | June 15 to October 31 | 150€ | |
Spring canyons practicable from april to june.
Favorite canyons to do absolutely.
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