The Gorge

I’ve always wanted to see the Grand Canyon. Since I never seem to make it there, I figured the Gorge du Verdon would be close enough. Until recently, I’d only seen it from the plane.


I figured, what better time to take the three hour trek than with your entire family and three friends and a big dog in a crowded, diesel-fueled minivan?


The drive itself was an adventure – narrow roads wind their way through the Pyrenees, lacking guardrails to protect cars from the potential plunge.


We stopped at Pont d’Arby to check out the bridge…

...and figure out just how high we were...


…and after a quick lunch and a few more hours in the car, we arrived at the lake.


I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such a beautiful body of water (aside, of course, from the view). The lake itself is surrounded by jagged mountains and jade-colored trees. Motors are not allowed, maintaining an incredible peace and tranquility. The water itself was fresh, an incredible shade of aqua, clear enough to see feet below and cool enough to offer a refreshing but comfortable swim.

Of course, swimming in the lake wasn’t what you go to the gorge for. You rent boats and go on an adventure.




We paddled through a narrow opening to reveal beautiful scenery.




The mountains tower high above us, touching a sky the same color as the water below. The vegetation-covered rocks crash steeply into the river, creating perfect places to jump. We found one…


…then one that was a little bit higher…

…and another higher still.

We even swam under waterfalls!


Our legs began to burn as we paddled. Tequila got sick of swimming. The time on our boat rental as running slim. We went to leave.


Just as we turned to go, we noticed the sky was growing darker. Clouds crowded the once azure sky, and droplets of water splashed our face and arms. It was raining, and it was going to get worse.

We broke into the clearing that held the lake just in time. As we stepped ashore, lightening flashed and thunder roared… at the same time. The rain approached.


We piled quickly into the car and began to climb the mountains. The higher we went, the darker and wetter it got. We were in the storm.

Thunder. Lightening. Pouring rain. Cars pulled over to wait it out… but not us. We plowed on.


Suddenly, we were being assault by a machine gun – the bullets pelting our van rapidly. But they weren’t bullets. It was hail.


Needless to say, we survived the storm. The farther from the gorge we drove, the sunnier it got. We laughed, we slept. It was a great day.

But it certainly wiped us out...

...and some more than others!