The Blanc-Martel trail diversion

What has changed on the Blanc-Martel trail?

The final section, from the Couloir Samson exit to Point Sublime, is closed after a rockfall. A signed detour on the RD23A road and the GR 49 takes you to Point Sublime instead.

The park's trail page says that following a rockfall, "la commune de Rougon a pris un arrêté municipal" banning the stretch between the exit of the Couloir Samson and Point Sublime. The local guide Live Verdon gives the order as no. 750 of 14 August 2026, issued the day the rocks came down, and closing that section of the GR 4 until further notice.

No reopening date has been published. Rockfall works in the Verdon take time: on the south rim, the D71 was shut from 30 March to a planned 30 June 2026 for the same kind of cliff clearing. Plan on the detour for any hike you book now, and check the trail page the week before.

How does the Blanc-Martel detour work?

Walk the trail as normal from La Maline. At the Couloir Samson, leave the river path for the RD23A road, then pick up the GR 49 to Point Sublime and its visitor centre.

The first four-fifths of the hike are as they were: the river path, the ladders, the tunnels (bring a torch) and the Couloir Samson. At the end, instead of the old path along the cliff to Point Sublime, you climb out on the road that serves the Samson car park, then join the GR 49 up to the viewpoint and the Maison de Site. The park says the total duration "remains unchanged".

A stretch on tarmac at the end of a hard day is no fun, and cars use that road. Walk in single file and keep children close. The shuttle back to La Palud leaves from Point Sublime, so the meeting point has not moved.

When does the Blanc-Martel shuttle run, and how much is it?

In 2026: weekends from 3 April to 28 June, daily from 29 June to 14 September, then Thursday to Monday until 1 November. A return is EUR 8.50 for an adult and EUR 5.50 for a child under 12.

The shuttle solves the one-way problem. It leaves La Palud-sur-Verdon in the morning for the Chalet de la Maline and comes back from Point Sublime in the afternoon, which gives you about 7 hours on the trail. Dates above are from the shuttle's own site; prices from the regional tourism listing, which also sells a single La Palud to La Maline ride for EUR 4.50. There are at most three runs a day, and no afternoon run back to La Maline.

Book online. Reservations for the next day close at 18:00; after that, any free seats are sold on board, by cash or card, with no guarantee. Dogs are not allowed on the bus, and on a red weather alert it does not run (shuttle FAQ). The 2027 dates are not out yet. The 2026 season started on 3 April.

Can you hike the Blanc-Martel trail on a day trip from Nice or Marseille?

Not realistically. Moustiers alone is about 2h15 from Nice and 2h from Marseille, and the hike plus shuttle takes about 7 hours on top.

The shuttle leaves La Palud in the morning, which means sleeping in the Verdon the night before. Add the drive home after a 15 km walk with 600 m of climbing and it no longer fits in a day. None of the coach or minivan tours on this site includes the trail. They see the canyon from above, at viewpoints like Point Sublime, and the diversion does not touch the viewpoint itself: the detour ends there.

If the hike is the point of your trip, give it two nights in La Palud or Moustiers. If you have one day, book a tour and accept the view from the rim. Our guide to the Verdon without a car covers the buses that reach Castellane and Moustiers.

What do you need to know before hiking the Blanc-Martel trail?

Boots, a torch for the tunnels, 2 litres of water each, and no dogs. Swimming is banned along the trail, and the département's hiking site closes it to children under 8.

The park's kit list: hiking boots, a torch, at least 2 litres of water per person, a picnic, a warm jacket and a hat. It is not a walk for anyone with vertigo. Dogs and mountain bikes are forbidden, and the Rando Alpes de Haute-Provence page bars children under 8.

Stay out of the river. The water level can rise within minutes when the dams upstream release water, even on a fine day, and EDF posts yellow warning signs along the Verdon for that reason. Spring and autumn are the best seasons; the park advises against July and August for the heat and the crowds.

How else can you get down to the water in the Verdon?

Two easy ways: a pedal boat or electric boat from Pont du Galetas, about 2 km up the lower canyon, or a guided aqua trek in the river near Castellane.

At Pont du Galetas you rent a boat at the lake end and pedal up the canyon to the line of yellow buoys that protects the apron, a rare fish. A pedal boat for up to five is about EUR 25 an hour at Pédalos chez Nounet, with no booking. Strong wind closes the water. Our pedal boat and swimming guide has the details.

Near Castellane, the aqua trekking half day puts you in a wetsuit and helmet to walk, float and swim with a guide down to the Tusset bridge, from age 6, for $74. It is the closest thing to the canyon floor that fits in a morning. For a private day with a boat, the boat picnic day from Aix costs $1,430 for a group of up to six, picnic included.

Wade, float and swim the Verdon near Castellane with a guide. Wetsuit, helmet and life jacket included, groups of eight at most.

★ 4.9 · 3.5 hours · from $74

Explore aqua trekking near Castellane → Tour details

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