Their seems to be many little villages around the Gorge du Verson, can anyone recommend a village that they enjoyed near the spectactular views. Also any recommendations for small inexpensive hotels rooms. Thanks

I really wasn't aware of much in the way of villages with actual views. Most of the Gorge or Canyon is pretty rural. We stopped for a wonderful lunch at a small hotel called Hotel Grand Canyon. I found a website for it before we went on a Google search. I noted that the rooms were very reasonable and the views there as well as the food were excellent.

Hi Lyban. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is a town on the western "end" of the Gorge. No spectacular views of the Gorge from the town, but it has quite a spectacular setting.

http://www.provencebeyond.com/villages/moustiers.html

At the eastern "end" of the Gorge, you'll find Castellane. A very nice town but not quite the setting of Moustiers.

http://www.provencebeyond.com/villages/castellane.html

About midway between these, on the north side of the Gorge, is an auberge -- the Auberge du Point Sublime -- we stayed in for two nights a couple years ago. Can't remember exactly how much it was but it was fairly inexpensive and you are very close to the Gorge. The TimesOnline article at the link below calls it "perhaps the most dramatically sited hostelry in France,"

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...622124,00.html

Check it out at the website below:

http://www.chez.com/rougon/sublimpoint.htm

we drove through there a couple of years ago and there are a few hotels in the area....

hope you are not going out of your way to see this??? it really isn't too great....i was very disappointed with it...

Capo, we stayed there two when we visited the Gorge the first time. The following year, we stayed at "The Bastide de Moustiers" that sits outside the village.

rhkkmk, say it isn't so! For nearly 14 years I have been treasuring a copy of Gourmet magazine (10/89). If my house were burning, I would rescue this Gourmet before all other things. Why? On the cover is a spectacular photo of the town of Moustiers St. Marie, with an equally spectacular article inside. It took my breath away when I first saw it, and still does, and one of these days I'm going to see it for real.

I certainly don't agree with rhkkmk! This is one of my favorite areas in Provence. I loved the Bastide de Moustier with it's romantic rooms (you can actually choose your room from their website) and the Alan Ducasse restaurant -- plus they will make you a picnic to take to the Gorge. Delightful!

Hold on to that article! That picture took us to Moustiers and Provence and we enjoyed it greatly. The star does hang over the gorge. We also bought some of the exquisite Montgolfier faience described in the article.

I don't recall hotel names because we didn't stay there, but there is a village about halfway along the gorges called la Palud sur Verdon. Also, parallel to the gorges, only a few km away, is a nice scenic road called "Corniche Sublime" that you must drive over if you go there. Good luck.

We also visited Moustiers as a result of that Gourmet cover; I believe it features the Restaurant des Santons, which is a wonderful place to have lunch or dinner. Reserve well in advance. Charming little village!

Has anyone heard how the fires in the area have affected the town of Mousiters?
I saw at least one article locally that said this was the area where people were being evacuated.
We would like to take my parents on this scenic drive stopping at the Abbaye du Thoronet and St Maximin-ls-Sainte Baume for the religious shrine of Mary Magdalene.
I would appreciate any information.
Thanks

The Gorge of Verdon IS spectacular, It's called The Grand Canyon of France.
Les Santons is an excellant restaurant. Try to get seated on the terrace. There is an inexpensive Hotel in Palud with a good restaurant.
Babette, the Bastide has the best bath products I have tried in a hotel. I'm sorry I didn't buy some to take home.

Mimi, did you like the auberge? We loved it! It's probably my favorite of all the places I've ever stayed in France. I found out about it from a British guy on the Usenet rec.travel.europe newsgroup. It was a challenge -- a fun one -- to make reservations there because, while they had email, no one at the auberge I communicated with wrote/understood any English.

Our room was in the front corner of the original building, with a view of the huge belvedere. We drove up to Rougon, the little town that perches above the auberge, for a spectacular view of the Gorge.

Wayne, I'd forgotten about the town of la Palud sur Verdon. As I recall, it's about halfway between Moustiers and Point Sublime.

The beautiful Lac de Sainte Croix is nearby. It's a lovely lake. There's a "balcony" called La Mescla that offers a spectacular view.
Auberge du Point Sublime(Rougon}
Hotel Panoramic, La Palud-sur-Verdon, less then half mile on the route to Moustiers.
Hotel du Grand Canyon, Aiguines.
La route des Crétes has a succession of belvéderes, which are terraces or viewpoints. There are riches of alpine flowers and verdant areas so green.
There is canoeing, rafting, hiking, climbing

Thanks to everyone who took the time to write. I have lots of ideas now and will print these answers to have with me. Thank you again.

cigalechanta, I hate to admit, I brought the bath products home and wish I had been able to score a few more! They are great!

We loved driving the La Route des Crétes loop. Spectacular scenery! There's a rustic little "cafe" about halfway where you can stop for food & beverages.

Well, more notes to print up and take with me.
I bought a Thomas Cook great drives book and there is a drive that starts in Draguignan and loops to St Maxmin up to Bauduen and Roumoules down to La Palud sur Verdon and back to Draguignan.

It suggests for a tour to allow one day with stops. Now I have places to eat along the way.

Cigalechanta: Do you think we need reservations at des Santons for lunch?

We did it without, maybe we were lucky but we usually are there by noon and it seems to always work.

Babette so did I and the fragrance is still in the empty bottle.I notice this year, the boutique is on the website so I may buy some later, if we don't get there on this trip. I did buy the Cigale metal sculture they use as wall lights in the new part. We were in the older section. but they're on the wall also by the kitchen.