Between Grasse and Vence, the river Loup has carved a deep gorge into the limestone, with turquoise pools, waterfalls and cliffs — one of the most spectacular natural sites in the Riviera hinterland. And the best way to discover it isn’t from the road: it’s from the inside, in a wetsuit, working your way down the river.
Good news if you’re heading up to Gréolières: the gorges are on the way. Pont-du-Loup is 14 km from Gréolières and about thirty kilometres from Nice or Cannes. It’s the kind of detour that turns a day in the mountains into a full weekend.
Why the Loup is the right canyon to start with
The Loup canyon has a solid reputation among insiders: it’s the most accessible on the French Riviera. Great fun, very aquatic, with a beautiful narrow gorge at the end — but without the technical commitment that keeps other routes for experienced canyoneers.
In practice, you’ll find:
- Jumps of 2 to 8 metres, all optional — there is always an alternative to bypass them
- Natural slides polished by the water, some of them up to around ten metres long
- Abseils (rope descents), including one of about 8 m down a sloping slab and one of around ten metres to enter the final gorge
- Swimming in deep green pools, between walls that close in around you
“Accessible” doesn’t mean “risk-free”. A canyon is still a natural environment with moving water, slippery rocks and flow rates that vary. Never descend a canyon unsupervised if you are not trained and equipped.
Going with a guide: Canyons Experience
In this area, Canyons Experience is a local association of state-qualified guides, certified by the FFME and the French Ministry of Youth and Sports. Their base is right at the gorges du Loup.
What you should know before booking:
- Gorges du Loup outing: around 2 hrs, from €60 per person
- Open to everyone from age 10 — groups range from families to athletes, and the guides adapt the route
- 7 days a week, by reservation — essential in July and August
- Suitable shoes available for hire on site (€10), with the proceeds donated to local associations
- Contact: 06 50 63 73 30 or contact@canyons-experience.com (WhatsApp available)
They also guide other canyons in the department for those who want to go further: the Gours du Ray, Saint-Auban (2 hrs, from €60), the Barbaira or the Riolan (4 hrs, from €90).
Prices and conditions given for guidance only — check them directly with the provider.
What’s provided, what you bring
Generally, the guide provides the wetsuit, helmet, harness and all the safety equipment. On your side, bring:
- A swimsuit, to put on before you leave
- Closed shoes that can get soaked — old trainers will do, or hire suitable shoes on site
- A towel and dry clothes for afterwards
- Something to tie back long hair, and definitely no jewellery that can snag
- Your prescription glasses, secured if you wear them (leave the sunglasses in the car)
Your phone stays dry in the car: the guide usually has a waterproof camera and you get the photos afterwards.
When to go?
The season broadly runs from May/June to September, depending on the river’s flow and the water temperature. A few pointers:
- June — the water is still cool but the flow is good and there are few people
- July–August — the most comfortable period, but book ahead
- September — often the best compromise: water warmed by the summer, fewer people
A canyon depends on the weather: in the event of a storm or heavy rain, outings are cancelled. It’s not fussiness, it’s the basic rule of canyon safety — a storm upstream can raise the water level very quickly. If the guide cancels, that’s a good sign of professionalism.
Combining it with a day in Gréolières
This is where the geography gets interesting. The gorges du Loup road (RD6, via Pont-du-Loup) is one of the two access routes to Gréolières-les-Neiges from the coast. So you’re not making a detour at all.
Two ways to combine them:
In one day — canyoning in the morning (a 2-hour outing starts early), lunch in Gréolières, then the afternoon on an electric mountain bike on the resort’s trails, where it’s ten degrees cooler than down below.
Over a weekend — canyon on day one, a night on site, and a proper mountain outing the next day. We’ve put together a round-up of accommodation in the area and places to eat.
And if you’re staying on the water-and-rock side of things, the gorges can also be admired from above: the roadside viewpoints, the Courmes waterfall and the Saut du Loup all feature in our tour of the best viewpoints in the area.
And what do we do in all this?
Nothing at all — canyoning isn’t our trade, and that’s just as it should be: leave it to qualified professionals.
On the other hand, if you’re coming up here for the day or the weekend, Bogho Sports kits you out for the mountain side. In summer, our electric mountain bikes set off straight onto the resort’s waymarked trails, from €15 for a half day. In winter, it’s skis and snowboards, right at the foot of the slopes.
We’re at 310 Traverse du Cheiron, in Gréolières-les-Neiges, open every day from 9 am to 5 pm — 14 km above the gorges. Give us a call on 06 21 45 80 87 and we’ll get your gear ready.
Third-party prices and opening times are given for guidance only — please check directly with the establishment concerned.