Verdon live River flow, weather, trails & alerts — check the Verdon conditions
Search My Verdon
EN

Lac de Sainte-Croix

Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

A village perched over Lac de Sainte-Croix (access via the D111). The GR4 crosses the commune (a ridge route toward Bauduen).

A thermal wind often rises in the early afternoon. Plan paddleboarding, kayaking or pedalo trips for the morning when the water is calm: in the afternoon, the wind raises a chop that makes the return to the beaches harder, especially for beginners.

113pop. (2023)04500Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon Gonzolito · CC BY-SA 3.0

Today in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

Today’s alerts (access to forest massifs, swimming, water restrictions, roads): data updated live when the page opens, from risque-prevention-incendie.fr, baignades.sante.gouv.fr and VigiEau, as well as the recorded roadworks schedule. If JavaScript is disabled, please consult these official sources directly.

Weather in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

· — Forecast updated live when the page opens. If JavaScript is disabled, please consult Météo-France.

Live forecast — data by MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Coordinates 43.762, 6.150.

No upcoming event recorded for Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon.

News from the town hall

Titles: source language (French)

Official town hall website →(opens in a new tab)Town hall Facebook page →(opens in a new tab)

Health in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

Official Annuaire Santé directory, file dated 1 October 2026: health professionals in private practice or in a health centre. No ranking, no reviews.

Physiotherapists
1

See the detailed list for Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon →

Emergency numbers, on-duty pharmacy, hospitals: Health and medical emergencies →

Overview

Commune on the shore of Lac de Sainte-Croix

See also: Lake Sainte-Croix, its beaches and its villages →

Hikes starting from Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

White-water sports in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

  • Le Petit Port — electric boat, pedalo
  • Lac-Loc — electric boat, pedalo, canoe, kayak
  • Playa Location — electric boat, pedalo, paddleboard, kayak, canoe

Rafting, canyoning, canoeing: the Verdon white-water guide →

Where to stay in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

≈ 65 listed places to stay (indicative · Booking · 6 July 2026)

Hotels, campsites and gîtes in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon, with their real rating when available.

Listings marked “Ad” (LiveVerdon plan) or “Recommended by the publisher” are ranked ahead of the others: plans first, then the publisher’s clients, then addresses recommended with no commercial link. How listings are ranked

Also compare on the major platforms:

Booking → Airbnb → Gîtes de France →

Services & shops in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

EV charging — in the village: Le Village (2 points), network eborn. See the map of Verdon charging points →

Live webcam — 2 active webcams in the commune. See the live webcam →

Food & groceries
  • Relais des Mousquetaires (mini-market: general groceries, fruit and vegetables, bread and pastries; fishing/beach/camping section)
Tobacconist & newsagent
  • Relais des Mousquetaires (newspaper and magazine counter)
Post office
  • postal relay point at the Relais des Mousquetaires (mail and cash services)

For a wider choice: Riez (about 8 km) for a convenience store and services; nearest bakery in Bauduen (about 4 km); Moustiers-Sainte-Marie for a wider choice

Where to eat

  • L'Auberge de Sainte Croix, L'Actuel Côté Lac, Hôtel-Restaurant Le 10.18 — restaurants (seasonal, traditional and Provençal cooking) · All with a view of the lake. Details and individual listings: see the commune’s directory.

Services verified on 6 July 2026.

What to see, what to do

Church of Sainte-Croix
Rebuilt in the 19th century, with a wrought-iron campanile, its forecourt serving as a viewpoint over the lake (Routard).
Sainte-Croix beach
White pebbles and grassy areas, supervised swimming in summer, water up to 24°C (Routard). Other beaches on the lake: La Fontaine, La Grange, Bellevue, La Cadeno, Base Nautique de l'Étoile (departmental tourism portal).
Memory trails of the dam
Trails recounting the construction of the Sainte-Croix dam (Routard).

Culture, markets & festivals in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

Market days

  • Tuesday morning — Provençal market · lake car park (approx. 8am–1pm)
  • Tuesday evening — summer night market · village / lakeside

Festivals & events

Fête du Lac de Sainte-Croix — summer (dates vary; celebrated jointly by the villages around the lake)
Inter-municipal festival of the lakeside villages (Sainte-Croix, Aiguines, Les Salles, Bauduen, Baudinard, Moustiers). Dates to be confirmed each year.
Fête votive de Sainte-Croix — summer (to be confirmed)
Patron saint’s festival of the village; date to be checked with the town hall.
Les Écrans du Lac — summer (July–August, dates vary; screenings on the beach)
Travelling open-air cinema around the lakes of the Verdon and the Durance: free screenings of documentaries on shared water and the history of the dams. Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon is the home municipality of the co-organising association Culture Loisirs et Patrimoine (co-organiser since 2014), together with the association Cinéma de Pays, the town halls, tourist offices and the support of EDF.

Culture & living heritage

Lake Sainte-Croix — heritage
Reservoir lake filled in 1973 (EDF dam). Hilltop village on a promontory overlooking the lake.
Memory of the submerged village — heritage
The filling of the lake in 1973 drowned the former village of Les Salles-sur-Verdon (rebuilt on the heights); the lake also covers former farmland in the Verdon valley.

Local tips & secrets in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

  • view Climb up to the church forecourt: this viewpoint takes in the whole turquoise lake as far as the distant silhouette of the Grand Canyon. A free viewpoint, often deserted in the evening. — stecroixduverdon-tourisme / avignon-et-provence
  • local tip The heart of the old village is best discovered on foot: paved calades, vaulted passages and small shaded squares. Park on the outskirts and stroll, as the lanes are not suited to cars. — avignon-et-provence
  • little-known spot The village guards the entrance to the Baudinard gorges, wilder and more secluded than the Grand Canyon: a quiet alternative for hiking on the plateau side. — avignon-et-provence
  • swimming The white-pebble beach below offers supervised swimming in summer on the north shore (04): handy for exploring without changing département.
  • best time For water as smooth as a mirror and no crowds, hire your canoe or pedalo as soon as they open, around 9:00–9:30. Avoid the 14:00–16:00 slot, the peak of attendance. — hotelverdon.com
  • safety A thermal wind often rises in the early afternoon. Plan paddleboarding, kayaking or pedalo trips for the morning when the water is calm: in the afternoon, the wind raises a chop that makes the return to the beaches harder, especially for beginners. — hotelverdon.com
  • local tip The emblematic entrance to the canyon is made by canoe under the Pont du Galetas: allow a 2 h hire, the round trip to the buoys marking the end of the route generally taking 1 h 30 min, not counting swimming or photo breaks. — verdoncanoe.com
  • access/parking In July and August, arrive early at the beaches (Les Salles, Sainte-Croix, Bauduen): in August in particular, from 10:00 the lake car parks overflow and the wait to hire a boat can exceed 1 h 30 min. — raoulraftingverdon.com / lacsenfrance.com
  • family The lake water warms up quickly at the surface and peaks at around 24-25 °C in late July and August, on a generally calm body of water: fairly reassuring swimming for children and inexperienced swimmers, especially on the gently sloping beaches (e.g. Margaridon). — eautemp.com

Addresses in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

Accommodation, restaurants and activities listed on LiveVerdon — an independent Verdon directory.

Listings marked “Ad” (LiveVerdon plan) or “Recommended by the publisher” are ranked ahead of the others: plans first, then the publisher’s clients, then addresses recommended with no commercial link. How listings are ranked

Accommodation in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

Restaurants in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

Activities & leisure in Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

Managing one of these businesses? Your Google reviews, managed and boosted by Livada Cockpit.

Near Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon

Hikes in the area

Gorges de Baudinard →Sentier naturaliste de Toine →

Other communes in the Lac de Sainte-Croix area

Baudinard-sur-Verdon →Bauduen →Les Salles-sur-Verdon →

Page updated on