The sentier du Bastidon is a balcony on the right bank of the Grand Canyon: it runs along the flank, very high above the water, and never goes down to the edge of the Verdon. It is very exposed to the sun, includes sections equipped with cables and remains not advised for anyone prone to vertigo. You walk it in its full version from La Palud-sur-Verdon (long and difficult) or, more briefly, as a variant from the belvédère de Mayreste car park. As with many Verdon routes, the published figures diverge depending on the variant taken: this guide cross-checks them and settles them honestly.
Verified on 11 October 2026 with the two official fact sheets of the Parc naturel régional du Verdon (cheminsdesparcs.fr).
The essentials
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| Distance | 15.3 km (full version) / 9.5 km (Mayreste variant) |
| Elevation gain | 887 m of elevation gain (full version) / 576 m (Mayreste variant) |
| Duration | 7 h (full) / 6 h (Mayreste variant), according to the PNR |
| Difficulty | Difficult (full and Mayreste variant, according to the PNR) |
| Type | Out-and-back / loop depending on the variant |
| Start | La Palud-sur-Verdon (full loop) or the belvédère de Mayreste car park (short variant) |
The truth about the numbers (sources that diverge)
This is the heart of the confusion: the distance goes from about 9.5 km to 15.3 km depending on whether you do the out-and-back from Mayreste or the full loop from La Palud. Here are the values published online, and the one we use — with the reason why.
| Data point | Value used | Other values seen | Why we settle it this way |
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| Distance | 15.3 km (full version) · 9.5 km (Mayreste variant) | 16.19 (Visorando, full version) · 9.63 (Visorando, from Mayreste) · 11.4 (Outdooractive, ROGY track, August 2025) · 10 then 18 (voyageavecnous: from Mayreste, then the big loop) | The values we use are those of the two official PNR fact sheets: the full loop from La Palud and the out-and-back from Mayreste. The gaps are explained by the variant chosen: the short route starts from the belvédère de Mayreste. |
| Elevation gain | 887 m of elevation gain (full version) · 576 m (Mayreste variant) | 966 (Visorando, full version) · 571 (Visorando, Mayreste variant) · 684 (ROGY track) | The elevation gain follows the distance: 887 m on the full loop, 576 m on the short variant from Mayreste, according to the PNR fact sheets. |
| Duration | 7 h (full version) · 6 h (Mayreste variant), official PNR fact sheets | 7 h 25 min (Visorando, full version) · 4 h 25 min (Visorando, Mayreste variant) · 4 h (ROGY track) · 3 h (blog variant) · 7 h (big loop) | We retain the durations of the official PNR fact sheets (7 h and 6 h) rather than Visorando’s estimates (7 h 25 min and 4 h 25 min): it’s the institutional source, and underestimating duration has a real cost on this cabled trail — heat, water, nightfall. |
What you cross
- A balcony trail on the right bank of the Grand Canyon, cited by Wikipedia and camptocamp among the Verdon’s landmark routes.
- Sections equipped with cables, to be negotiated with care.
- Superb plunging views over the gorges.
- The belvédère de Mayreste nearby, which serves as the starting point for the short variant.
An important point: unlike the sentier Blanc-Martel, the Bastidon does not go down to the bottom of the gorges — it stays high up, along the cliff face.
Two ways to walk it
- Full version from La Palud-sur-Verdon: 15.3 km, 887 m of elevation gain, 7 h, rated difficult (official PNR fact sheet; start in the village, parking along the D23). Visorando estimates 16.19 km, 966 m of elevation gain, 7 h 25 min. This is the long, committing route, for seasoned walkers.
- Short variant from the belvédère de Mayreste car park: 9.5 km, 576 m of elevation gain, 6 h, also rated difficult by the official PNR fact sheet — Visorando estimates 9.63 km / 571 m / 4 h 25 min for a similar track, or about 10 km / 3 h according to a blog account (voyageavecnous). This is the shortest option for sampling the balcony, without being an easy outing; plan generously on water and departure time.
Safety & equipment
- Cabled sections: take care, especially in wet weather, when the paths become slippery (general recommendation for the Verdon, Komoot).
- Vertigo: an exposed balcony trail — not advised for anyone prone to vertigo (PNR fact-sheet).
- Very exposed to the sun: little shade along the route (PNR fact-sheet) — to be avoided during the hottest hours.
- 3 L of water per person according to the PNR fact sheets (Outdooractive gives 1.5 to 2 L in its general recommendations for the gorges), food and a first-aid kit.
- Sturdy hiking shoes.
A question of spelling: Bastidon or Baliston?
You may come across the form “sentier Baliston” on a Wikiloc track. The spelling “Bastidon” is the one used by Wikipedia, Visorando and camptocamp — so that is the one we use. “Baliston” remains to be verified; it is probably a typing variant on a single community track.
What’s still missing
We’d rather state it openly: the average rating and the number of reviews are not documented in the sources audited; the exact route of the 18 km big loop is not documented; and the trail’s history is absent from the sources consulted. These fields will be completed as soon as a reliable source documents them.
Sources
Data cross-checked and verified on 2026-07-05: Tourisme Alpes-de-Haute-Provence portal, official PNR fact-sheet (cheminsdesparcs.fr), Wikipedia (Gorges du Verdon), camptocamp, Visorando, Outdooractive (ROGY track, August 2025), Wikiloc (“sentier Baliston”), voyageavecnous, bestjobersblog, découvrirensemble, Komoot. Discrepancies retained and settled above. No data invented: a missing field is flagged as such.
Reread on 2026-10-11 against the two official fact sheets of the Parc naturel régional du Verdon (full loop and out-and-back from Mayreste): distance, elevation gain, duration, difficulty and amount of water brought into line with them; the Visorando values are still quoted as such.