From Nice
From Nice, the Verdon is an escape of about 1 h 45 min via the legendary Route Napoléon: you leave the A8, climb into the hinterland and arrive at Castellane, the canyon’s natural eastern gateway. Here’s the route, the driving time, where to start once you arrive — and how to come even without a car.
RD 952 between Castellane and the gorge: daytime closures at the Clue de Chasteuil. According to Rougon town hall (notice of 2 October 2026): from Monday 2 November to Friday 11 December 2026, the road will be closed Monday to Thursday from 8:15am to 12:30pm and from 2:00pm to 5:00pm, and on Fridays from 8:15am to 12:30pm, with two 15-minute reopenings, at 10:00am and 3:30pm, under alternating one-way traffic. The notice mentions no closure at weekends — check today’s status on inforoute04.fr. Read the Rougon town hall notice → · How to get there →
RD 952, Castellane municipality: alternating one-way traffic (roadworks). Until Friday 22 January 2027, over about 650 m outside the built-up area (reference points 3+000 to 3+650), alternating one-way traffic is controlled by lights from Monday 8am to Friday 5pm, day and night, and the road may be closed on weekdays, from 8am to 5pm, for up to 10 minutes at a time; at weekends and on public holidays, one direction has priority. Speed limited to 50 km/h. These works are in addition to those at the Clue de Chasteuil (from Monday 2 November to Friday 11 December 2026). Source: Département order no. 26-DRIT-1689-ATX of 12 October 2026 (inforoute04.fr). Read the Département order (PDF) → · How to get there →
From Nice, you first join the A8 motorway, then switch onto the legendary Route Napoléon (N85 / D6085), which climbs towards Castellane. Allow about 93 km and ~1 h 45 min of driving, which varies with traffic. It’s a journey worth taking in its own right: you leave the Côte d’Azur behind to head into the hinterland, between gorges, plateaus and hilltop villages, as the road climbs and the landscape turns wilder all the way to Castellane.
Castellane is the Verdon’s eastern gateway, the most logical one coming from Nice and the Côte d’Azur. From there, you reach the heart of the Grand Canyon: Point Sublime and its view over the Couloir Samson, the Route des Crêtes on the right bank and its belvederes above La Palud, and the start (or finish) of the Blanc-Martel trail, the canyon’s legendary long-distance hike. As of 14 October 2026, according to the Park’s shuttle website (navette.parcduverdon.fr), a municipal order issued by Rougon on 14 August 2026 closes the end of the trail, following a rockfall, between the exit of the Couloir Samson and Point Sublime. The full hike remains possible via the official detour: RD23A then GR 49, same total duration. It’s the best starting point to discover the Verdon coming from the east.
From Nice, the Verdon can be visited as a day trip as well as a longer stay. To gauge the right dose for the time you have — a flying visit, a relaxed weekend or a full week of exploring — lean on our itinerary guides, which lay out what to see and in what order, as well as our advice on where to stay closest to the sites.
The Verdon in 1 day, a weekend or a week →·The Verdon in 3 days →·Where to stay to visit the Gorges du Verdon →
No car? The regional Zou! 51 bus line connects Nice and Nice airport to Castellane, via Grasse, also serving Saint-André-les-Alpes and Digne. Book and check timetables at zou.maregionsud.fr before you set off. Beyond Castellane, it was line 450 that ran into the heart of the gorge. From 1 October 2026, the 450 no longer serves La Palud-sur-Verdon or Rougon (Point Sublime): no regular bus line enters the heart of the gorge any more. The 450 is reduced to the Moustiers-Sainte-Marie – Riez section and runs on school days only, never on Saturdays or Sundays. Castellane is still served all year round by the 51 Nice–Digne line, two coaches a day in each direction. Measured on 6 October 2026 in the Zou! network’s official open timetables (LOv2 licence). For the legendary hike, the Park’s Blanc-Martel shuttle leaves from La Palud-sur-Verdon, on the dates in its own calendar. Our dedicated guide details the whole chain: bus, shuttle, taxi and walking.
Allow about 1 h 45 min of driving to reach Castellane, the Verdon’s eastern gateway, from Nice — around 93 km. The actual time varies with traffic, especially leaving Nice and in summer. Allow extra time for the mountain section, which is slower than the motorway.
From Nice, take the A8 motorway, then the Route Napoléon (N85 / D6085), which leads directly to Castellane. It’s the most logical route, along a very beautiful road: the Route Napoléon crosses the hinterland between gorges and hilltop villages all the way to the canyon’s gates.
As far as Castellane, yes. The regional Zou! 51 bus line connects Nice and Nice airport to Castellane, via Grasse (then Saint-André-les-Alpes and Digne). Timetables and booking at zou.maregionsud.fr. Beyond Castellane, it is less simple. From 1 October 2026, the 450 no longer serves La Palud-sur-Verdon or Rougon (Point Sublime): no regular bus line enters the heart of the gorge any more. The 450 is reduced to the Moustiers-Sainte-Marie – Riez section and runs on school days only, never on Saturdays or Sundays. Castellane is still served all year round by the 51 Nice–Digne line, two coaches a day in each direction. Measured on 6 October 2026 in the Zou! network’s official open timetables (LOv2 licence). That leaves a taxi from Castellane, to be booked in advance, to reach La Palud-sur-Verdon, where the Blanc-Martel shuttle leaves from when it is running.
The nearest airport east of the Verdon is Nice Côte d’Azur. From the airport, you reach Castellane by car (A8 then Route Napoléon, about 93 km / ~1 h 45 min) or by the regional Zou! 51 bus, which has a stop at the airport.
From Nice, it’s Castellane, on the east side. It’s the closest and most direct gateway via the A8 and the Route Napoléon, and it opens onto the heart of the Grand Canyon (Point Sublime, Route des Crêtes on the right bank, the Blanc-Martel trail). Moustiers-Sainte-Marie sits at the canyon’s western end and is reached more easily from Marseille or Aix; getting there from Nice means crossing the whole region.
The external sources this guide relies on, one click away. We would rather you be able to contradict us than ask you to take our word for it.
Timetables, booking and scheduled regional bus lines serving the Verdon (including lines 450, 51 and 430, cited in our guides).
The Nice – Digne-les-Bains line serving Saint-André-les-Alpes, timetables and line status (works and substitute coaches).
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Real-time traffic conditions on the departmental and national roads of the 04, winter road conditions and pass closures, with a colour code (normal, tricky, difficult, impassable).
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