Europe‘s biggest gorge that is also one of the pretiest on the continent has been put on a holiday « blacklist » as it suffers the effects of overtourism.
Verdon Gorge, located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of Southeastern France, is a spectacular natural wonder carved by the Verdon River.
Its stunning turqoise waters surrounded by impressive rock faces towering above attract over one million people every year.
The gorge is an incredibly popular location for water sports enthusiats looking to make the most of its white-water rapids, as well as its calmer sections that are perfect for paddle boarding and kayaking.
On dry land, visitors can stroll around the gorge’s many trails at their own leisure, or book guided tours on foot, bike, or even horse back.
However, Verdon Gorge’s noteriety as the biggest and arguably most beautiful canyon in Europe has come at a cost. It was recently included on a « blacklist » of holiday destinations that have fallen victim to mass tourism by French outlet nice-matin.
In 2022, the gorge also fell victim to a devastating drought, causing the water to dry up by 80-100 metres, making the popular tourist destination almost unrecognisable.
As a result, local campsite managers, restaurat owners, and boat agencies have come together to form a collective to manage the effects of climate change alonside the bustling tourism industry.
Angry tourists have taken to posting online reviews of Verdon Gorge, complaining that the natural landscape has been « ruined » and of the « outrageous » price for the car park.
One person wrote on Tripadvisor: « Horribly busy! The gorges are ruined by the many boats. There is nowhere to park, there is a lot of noise. Campsites crowded. Lots of German tourists, traffic jams, motorcyclists. »
Another added: « The car park doesn’t open until 08:00hrs and the parking charges are outrageous. We left our car for nine and a half hours and were charged €46. Whoever runs this place should be ashamed to charge so much. »
A third commented: « We did a five hour car ride and to tell you frankly, its NOT WORTH IT! Its just a small valley in the mountains and I do not know why they made a big deal about it. »
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