Folyók és vad úszóhelyek

A milliomosok partvidékének nyüzsgésétől mindössze fél órányira tiszta folyók és csúszdák, pezsgő természetes jakuzzik, valamint csodálatos helyek várják a sznorkelezést és az úszást. Ezek valószínűleg Franciaország legszebb vízesései, de sokkal kevesebben merészkednek fel ezekre a vad dombokra a Côte d'Azur közelében, mint amennyien a tengerparton töltik az idejüket.

Hogyan minimalizáljuk a károkat

There’s no sugar-coated way to tell you this: The recent practice of canyoning and swimming in rivers is damaging the natural balance. Degrading the vegetation, turning over pebbles, disturbing the water inevitably damages the natural environment and its animal and aquatic populations. For this reason, we don’t recommend you bring children or teenagers to these areas (take them to az egyik népszerű strand ehelyett), és kérjük, kövesse az alábbi útmutatót a hatás minimalizálása érdekében.

A jövőd a viselkedésedtől függ.

Do not throw anything in the river, or soil the edges of the river. A halak és a kisebb állatok megfulladhatnak az eldobott műanyagtól és cigarettától.

Ne használjon kémiai fényvédő krémet, amelyek megmérgezik és elpusztítják a teknősöket, békákat, halakat és azok petéit. (További információ itt.) Egy széles körben forgalmazott, biztonságos és egészséges fényvédő márka Biarritz Alga Maris fényvédők (kapható a gyógyszertárakban).

Avoid walking in the water, as you can crush eggs and tiny animals. Indeed, the riverbed lodges all-year-round spawning, fish, frog, reptile, and insect larvae. The latter are the main food source for fish and native crayfish, all of which are in sharp decline due to human interference. Many creatures live, spawn, or take refuge under the stones and they can be crushed when humans walk in the water.

Make sure to not to be noisy while in natural areas, and tell your children to be respectful and quiet. The canyons and rivers are also the territory of very particular birds as well as rare mammals. Humans descent into these areas too early in their breeding season and noisy atmospheres disrupt their reproduction cycles, causing these important species to be in decline.

The Best Wild Swimming Areas

Note that many of the rivers are dammed for hydroelectricity and EDF can suddenly release large amounts of water every now and then creating dangerous waves, making it unsafe to be in the river. You can check at tourist offices for more details about timing for this. Make sure to wear waterproof shoes that won’t slip off in fast-running water (flip flops won’t cut it). There are also snakes in the rivers — stay away and don’t touch or hurt them.

Clue d'Aiglun

The most dramatic of these aquatic playgrounds is the Clue d’Aiglun , one of the best-known of the Clues de Haute Provence, a series of gorges in the hills north of Cannes.

Az Alpokból lefolyó víz számtalan barlangot és sziklajáratot vájt a fehér mészkőbe. Szárnyaló ölyvek és fenyőillat fogadja az utast, amint megérkezik a szurdok felett átívelő látványos közúti hídhoz.

Far below, the Estéron river has cut a silvery cleft through the mountainside and emerges in a string of enticing azure pools. A path leads down through the arid scrub to the oasis below. There, you will find white marble ledges perfect for picnicking and for diving into these vast basins of crystal mountain water.

Heading upstream, to where the river narrows between high cliffs, is decidedly more adventurous. Strap on your aqua-sandals for some serious aqua-scrambling, into the heart of the clue itself. Water gushes and thunders ever more loudly as you swim upstream against the current, and you’ll notice shafts of light filtering down from the high roof, and as the channel deepens and the water churns.

More info on the Clue d’Aiglun hike.

Gorges du Loup

In thick forest beneath the perfumeries of Grasse are the famous Gorges du Loup . The dramatic Gorges du Loup, the river tumbles over boulders, through narrow canyons and clues. This is teen and young adult paradise and adrenaline junkies will love jumping off rocks and sliding down the natural toboggans.

Here you will find numerous cascades and deep pools, and some well-known high jumps. From Pont-du-Loup the best pools are 2km upstream along the road (D3), just as the first road tunnel emerges and 300m before the Cascade de Courmes . There are several places to access the river but the easiest (and most popular) is from behind Florian confiserie in Pont du Loup .

Go early to find a parking space as the carparks get crowded, but don’t be put off, as there’s usually enough space for everyone to spread out on the river. The further you walk up the path away from the sweet factory, the fewer people there are. And when you come back you can treat yourself to something yummy from the confiserie.

To the west are riverside walks along the Siagne river below the cute village of St-Cézaire A faluból egy keskeny gyalogút vezet le a folyóhoz, ahol a kristálytiszta víz egy kis vízesés mellett várja a kiégett túrázókat.

The Pont des Tuves bridge , built in 1802, overlooks the Siagne River and is a picturesque place to dive into the water from. To reach this bridge, you must leave the village of St-Cézaire ...és ereszkedjünk le a Siagne folyóhoz, követve azt egy évszázados tölgyes erdőn keresztül. Körülbelül 45 perc gyaloglás után szépség veszi körül: a Tuves híd, a vízesés, egy kicsi és bájos strand, számos rom, amelyek a múltbeli jelentős mezőgazdasági tevékenységről tanúskodnak.

Ha úszni szeretne a Loup-szorosban (Pont-du-Loup-nál), induljon Pont-du-Loup faluból, és gyalogoljon fel a Confiserie Florian mögötti ösvényen. Minél feljebb megy, annál szebb a környezet és annál lenyűgözőbbek a vízesések. Körülbelül 10 perc alatt elérhető az első csendes vízparti pihenőhely, és 45 perc alatt elérhetők a gyönyörű medencék és vízesések, amelyek a második gyaloghídtól felfelé találhatók. Az ösvény meredek (kisgyermekeknek határozottan nem ajánlott), a víz pedig hideg és durva, ezért legyen óvatos.

Parking is a challenge in the Gorges du Loup and at Pont-du-Loup. Please be sure to respect officially designated parking locations.

More info on the Pont des Tuves hike.

Estéron Park & Roquestéron Beach

The Estéron River , with its clear waters of a remarkable green, is a playground of many pleasures. It flows in its bed, sometimes sedately, sometimes vigorously, and offers very enjoyable moments swimming in its wide, calm, pool-like launes, experiencing an invigorating massage in its “jacuzzis,” dives from atop the rocks along the banks, and even canoeing and kayaking.

In a journey stretching more than 40 miles (65 km), the Estéron winds its way through a valley with a rich cultural past, leading you to picturesque villages such as Saint Auban , Briançonnet , Gars , and Les Mujouls .

“Roquestéron Beach” is the perfect place to spread out your checkered tablecloth and have a picnic with family or friends. The river is very easy to reach from the parking lot, which is quite convenient when carrying coolers!
A legbátrabbak megmártózhatnak, míg a szárazföldiek kihasználhatják a pétanque (pekán) játékhoz tökéletes terepet.

More information on Roquesteron Beach & Estéron Park.

More Rivers for Swimming

Clue de Pierrefeu

Downstream from Aiglun, just beyond the village of Roquesteron on the old France-Savoy border, Clue de Pierrefeu egy lankásabb patak, amely egy varázslatos erdőben fekszik, számos kanyonnal. A lehajló páfrányok árnyékot nyújtanak a perzselő nap elől, a sima sziklacsúszdák pedig tökéletes kis fürdőmedencékbe zuhannak, amelyek ideálisak gyermekek számára.

Riolan Canyon

I continued down to another tributary, the Riolan , for an even more sublime dip. First I followed an old mill leat, hewn from the cliff face, then swam up an aquamarine channel before arriving at a series of caves and canyons. Smooth polished chambers have been sculpted from the rock, and these eventually emerge at a moss-covered cascade, twinkling with encrusted calcium.

Fanghetto

There are waterfall pools on the Roya river at Fanghetto , in a narrow channel below a Roman bridge on the Italian border. There are pools, plus a shingle beach for children. Climb up towards the village to find a footpath on the left and a pleasant walk which leads to the well-hidden Audin gorge , which has deep pools of clear green water.

Ruisseau du Planfaé

Below the hills that hold the town of Sospel you’ll find a beach of soft pebbles, in the middle of nowhere, in the wild flora and the calm of the flow from the Planfae stream, with its many routes suitable for canyoning. The Planfaé creates a series of spectacular, moss-lined waterfalls and pools in a remote, wooded valley. Verdant and overgrown, this is an enchanted setting for a wild swim.

Ravin de Redebraus

The Ravin de Redebraus is lower down the valley and has an idyllic cascade, with a small jump into a clear pool (it’s a 10-minute walk upstream from Touët-de-l’Escarène on the D2204).

Gorge du Suquet

If you follow the D2565 along the Vesubie river, you will pass through Le Suquet . Just beyond the local inn (or, ‘auberge’), wade across the river and find a stream that leads up into a dramatic narrow gorge. There’s a deep pool in a huge cathedral-like chamber with a long slide from above. The same road also passes near an impressively high, mossy cliff-waterfall at the base of the Peïra valley, near St-Jean-la-Rivière.

Sillans-la-Cascade

Sillans-la-Cascade is perhaps the jewel of Provence’s waterfalls. Follow the tiny Bresque stream down the marked footpath and be amazed as it plummets into a great palm-lined oasis of opal water. The main pool is officially closed due to rock fall risk (though locals swim anyway) but you’ll find more milky-blue pools in the woods downstream plus another waterfall.

Hol együnk

Ez a gyéren lakott régió sasfészekfalvakkal teli falvakat rejt, amelyeket régen azért építettek, hogy a kulcsfontosságú útvonalakat és területeket megvédjék és felügyeljék.

Nearby Sigale , on a high outcrop over the Riolan river, is one of the best. The two medieval towers, remnants of the ancient fortifications, stand high above the village on the southern edge, overlooking the valley. This is a fine place for an early evening aperitif at the solitary bar, a place to share tales after a day’s swimming.

Another option is to bring food with you and picnic. Make sure to bring a bag for your trash, as there aren’t litter bins, so you’ll need to carry your trash back with you. If you get caught littering (shame on you!) you could face a very hefty fine — and locals won’t hesitate to report you.

Where to Sleep

There are many casual-style places to stay, even in this remote region. Your best bet is to find a bed & breakfast, gite, or a small hotel in a nearby village (check Google Maps for options). If you want a proper hotel, those aren’t far away either (look along the coast) — a 5-star hotel is never more than a 40-minute drive from any of these river swimming spots.

Don’t try to wild camp, as the locals may report you and park services could evict and/or fine you. If you want to camp, you’ll need to do it in a designated area (search Google Maps for “Camping” and arrange your stay in advance.)

Further Reading: Wild Swimming France by Daniel Start documents over 750 swimming locations across France. For further information and more about safety while wild swimming, visit wildswimming.co.uk