The Alpes Maritimes has to be one of the most spectacular regions of France. High craggy mountains, extremely arid in places, elsewhere covered in forest, cut through with deep gorges where the white rock gives the water the glow of emeralds. I drove here from the Cinque Terre, determined to see what this area was like. It was a long hot journey not terribly pleasant to be honest, along the over-developed coastal motorway. I stayed a night near the fortified village of Sigale (that's a story in itself folks!) and next morning headed even higher, putting Bambi's engine and my nerves to the test! We drove through numerous tiny villages all clinging to the rocks for dear life!
There are frequent rockfalls on the narrow roads and it really isn't for the faint-hearted. Of course I made the mistake of only using the TomTom and not checking a proper map to see where I was going - or how high I'd have to climb. Thus I ended up on probably the most white-knuckle drive of my life on a one-track road between Aigulun and Castellane - sheer cliffs on one side diving hundreds of metres down into the valley and rockfalls on the other. I don't even know if I should have been on that road to be honest in a campervan.
Still, once up there you have to go on - you can't turn back on roads like that. Later, a man showed me the detailed map and I could see straight away how stupid I'd been not to check the details first.
Lesson learned I hope.
I came up here purely because I'd read the stunning descriptions of this location's wild swims in the book below by Daniel Start. Sitting in London exhausted and fed up, I looked at the pictures of the green pools along the Esteron and thought that one day I'd swim there too.
And did it live up to my expectations? Most certainly. It was breathtaking. A real pilgrimage. It wasn't exactly relaxing in the blistering heat, and you have to be incredibly careful swimming in gorges, especially on your own - but it was exhilarating. As I was sitting on the rocks groups of canyoning enthusiasts came by. Maybe next time? I'm not sure I want to dress up in the gear. I like to feel the water on my skin!
At one point along the river I found this lovely old bridge and a ready-made wigwam. One day I want to come back with the love of my life and wild camp in this spot!
I was so fraught after the driving that I didn't linger up in the craggy heights any longer than I needed to. Instead I very gingerly made my way down to Castallane (that was probably the most scarey bit of the drive). Thankfully the landscape became much more gentle and Provencale once I got into the valley. There's a great aire for camping cars in Castallane that costs only 6 euros for the night - AND there's a public loo on site too. Hurrah! No shower, but then I'd been in the river that day so who cares! Castallane is a great centre for canyoning and kayaking incidentally.
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