Besides sports, Valensole and the Verdon Regional National Park offer many cultural and gastronomic activities for a memorable experience.

Clunisian site, Valensole is an authentic Provencal village where you can visit lavender distilleries, the museum of the bee and honey and meet many craftsmen, and tironmasters artists, painters, sculptors, artistic potters…) .

Don’t miss the many Provencal markets, a unique opportunity to taste the local products.

If you are sporty you will enjoy the possibilities offered by the area in a pleasant setting (mountain biking, climbing, quad, hiking, gliding, water sports on the lake of Sainte-Croix, or rafting in the gorges du Verdon.).

If you are a nature lover you will find in the Park many points of interest, the magnificent landscape of the Verdon Canyon, the gorgeous lake of Sainte Croix with its inimitable colours and the numerous walks for all levels on the Plateau of Valensole and in the forest of Mont Denier.

Many local festivals liven up Valensole and its surroundings throughout the year : the festivals of the truffle and the corn, of the Renaissance ( in Riez, a Roman village) and many other events like a second-hand farm machinery sale in Gréoux les Bains, a Jazz festival in Oraison and the festival of the 5 columns in Riez.

Hungry for culture and discoveries don’t miss the museums of  the area : The Eathenware Museum in Moustiers, the Prehistory Museum in Quinson (the largest museum in Europe devoted to that important  part of our history) or the Ethnological Museum of the Priory of Salagon.

And if  you feel like lazing  around, the swimming pool in Valensole or  the lakes of Sainte Croix and of Artignosc  sur Verdon are there for you…

Unless you’d rather enjoy a good game of pétanque in the shade.

And after a very busy day have a rest in the self-catering cottage : la Tucquenoise in Valensole, in the middle of Provence, on the margins of the Verdon Canyon.

In summary :

Gréoux les Bains :  Spa with water cures for rheumatology ,pneumology and respiratory tract.

Manosque : Walk along the shady streets of the famous writer, Jean Giono’s native town and do not miss :

• The Porte Saunerie (14th C)
• The Church Saint Sauveur
• Jean Giono Museum and Carzou foundation
• The Music festival (last fortnight in July)
• The Luberon International Folklore Festival (mid-August)
• The Nights of Correspondence (literary event in late September)
• The Provencal town market every Saturday..

Forcalquier and its surroundings : Enjoy strolling in the ancient town and do not miss :

• The cathedral of “Our Lady of the Market”
• The convent of the Cordeliers
• The municipal Museum
• The Chamber Music Festival (July and August)

And not far from there:

• The Opedette hamlet overlooking the 500 feet deep Gorges of the Cavalon
• The typical “perched villages” of the area
• The Ethnological Museum in Salagon .
• The Astronomy Center of the Haute Provence Observatory.

Moustiers Sainte Marie : particularly beautiful natural site, famous for its delicate Earthenware pottery (numerous shops and workshops).

Worth visiting:

• The Historical Museum of Pottery
• The Romanesque Church
• The Chapel of “Notre Dame de Beau voir”

The lake of Sainte Croix and the Lake of Esparon : Guided tours on electric boats , pedal boats ,swimming and fishing .

The gorges du Verdon : a 21 km canyon cut into a limestone massif by the river Verdon offering a sublime scenery and overwhelming view points down the  Gorges. Meeting point of worldwide reputation for rock climbers ), hikers and water sport lovers (canoeing ,kayak ,gorge walking…)

The recently built Museum of Prehistory in Quinson : www.museeprehistoire.com

The 3 museums of Geological Reserve of Haute Provence

• The Earth and Time Museum in Sisteron
• The outdoor Museum in  Digne
• The sirens and fossils Museum in Castellane

The “plateau de Valensole“, in the heart of Provence still shrouded in mystery, offers its riche scent of lavender, olive oil, honey and scrubland. Sitting  to the park entrance Verdon Regional Nature, the land of Jean Giono and its heroes offers treasures to each of you.

Valensole is an authentic village of Provence which is located on a magnificent plateau (area of 800 km2), where abundant lavender, olive trees, almonds and wheat … Between the Alps and Mediterranean Sea Bass, Plateau of Valensole sits along the Durance valley to the west, Luberon to the south and known for his Verdon Gorges and the Lakes to the east.

On the plateau of Valensole, many activities are available to everyone: hiking, gliding, astronomy, gourmet walks, cultural outings, crafts, etc.. The village of Valensole is also the gateway to famous places: Moustiers Sainte-Marie, the Gorges du Verdon and the famous canyon, Lake of St. Croix, Manosque hometown of Giono, etc. .

Every year through many events and festivals you will discover the rich heritage of this land of Provence: Day of durum wheat and pasta, the feast of the Renaissance in Riez la Romaine, etc…