The 15 Best Verdon Gorge & Lavender Day Trips from Nice

1.Gorges of Verdon and Fields of Lavender Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,975 reviews · from $125Our pick

Spend nine hours from Nice exploring Castellane, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, the turquoise Verdon Gorge, and Lake Sainte-Croix. Guides such as Roman, Justine, Matt, and Dritan provide local stories, photo stops, and practical help. Lavender is seasonal, so confirm bloom dates before booking.

“Matt is very informative, entertaining, funny & very helpful. We saw some amazing view of the gorge in a lot of different angles. Wellworth the visit. one of the highlights of our Nice trip.”

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2.Gorges of Verdon and Fields of Lavender Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 342 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $144

Spend about 10 hours touring Provence from Nice in a small group of up to 16. Visit Castellane, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, the Verdon Gorge, Valensole lavender country, and Lake Sainte-Croix. Guide quality varies, and lavender is usually in bloom only from mid-May to mid-July.

“The itinerary was adjusted without advance warning. It felt very rushed and the entire tour was two hours shorter than advertised. The driver was an aggressive driver on difficult roads which resulted in significant car sickness for several passengers. He functioned as only a driver; he did not provide any information on the locations on the itinerary. There was no tour of the lavender fields. Instead we stopped on the side of the road for less than 10 minutes to take pictures. I have booked several tours through Viator in different countries and this was the worst tour. I do not recommend this tour. It was 2 1/2 hours outside…”

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3.Gorges du Verdon Shared Tour from Nice

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 273 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $151

Travel from Nice in an air-conditioned vehicle with a guide and up to seven other guests. Visit Castellane, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, the Verdon Gorge, and Sainte-Croix Lake, with time for village walks, photos, lunch, and summer water activities.

“We booked this day trip while staying in Nice for our honeymoon. Safe to say it was a great decision - one of the most memorable parts of our stay! Daniel was a great guide - friendly, knowledgable, and made the experience even more enjoyable. There were a number of great stops along the way, places you wouldn’t be able to get to without hiring your own car. The views were incredible. The Gorge itself was breathtaking - we were so glad we were able to experience it. We had over an hour and chose to rent a pedalo, which was the perfect amount of time to enjoy it. Simply…”

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4.Gorges du Verdon Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 238 reviews · 10 hours · from $163

Spend 10 hours touring the Verdon Gorge from Nice in an air-conditioned minivan with a driver-guide such as Laurent, Isa, Stéphane, or Ruben. Stop at Saut du Loup waterfall, Castellane, canyon viewpoints, Lake Sainte-Croix, and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Lavender is seasonal, and lake time may replace the village visit.

“Verdon Gorge is beautiful and worth the trek. The roads are very windy and for anyone with a hint of motion sickness it can be a lot! Sitting in the front helps. But the views are worth it!”

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5.Verdon Gorge Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 225 reviews · 9 - 10 hours · from $147

Travel from Nice to Castellane, Verdon Gorge, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, and Lake Sainte-Croix in a shared or private air-conditioned vehicle. Guides such as Mario, Rafael, Bruno, and Alex are praised for safe driving, local insight, humor, and helpful photo stops. Lavender is seasonal, usually June to mid-July.

“Our trip was amazing! The guide named Mario gave us an extensive tour of the region, and did everything possible to accomodate us! The views were incredible even in suboptimal weather conditions! Highly reccomend Mario and Bingo tours to anyone interested in going.”

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6.The Gorges du Verdon and Ste Croix Lake Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 144 reviews · 9 hours

Spend nine hours with a private driver-guide such as Mario, Bruno, Rafael, or Denis, crossing Haute Provence to the Gorges du Verdon and Sainte-Croix Lake. You will stop in Castellane and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, pause at viewpoints, and have time for swimming or a boat ride. Lavender is seasonal, mainly late June through July.

“Mario was our guide for the day and was fantastic. He was always checking in with us to make sure we were okay, very knowledgeable on all of the areas we covered and we felt he made such an effort to help us see/cover as much as possible. He stopped at numerous locations for photos and also made a video himself which he sent to us at the end of the day which was a lovely memory. When we got to The Gorges du Verdon we hired a Pedlo which was €20 however you can split this depending on the people on your trip. Our only criticism is we expected…”

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7.The Grand Canyon of Europe and Its Lavender Fields Small group

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 81 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $167

Ride from Nice in an air-conditioned minivan with a driver-guide such as Laurent, Stefan, or Alex. See Saut du Loup waterfalls, Castellane, Verdon Gorge, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Lake Sainte-Croix, and Valensole lavender fields. Expect beautiful views, winding roads, and a full 10-hour day.

“The grand canyons and the lake were gorgeous. Isa, our guide, was professional, polite, welcoming and very kind. One thing you must know though is that you will be spending long periods of time with the guide driving you on mountains with lots of loops. Can get you feeling queasy.”

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8.Verdon Gorges & Lavender Fields Tour & Transport

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 40 reviews · from $129

Travel from Nice in a small group of up to 15 with an English-speaking guide. See the Gorges du Loup waterfall, Castellane, Verdon Gorge, Moustiers Sainte Marie, Lake Sainte Croix, and seasonal lavender fields. Guide David has earned praise for careful driving, though driving standards may vary.

“Winding through mountains in a Mercedes sprinter van on a shared tour was never going to be completely smooth… But the squeaking, worn-down shocks on the van should have served as compelling evidence that the other reviews mentioning the poor driving performance of the tour guide were indeed accurate. But we don’t get car sick easily so “no big deal”, we told ourselves. We endured as the guide used bus lanes and highway entrance ramps to bypass heavy or backed-up traffic. We endured as the guide intimidated numerous cyclists by practically rear-ending them off the road. We endured as the guide passed cyclists dangerously, with imminent curves limiting visibility of…”

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9.Private French Riviera West Coast, Hilltop villages, and lavender Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 30 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) Top rated

Travel by private luxury minivan from Nice with a local guide to Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Tourrettes-sur-Loup, Gourdon, Antibes, and Cannes. You’ll see hilltop views, violet treats, beaches, marinas, and seasonal lavender fields, with pickup anywhere on the French Riviera.

“Our private tour with Adam was the absolute highlight of our French Riviera trip. He took us to beautiful medieval villages, walked through each one with us, and shared fascinating history and stories the entire day. He even surprised us with a visit to a charming village not on our itinerary, which ended up being one of our favorite stops. Adam went above and beyond—taking wonderful photos of us throughout the day and making sure we never felt rushed. His kindness, deep knowledge, and flexibility made the whole experience unforgettable. If you’re visiting the French Riviera, we can’t recommend this tour highly enough!”

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10.Private Tour to Gorges du Verdon and its Lavender Fields

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 22 reviews · 11 hours (approx.)

From Nice, Alex, Alexis, Ben, Guillaume, or another assigned guide drives your private group through the Gorges du Loup, Castellane, Verdon Gorge, Lake Sainte-Croix, Moustiers, and Valensole. Expect an 11-hour, 300-kilometer day with mountain roads, short walks, photo stops, and seasonal lavender.

“Wonderful trip. We only wish they wouldn't advertise lavender fields unless they are in full bloom. Our guide Alex was awesome and he really looked to find some for us and we saw the buds. It was about a week too early.”

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11.Gorges du Verdon Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · 10 hours (approx.)

Travel from Nice, Cannes, Monaco, or nearby Côte d’Azur towns to the Verdon region in a private vehicle for up to eight. Your English-speaking driver-guide takes you through Castellane, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, and Lake Sainte-Croix, with time for photos, swimming, and custom stops.

“It was a nice day but not what I expected. The second half of the day is much more memorable than the first half. The trip involves a lot of driving. The first stop was a waterfall where we stayed for 10 mins. Then we went to Castellane for 35 mins, saw some beautiful views from the top of the mountain, then the lavender fields for awhile and swimming in the lake for an hour. Either bring your lunch or plan to buy it to go in Castellane.”

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12.Full-Day Provence and Lavender Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 17 reviews · 9 hours · from $234

Spend nine hours with a Spanish-, English-, or French-speaking driver-guide visiting Valensole, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Verdon Gorge, and Lake Sainte-Croix. Small groups of six or private departures offer easier access than large buses. Lavender stops vary by season and local conditions.

“Det var en ny guide, han som person var det inget fel på, han var trevlig men …..han hade inte fått några instruktioner. Han berättade att dom hade sagt till honom att gör det bästa du kan. Han hade dålig koll på vart vi skulle, hittade inte, körde fel. Så det som stod i programmet gällde i alla fall inte vår dagsutflykt.”

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13.Private Tour of Gorges of Verdon and Fields of Lavender in Nice

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 14 reviews · 8 hours (approx.)

Travel from Nice with a private English-speaking guide to the turquoise Verdon Gorge, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Lake Sainte-Croix, and Valensole’s lavender fields. Guides such as Alessandro, Jaba, Mathew, and Roman have tailored stops for families, photographers, and special occasions. Lavender is seasonal, so check bloom dates first.

“My mom and I did a private tour from Nice to the Lavender Fields with Jaba as our tour guide. Simply put, the entire experience was outstanding. Jaba was incredible - a fantastic and safe driver, a kind and thoughtful individual, and a smart and fascinating person to chat with. He was so attentive to our needs and made sure we had a phenomenal time, fully customizing the experience and making sure we got the very best viewpoints at each stop, etc… it was a long, lovely day and certainly a memorable one! The lavender fields were gorgeous (make sure they’re in season before you book), the towns were adorable,…”

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14.Private Day Trip to Provence and Lavender Fields

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 11 reviews · 10 hours

Spend 10 hours with a private guide visiting Sainte-Maximin, Aix-en-Provence, Côte de Provence vineyards, and lavender fields in bloom from late June to early August. Hotel pickup, parking, and tolls are included, while lunch and wine tasting costs are separate.

“He was knowledgeable, prompt and took good care of us. We did not realise that the drive on the highway would be so long. Aix was interesting but not amazing. Driving on smaller rural roads would have been more interesting. Thankyou”

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15.Private Day Trip: Verdon Gorge, Castellane, Moustiers from Nice

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $618

Leave Nice at 8 a.m. in a private, air-conditioned Mercedes minivan with an English-speaking guide. See Castellane, Point Sublime, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, and Lake Sainte-Croix. The route is long and winding, but your guide can tailor stops and commentary to your group.

“The French countryside at its most beautiful! Our driver couldn't have been better! Great scenery!”

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