Gorges de Daluis

The upper Var cuts through pelite, a red permian rock coloured by iron oxide, and the result is a gorge of deep red walls dropping several hundred metres to the river, which is why it gets called the Colorado of Nice. The road runs along a ledge on the western side through short tunnels with openings cut to the drop, and there are pull-ins at the main viewpoints; a footbridge, the Pont de la Mariee, crosses high above the water. A marked path descends into parts of the gorge. The rock carries copper minerals, two of them, barrotite and gilmarite, found nowhere else. The Gorges du Cians nearby are cut in the same red rock.

What you'll find

• The red walls - permian pelite coloured deep red by iron.
• The ledge road - a route through tunnels with openings onto the drop.
• The Pont de la Mariee - a footbridge high over the river.
• Rare minerals - copper minerals found only in these gorges.

When to go

May to October; the road can close for rockfall or snow in winter and is narrow throughout. Morning and evening light deepen the red. Autumn adds colour on the slopes.

Practical notes

The road is narrow with tunnels, oncoming traffic and few barriers, and is unsuitable for large vehicles. Stopping places are limited. Rockfall closures happen without much notice.

Nearby

Entrevaux lies south; the Gorges du Cians are east.

Key facts