Courmes waterfall and Saut du Loup: the Gorges du Loup road
The waterfalls of the gorges.
A road between two cliffs, a turquoise river and three waterfalls, a few minutes from the inn.
Day out
Three waterfalls, one road.
The Courmes waterfall, the cascade des Demoiselles and the Saut du Loup all lie along the Gorges du Loup road, north of Le Pont-du-Loup. You can do the trip by car, motorbike or bicycle, with short stops at the roadside, and it combines easily with Gourdon or lunch at the inn.
Courmes waterfall, the tallest
The Courmes waterfall drops some forty metres from the Courmes plateau. You can spot it from the road, and it is at its fullest in late spring, after the rain.
Only park in the designated spaces: the road is narrow and busy in summer.
The cascade des Demoiselles and its limestone formations
Less conspicuous, the cascade des Demoiselles has deposited limestone formations over time that give the rock face a sculpted look. It's a stop of just a few minutes, easily combined with the Courmes waterfall.
The Saut du Loup and its giant's kettles
Further up the gorges, the Saut du Loup is where the river has hollowed out the rock into large rounded basins known as giant's kettles. Opening depends on the season: check the opening times and access conditions before you set off.
Swimming in the Loup is dangerous outside supervised routes: strong currents, cold water and sudden floods. To enjoy the river, go with a canyoning guide.
Carry on to Gourdon or Gréolières
Above the gorges, the road continues to Gréolières and the plateau, or comes back down via Caussols and Gourdon for a half-day loop. From Place Victoria in Gourdon, the view takes in the coast from Nice to Théoule. You'll find more ideas for days out in our article on things to do in the Gorges du Loup.
On the way back
A stop at Le Pont-du-Loup.
The inn is at the start of the road, at the entrance to the gorges. After your outing, the 200-seat terrace shaded by cypress trees serves lunch from Tuesday to Sunday and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday.
Motorcyclists and cyclists will find free private parking, with an enclosed area for motorbikes.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions
On the Gorges du Loup road, north of Le Pont-du-Loup, between Tourrettes-sur-Loup and Gréolières. You can see it from the road, a few minutes after entering the gorges.
No, swimming there is dangerous: strong currents, cold water and sudden floods. To enjoy the river, book a canyoning or river-hiking trip with a guide.
One to two hours there and back from Le Pont-du-Loup, including stops, or half a day if you do the loop via Gréolières, Caussols and Gourdon.
In spring and after spells of rain. In midsummer, the flow drops considerably.
At Le Pont-du-Loup, at the entrance to the gorges: the Auberge des Gorges du Loup serves home cooking in its dining room or on its 200-seat terrace.
See you soon
After the waterfalls, time to eat.
Lunch from Tuesday to Sunday, dinner from Tuesday to Saturday. Book online or by phone.