Sources du Verdon (Foux d'Allos, Sestrière)

Allos

The Verdon rises in the commune of Allos, at the foot of the tête de la Sestrière, between the col d'Allos and the pic des Trois-Évêchés, at 2,460 m according to Wikipedia FR (2,500 m according to Wikipedia EN, which speaks of the Foux d'Allos, in the Sestrière valley). Rather than a single source, it is the joining of three torrents: the Verdon de la Foux, born on the montagne des Trois-Évêchés, the torrent de Bouchier, born on the Mont Pelat massif, and the Chadoulin, which comes out of the Lac d'Allos. The name is said to be very ancient: Virdones or Viridionis around 1030, derived according to the article from the pre-Celtic vara, ‘water’; the Gauls are said to have called it Vardu. The Gallitae, settled at Allos ‘at the sources of the Verdon’, were probably Gauls from Cisalpine Gaul. Today, a waymarked interpretive trail, guided by a bird, the white-throated dipper, allows the birth of the river to be discovered on foot. The first mention of Allos dates from 1056 (ad Alodes). No legend linked to the source was found in the pages consulted.

Getting there: Coordinates from the Wikipedia FR infobox (areq.net copy), at the foot of the tête de la Sestrière. A waymarked loop of 3.2 km (about 2 h) starts from the Ubac car park at La Foux d'Allos, and an 8 km loop is also offered; open from 13 May to 31 October according to the tourist office (to be checked each year).

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound