family kayaking in the DURANCE VALLEY
“What are we going to do?” Every morning when I wake up, I ask myself this fundamental question anew. Shortly after sunrise, when the first mountain peaks glow in the warm sunlight, the distant sound of the Durance is heard, and the birds begin to chirp, a mountain of possibilities amasses. Day after day, morning after morning, “What to do?” is the question with which I begin a vacation day in Durance, in the southeast of France, in the wonderful region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. This name alone—Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur—is a clear indication of the problems of a holiday in the Durance. The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region bundles southern French clichés; it combines the magic of the azure Mediterranean coast with the Mediterranean charm of the Provence and the white Alpine peaks on the horizon. Thus, every day in the Durance begins not with hopeless despair but with feverish anticipation!
The Durance Valley is a huge, breathtaking playground for adventurers. In a small area, there are numerous rivers with sections for all skill levels. The various rivers are a colorful kaleidoscope of different whitewater; practically every river has its very own character, no two are alike. In the glacier regions, the rivers are wild, narrow, and steep. Guisane and Gyr are gray, icy-cold, and impetuous, especially in the afternoon. On hot days, at summer high water, you can hear the rocks rumbling over the bottom. The further west and south the rivers lie, the less they can deny their relationship to the Provence. The landscape becomes rounder and more lovely. Steep, sunny limestone walls flank the banks. The contrast between the glacial river Gyr, with its ice-covered peaks in the background, and the mysterious limestone gorges of the Guil could hardly be greater. Yet there are just 30 kilometers between them as the crow flies.
The Durance River flows for over 300 kilometers from its source at Montgenèvre to Avignon, where it joins the Rhône. It connects the Alps with the Provence and is one of the longest mountain rivers in France.
