Canyoning at Gours du Ray: our signature canyon near Nice
Turquoise natural pools, fun slides and jumps of up to 10 metres… The Gours du Ray is the canyon we recommend, in Gréolières, for discovering canyoning. Open to anyone from age 8.
Half day at €55 (€50 from 5 people), 2 h 30 on site, optional jumps and abseil, equipment included, from 1 April to 31 October. You must be able to swim; no certificate required.
From age 16 · 4 h on site · Intermediate to sporty
This option takes place on our more committing canyons, not at the Gours du Ray: impressive abseils and technical passages, for anyone looking for real thrills.
The full day runs up to age 70 on the sporty routes, shown further down. To keep the trip to yourselves, a private half day costs €400. It is all set out on our canyoning prices page.
The canyon
Where is the Gours du Ray?
The Gours du Ray is in the upper Loup valley, in the commune of Gréolières, in the Alpes-Maritimes, upstream of the Gorges du Loup and in the Préalpes d'Azur Regional Nature Park. You may have seen it offered from the Verdon: it is still a canyon in the Alpes-Maritimes.
Our school is based in Gréolières, a stone's throw from the canyon: this is home ground for us. It is also the canyon we recommend for a first descent. It suits a family as well as a group of friends, and sporty people at intermediate level enjoy it too.
The Gours du Ray alternates narrow rocky sections and open green areas, and its great asset is a succession of turquoise pools. You choose your level of commitment at each stage, with our qualified instructors, who adapt the route to your group.
Abseil, slides, jumps and pool
Warm-up abseil: 4 metres, avoidable
Natural slides: several, including one at the end of the route
Jumps: from 1 to 10 metres, all optional
Large pool: several metres deep, turquoise water
2 h 30 on site, walking included
Way there: 10 min walk, downhill
Descent of the canyon: the heart of the trip, at the group's pace
Way back: 30 min uphill through the forest
Beginners are afraid of the jumps, above all those with a fear of heights, as Pierrot, our instructor, points out: here, nobody has to jump. The level stays at discovery level, with no experience needed; our beginner canyoning page explains how a first time goes.
A short film from our channel, in the Loup valley, to see what a trip with us looks like.
The instructor can film yours too: the video option costs €30 per person, and the film is transferred to your phone after the trip.
How it works
How does an outing to the Gours du Ray work?
Meeting point: everything starts on the D79, after the village, on the road to Andon; the time and the GPS point reach you by text message the day before. Come with swimwear, a towel, closed-toe shoes that can get wet and something to change into.
Equipment: a 5 mm neoprene wetsuit, neoprene socks, a helmet and a harness are waiting for you. Your instructor kits you out, then explains the moves and the safety rules.
Approach walk: 10 minutes downhill to the start, and the view already opens onto the Préalpes d'Azur.
The descent: slides, jumps into the pools and swimming sections follow one another. The instructor goes first at each obstacle and shows you how; it is up to you to decide, jump by jump.
Way back: 30 minutes uphill through the forest take you back to the cars, time enough to talk over the descent.
Alone, with the family or in a group at the Gours du Ray
You can come on your own, as a pair or in a group: the only difference is how the trip is put together. From 5 people, it opens on the date of your choice, at €50 per person, and from 15 July to 31 August, 4 are enough, provided a 5th person signs up. Below that, we place you on a trip that is already organised, at the normal price. Each instructor takes 8 people at most.
Children can come from age 8: our family canyoning page answers parents' questions.
Group and event options
For a hen or stag party, the group rate applies from 5 people. For a company, we put together tailor-made team building. To keep the trip to yourselves, the private half day costs the price of 8 places.
There is no canyoning gift voucher: our gift vouchers are for tandem paragliding flights only, sent by email and valid for 1 year, with no extension. For a descent, book your date directly; all our prices are online.
The meeting point is on the D79, towards Andon, about 3 km after the village of Gréolières. The exact GPS point is sent to you by text message the day before, with the time.
To Gréolières, allow 50 minutes from Nice or Cannes, 45 minutes from Antibes, 35 minutes from Grasse and 1 h 10 from Fréjus. Our canyoning near Nice and canyoning near Cannes pages detail what is within reach from each town.
The canyon for your trip is set when you book, according to the option chosen and the weather forecast; most often it is the Gorges du Loup. A preference for the Gours du Ray? Let us know through our contact form.
Good to know · What if the weather does not allow the trip?
The day before, we confirm your trip by text or by phone, depending on the weather and the water flow. If conditions are not right, the trip is rescheduled: we offer you another date.
Your day
At the Gours du Ray, people come for the day
When people come canyoning here, they come for the day. The descent leaves you time, and the valley has plenty to fill it: swimming and walking in the Gorges du Loup, the villages of Gourdon, Bar-sur-Loup and Tourrettes-sur-Loup, Pont du Loup, walks on the Cheiron or in the Monts d'Azur reserve. Our ideas are gathered in our guide to the Gorges du Loup.
Our school is in the village: ask us where to have lunch, in Gréolières or Coursegoules.
Paragliding in the morning, the Gours du Ray in the afternoon
Our paragliding + canyoning combo pairs a tandem flight in the morning with the descent of the Gours du Ray in the afternoon, on the same site, at €190 per person. It is possible even for two: for the canyon, you join a group already running, as we open trips from 5 people. From age 8 for the canyon and from age 5 for the flight.
For the flight alone, see our paragliding pages from Nice, Cannes or Grasse.
Your day with us
From Nice or Cannes, come for the day
To Gréolières, allow 50 minutes from Nice or Cannes and 35 minutes from Grasse: a morning or an afternoon in the canyon, and the whole valley around it.
Picnics and walks A blanket on the grass, then trails all around: the Cheiron, the ridges and the plateaus, at your own pace.
Drinks at the Bacho The valley's craft brewery, at Pont du Loup: a beer brewed on site to round off the day.
A quiet valley that recharges you, far from the overcrowded tourist spots: that is why so many visitors make the drive, even from far away.
Around the Gours du Ray, our other canyons range from family routes to sporty descents, and we guide you according to your level and what you want.
For more commitment, the Riolan canyon is a full-day descent, over 3 km, and the Bès-Courmes canyon stands out for its 60-metre abseil. For families, the Cramassouri canyon, in the Tinée valley, also takes a half day, from age 8, and ends with a 10-metre abseil.
Gorges du Loup
All levels · From age 8
The other family canyon in the valley, downstream, near Gourdon: slides, optional jumps and abseils of up to 6 m, which can be avoided.
Access, who it is for, route, jumps, swimming, price, equipment, season.
Where is the Gours du Ray canyon and how do I get there?
The Gours du Ray is near the village of Gréolières, in the Préalpes d'Azur Regional Nature Park (Alpes-Maritimes). To Gréolières, allow 50 min from Nice or Cannes, 45 min from Antibes and 35 min from Grasse; the meeting point is about 3 km further on, on the D79. The GPS point is sent to you the day before.
Who is the Gours du Ray canyon for?
It is the canyon we recommend for beginners. Open to anyone from age 8, it suits families, groups of friends and beginners, and sporty people at intermediate level enjoy it too.
What are the features of the route?
A 4 m warm-up abseil, several natural slides, jumps of 1 to 10 m and a large turquoise pool several metres deep. Allow 2 h 30 on site, walking included.
Are the jumps and the abseil compulsory?
No. All the jumps are optional, and the 4 m abseil can be avoided. You decide at each obstacle.
Do I need to be able to swim to go down the Gours du Ray?
Yes, it is compulsory, and you must accept putting your head under water; no certificate required.
How much does it cost and how do I book?
At the Gours du Ray, the half day costs €55 per person, €50 from 5 people, full equipment included. You book by phone or via our form, and you pay on site, with no deposit.
Can I request the Gours du Ray?
The canyon for your trip is set when you book, according to the option chosen and the weather forecast; we most often go to the Gorges du Loup. If you would prefer the Gours du Ray, let us know through our contact page.
What equipment is provided and what do I need to bring?
We provide the neoprene wetsuit, the socks, the helmet and the harness. You bring swimwear, a towel, closed-toe shoes (which will get wet) and a change of clothes; if you do not have suitable shoes, we can lend you some free of charge.
When is the best time to visit the Gours du Ray?
The canyon is authorised and can be done from 1 April to 31 October, and June to September remains the best time. The water level varies with rainfall; if conditions are unfavourable, we postpone your trip.
Is the Gours du Ray in the Verdon?
No. It is in Gréolières, in the upper Loup valley, in the Alpes-Maritimes, even though some Verdon operators offer it. We do not run any trips in the Verdon; if you are staying in Castellane, see our canyoning near Castellane page.
Can I go down the Gours du Ray without a guide, or swim there?
Learning with supervision is advised: the canyon remains a natural environment that has not been made safe. For the map, the route and the regulations, see the département page. We offer the guided descent and do not give advice on swimming in this canyon.
PY
Guide written byPierre-Yves Fenet · Ailéments
DEJEPS free-flight and canyoning instructor, founder of Ailéments in 2013, over 20 years of experience. Guides canyoning in the Alpes-Maritimes, from Gréolières.
Any questions? Call us or write to us: we love talking with you and adapting the trip to your group! If the weather cancels the descent, we postpone: we will offer you another date.
Vol en parapente en cadeau d'anniversaire de mon fils de 9ans. Super expérience, super accueil, vraiment adapté aux enfants! Une très belle expérience a renouveler !
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hannah khel yasa
It was a great experience for us especially for our first time in paragliding. Very friendly and accomodating staff. Would definitely go there again next time
C
Christel VINCENT
Accueil top, super vol en parapente avec une vue magique sur les montagnes à couper le souffle. Merci Pierrot pour cette expérience et à toute l'équipe pour l'encadrement ! Toujours trop court, on aimerait que ça dure encore un peu.
A
Anne Marie Bottoni
Cadeau très apprécié par mon petit fils Pierrot l’a accompagné en toute confiance, un vrai professionnel et de plus très sympathique
Remy Salmieri
Magnifique super équipe vraiment rien à redire
Pascale Pflieger
Très pro!!!
Vanessa Leskinen
Un superbe baptême de parapente en tandem avec ma sœur, chacune accompagnée d’un pilote. Sympas et détendus, Pierrot et Pierre-Yves nous ont tout de suite mises en confiance : aucune appréhension. Nous avons été agréablement surprises par la douceur du décollage et de l’atterrissage. Et entre les deux, des paysages magnifiques ! J’ai même pu prendre les commandes et diriger le parapente pendant quelques minutes… un vrai régal. Deux pilotes très professionnels, que nous recommandons sans hésiter pour un premier vol.
Jack White
Best day out, we did paragliding and then the canyoning. Great value for money and our instruction was excellent we always felt very safe.
I have done canyoning in a few countries and this was the best I have done by far. It was a beautiful gorge and had the clearest water.
We would book again if we ever came back to the area for sure!
Katell Briand
L'activité était vraiment incroyable, merci aux pilotes de nous avoir mis à l'aise et fait vivre ce moment !!
Warda Tahir
Peirrot and his team were amazing! I had a lot of fun. The experience was far more comfortable than I had expected
Gréolières · 06
