Rio Sourd

Short and amusing calcareous gorge inside the Vercors mountains, with a horizontal development of only 500 meters but an actually narrow and engaged lower part. Not very aquatic.

Access: take the national road N75 from Grenoble or Sisteron and drive to Les Lusettes (70 km south of Grenoble or 75 north of Sisteron, then take the D539 towards Chatillon and pass over the Col de la Grimone (hill pass) and the beautiful village of Glandage. Enter into the Gorges de Gats and pass over 2 canyons on the right (the second is the Rio Sourd). Proceeed for 100 meters more and park near a non asphalt road rising up on the right.

Approach: take the non asphalt road, offering wonderful viewes of the Gorges des Gats. In a few bents the road surmounts an altitude difference of about 150 meters and reaches the Rio Sourd. Pass over a junction, with a bar on the left, and go on until a wooden barrage; leave the road and run down to the river on a steep path. Reach the water and wear the wetsuits, after about 40 minutes from the car.

Coming back: the gorge ends onto the road of the Gorges des Gats and its water passes under a bridge and then joins the Gats water; rise up on to the road and reach the car, parked about 100 meters on the right.