The art of throwing yourself down a gorge.

Canyoning is a cross between hiking, climbing, swimming, dive bombing and canoeing - just without the canoe! During the summer months more and more people are heading to the gorge to jump in the cool waters and more than one company now specialise in making sure you get from one end to the other safely.

There's no doubt that canyoning an exhilarating experience and is possibly the best way to experience the gorge - after all there's no footpath to follow and walking the edge of a pavement-free mountain road is not the safest way to take in the scenery. However, canyoning here is best avoided in August when there can be as many as four guided tours in the gorge at any one time - we've only seen them descending from the road so we can only imagine what kind of traffic jams must back up!

But avoid August and you'll have a great morning in a sturdy helmet and soggy wetsuit, workingup quite an appetite for the obligatory long Provencal lunch.

To book your canyoning speak to the ever helpful Monsieur Martinez - he speaks excellent English and will be able to furnish you with all the details you need.

DESTINATION NATURE CANYONING 06 Richard Martinez +33 (0)6.86.66.35.49

www.canyoning06.com - Based in Tourrettes sur Loup.