Canyoning Randoxygène Guide : Carleva valley

A long, very wild canyon with crystal-clear water, ideal for large-scale jumps and slides, a real sport not to be underestimated: difficult access and heavily wooded banks making any helicopter intervention risky.
Access on foot: 2 hours
Leave Breil-sur-Roya by the south gate (290 m - b.3) to quickly reach marker 105 on the valley path and leave it to climb towards Vésaire; cross the hamlet and continue upwards. After crossing the first valley, you reach the start of the canyon in the second large valley. The start of the clue is at the intersection of the valley and the path, after a short, winding descent with an information panel (850 m).

Descent of the canyon: 5 hours
After a walking area dotted with small obstacles that can be climbed over, you reach the steep part of the canyon where there is a steady succession of jumps, slides and abseils. Halfway along, you come to the first drinking water reservoir (Captage de Vésaire), quickly followed by a second (Captage de Praghiou). It is only possible to escape via the Praghiou canal on the left bank if necessary. In all other cases, travel along the canal is strictly forbidden due to the damage caused to the structure. The rest of the descent remains steady until you reach a large 25 m slide (belayed over a handrail on the right bank to reach the chain on the left bank), at the start of the waterfall. The difficulties lessen further down until you reach the left bank exit, which has been converted into a via ferrata and leads to a splendid arched bridge on the valley path, the finish point of the descent (280 m).
Return on foot: 15 minutes
From the bridge, turn right along the valley path on the right bank to join the outward route at marker 105, then the village of Breil-sur-Roya.

NB: Rescue operations are particularly complex due to the difficulty of access and the heavily wooded nature of the riverbanks, which makes any helicopter intervention unlikely. It should be noted that the small reservoirs located halfway along the canyon supply drinking water to the inhabitants of Vésaire and Praghiou. As with all sites, and particularly here, care must be taken not to contaminate the riverbanks, as damage is slow and any pollution can be transported over a long distance.