The old road included several sections carved directly into the cliff face. Today, traffic uses more modern tunnels, but some sections of the former route, when accessible, offer a much closer view of the river and the vertiginous rock walls.

An Extraordinary Old Road: La Petite Clue and La Grande Clue

One of the most interesting features of these two stops is the opportunity to discover two sections of the old road.

Before the present-day tunnel was built, vehicles travelled along a passage carved directly into the cliff face, just a few metres above the Cians. The road was particularly narrow, and passing oncoming vehicles could be very difficult. The modern tunnels were later built to divert traffic away from these most challenging sections.

A Little Tip: 

Don't simply drive through La Grande Clue. If you only take the D28 tunnel, you will miss one of the most impressive parts of the gorges.

When conditions and the signs on site allow access to the old road, park nearby and explore this section on foot. Just a few dozen minutes are enough to enjoy the canyon at a leisurely pace, observe the different layers of rock and take some beautiful photographs.

Be sure to pay attention to any access restrictions: the rock faces are steep and the rock can be unstable, particularly after heavy rainfall or during periods of freezing weather.

As you continue towards Beuil, the scenery gradually changes. The narrow gorges slowly give way to a more open mountain landscape, with forests and alpine meadows.

Next stop: Valberg, a pleasant place to take a break in the mountains.

After travelling through the spectacular scenery of the Cians Gorges, the road continues to climb towards Valberg, a peaceful mountain resort situated at an altitude of around 1,700 metres, between the Cians and Var valleys and at the gateway to the Mercantour. Established in 1936, Valberg is one of the oldest winter sports resorts in the Alpes-Maritimes.

Take advantage of your stop in Valberg to have lunch. There is no need to set off again immediately after your meal: take some time for a short stroll through the centre of the resort or around the main square before getting back in the car.

You can then continue towards Guillaumes, which marks the beginning of the second major stage of this scenic loop: 

the impressive Daluis Gorges and their immense red pelite cliffs, nicknamed the “Nice Colorado”.

The Daluis Gorges: the “Nice Colorado”

The Daluis Gorges are sometimes nicknamed the “Nice Colorado” because of their immense red pelite cliffs. These rocks date back to the Paleozoic Era, and their distinctive colour is due to the oxidation of iron.

The Pont de la Mariée: A Tragedy That Became a Legend 👻

At the entrance to the Daluis Gorges, not far from Guillaumes, a concrete bridge crosses the Var River nearly 80 metres above the water.

Today known as the Pont de la Mariée — the Bride’s Bridge — it owes its name to a mysterious incident that occurred in the early 20th century, a story that gradually became a true local legend.

The story...

On Saturday, 30 July 1927, a magnificent American car arrives in the streets of Guillaumes. At a time when cars are still relatively rare in this remote part of the Alpes-Maritimes, such a vehicle naturally attracts a great deal of attention.

Inside is a young couple who have come to spend their honeymoon in the region. The newlyweds take a room at the village hotel, and their arrival soon arouses the curiosity of the local residents.

In a small village, news travels fast. Before long, rumours spread that the visitors are particularly wealthy and generous with their tips, which only increases the interest surrounding these mysterious newcomers..

At around 9:00 p.m., the couple tell the hotelier that they intend to go and explore the Daluis Gorges.

Night has already fallen.

Their powerful car leaves Guillaumes and heads towards the gorges. A few kilometres further on, it stops near the 

bridge spanning the Var between the impressive red cliffs.

In the darkness, the place must have seemed particularly eerie. Beneath the bridge, the Var flows nearly 80 metres below, at the bottom of the canyon.

About an hour passes.

At around 10:00 p.m., the car suddenly reappears in Guillaumes and comes to an abrupt stop outside the hotel.

But this time, the husband is alone.

Distraught, he explains that his wife had apparently been misled by the darkness and had fallen from the bridge into the void below.

The alarm is immediately raised.

Local residents and the authorities organise a search in the gorges. But making their way through such a canyon at 

night is extremely dangerous and, at around midnight, the search eventually has to be called off.

It resumes at first light the following morning.

There, nearly 80 metres below the bridge, the lifeless body of the young bride is discovered in the waters of the Var.

Accident… or Mystery?

There were apparently no direct witnesses to the fall.

The investigation ultimately concluded that it had been an accident, in accordance with the husband’s account. The young woman was believed to have approached the edge in the darkness, lost her balance and fallen into the gorge below.

And yet, in Guillaumes, questions soon began to arise.

Why had they gone to see the bridge so late in the evening, after nightfall? Why would the young bride have 

approached such a dangerous place in complete darkness? Why had her husband not been close enough to try to stop her from falling?

Some local residents were also said to have found his behaviour after the tragedy rather strange. But such impressions were, of course, no proof of anything: they could just as easily have been the reactions of a man in shock after the sudden and tragic death of his wife.

The investigation found nothing that officially called the accident theory into question.

The mystery, however, remained.

Over the years, the story was told and retold, changing as it passed from one generation to the next, until it became one of the most famous legends of the Daluis Gorges.

The bridge eventually acquired the name by which it is still known today: the Pont de la Mariée — the Bride’s Bridge.

Today, the bridge is also well known as a bungee-jumping site.

When you stop at the bridge, take a few moments to gaze down into the depths of the canyon. It is difficult not to think 

of the young bride and that mysterious night which, almost a century later, still haunts the history of this remarkable place…

An Easy Walk Between the Village of Guillaumes and the Pont de la Mariée

This is a particularly enjoyable walk to include in your itinerary if you have enough time, as it allows you to reach the Pont de la Mariée on foot from Guillaumes, while following part of the route of the former Haut-Var tramway.

Following in the Footsteps of the Old Guillaumes Tramway

From the village of Guillaumes, a pleasant walk takes you along the route of the former tramway that once connected Guillaumes with Pont-de-Gueydan. The official route is approximately 8 km round trip, taking around 2 hours on foot, with very little elevation gain — less than 100 metres according to the itinerary currently presented by the municipality.

The walk begins at the Pont des Roberts, just before the entrance to the village of Guillaumes. After carefully crossing the road, you join the former tramway route on the left bank of the Var River. Along the way, several information panels tell the story of this remarkable mountain tramway.

Walking Through the Old Tunnels

This is probably the most enjoyable part of the walk.

For approximately 2 kilometres, the path follows the original railway trackbed. The route is almost completely flat, which is hardly surprising considering that it was once used by the tramway.

Along the way, you pass through several small tunnels carved into the mountainside. An old walking guide published by the municipality mentions four tunnels along this section.

As you continue, the landscape gradually begins to change.

The first red pelite cliffs start to appear, announcing the entrance to the Daluis Gorges. The contrast between the vegetation, the Var River below and the deep red rock becomes particularly beautiful.

As you walk through these small tunnels, it is quite fascinating to imagine that, a century ago, an electric tram travelled along this very same route before reaching the end of its journey in Guillaumes.

After passing through one final tunnel, the spectacular Pont de la Mariée suddenly comes into view.

Arriving at the Pont de la Mariée

The bridge itself is closely linked to the history of the tramway, as it was originally built for the line.

Originally known as the “Pont du Tramway” or the “Viaduc des Clues”, this impressive reinforced-concrete structure allowed the tramway to cross the Var River from one bank to the other. Its arch spans approximately 58 metres, and the bridge towers around 80 metres above the bottom of the gorge.

It was only after the famous tragedy of 1927, mentioned earlier, that the bridge gradually became known as the Pont de la Mariée — the Bride’s Bridge.

On the other side of the bridge, a metal staircase allows you to climb higher and reach a viewpoint overlooking the bridge. The ascent is a little more strenuous than the rest of the walk, but the view over the bridge, the Var River and the first red cliffs of the gorges is remarkable.

The Story of the Railway Through the Heart of the Mountains

Today, it is difficult to imagine a tramway running through such a landscape, and yet the line was inaugurated in 1923.

Approximately 19 kilometres long, it connected Guillaumes with Pont-de-Gueydan, where passengers could transfer to the Train des Pignes railway line. Construction had begun as early as 1910, but the First World War considerably delayed the work.

Building a railway through the Daluis Gorges was a considerable challenge. Numerous tunnels had to be excavated and several engineering structures had to be built.

Unfortunately, the adventure was short-lived. The line was expensive to maintain and was regularly threatened by rockfalls. It ceased operating in 1929, just six years after it opened.

On the way back, Entrevaux is also well worth a proper visit, with its fortified old town and citadel overlooking the valley.

A Little Tip:

Allow a full day for this excursion rather than treating it as a simple drive. The distances are not particularly long, but the roads are winding, and it would be a shame to travel through the gorges without stopping at the various viewpoints 

along the way.

The morning and late afternoon are particularly good times for photography: when the sun is lower in the sky, the landscape becomes more dramatic and the red cliffs take on magnificent shades of colour.

You should also drive carefully. Some sections of the road are narrow, the tunnels can be dark, and cyclists and motorcyclists are frequently encountered during the summer.

Finally, always check road conditions before setting off. In this mountainous environment, roadworks, rockfalls or bad weather can occasionally lead to traffic restrictions.

Have a safe journey!

How to Get to the Red Gorges

    By car (88 km – 1 hr 30 min) – The circular route (227 km)

    Link for more information: www.provence-alpes-cotedazur.com