19th June. Castellane

Not having heard from the rafting company, I called into their shop. The river flow is controlled by the operators of the dam upstream at Lac de Castillon, and they were not releasing enough water for rafting for a few days, damn.
Alors, I decided to climb the roc above the village, it's a steep path that rises to around 500' to the church. Services are still held there. The view over the village and gorge was worth the climb.
After lunch at the tent I drove into the gorge proper to visit the Samson gully. There were groups preparing to go canyoning down the river. Walking down to the river and along a trail that was soon high above the river as it descended. The trail was through long sections of unlit tunnel a lot of the time. I turned back after a mile or so as my foot was aching.
The cliffs are 2000' high in places through this section of the gorge and the only way to really experience the gorge is from the river.
It was very hot back in the sun with the heat held by the gorge.
I stopped on the way back to Castllone to look at a group of Griffon Vultures flying above then noticed a group in inflatable canoes descending the river.