This is where the Verdon stops being a canyon and becomes a lake. At the western end of the gorge, a dam was built in the early 1970s at Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon, and the water backed up through the valleys behind it to form the Lac de Sainte-Croix, a sheet of vivid turquoise about ten kilometres long that fills the end of the canyon and laps against the Valensole plateau. The village of Les Salles-sur-Verdon was drowned when the water rose, and the people were moved to a new settlement built higher on the shore; in very dry years, old walls and fields are said to emerge from the water.
The colour is the thing. The Verdon's water comes from the Alps and carries fine rock flour that gives it a milky blue-green tint, and in sunlight the lake is a strikingly bright shade against the pale cliffs and dark pines. The shoreline is a mix of small beaches, rocky coves and boat ramps, and in summer the lake is crowded with pedalos, kayaks and swimmers. The water is cool, even in August, which is a relief after a morning on a motorcycle in the Provençal heat.
For swimming, the villages of Bauduen, Les Salles and Sainte-Croix all have beaches and landing stages, with cafes and rental shops, and you can paddle out to quiet coves along the north shore. Riez, the nearest town, has Roman columns standing in a field, a remnant of a temple to Apollo.
The ride along the lake road is a mix of gentle curves and short climbs, with views through the pines to the water. The surface is generally good, though narrow, and traffic is heavy in July and August, especially at weekends. The wind can blow hard along the lake, and a sudden storm can bring cold and rain, even when the morning started clear.
For fuel, plan ahead, as the shoreline villages are small. Aups and Riez are modest towns, and Manosque is the larger centre to the west, around thirty kilometres away. Bring a towel, and be prepared to park on the verge.