The Vallon de l’Infernet starts at Le Suquet, at an altitude of 340 metres, and is about 0.8 kilometres long. The walk from Le Suquet to the Vallon takes 45 minutes. In the canyon, a natural slide empties into a circular pool. It is open daily from 1 April to 31 October; June to September is the recommended period. For your planning, it is useful to keep the time periods distinct: the 45 minutes refers to the walk, while April to October is the period of use and June to September is the recommendation.

Getting to Le Suquet and the walking routes

Access to the Vallon de l’Infernet is via the RM 2565 to Le Suquet; there is a car park near the Auberge. The drive and the walk are separate sections: the road leads to Le Suquet, and from there the walk to the canyon takes 45 minutes. If you are planning this canyon outing, you can factor in the drive and the walk separately.

A longer hike leads from Saint Jean la Rivière to the hamlet of Le Suquet. It is about 8 kilometres long, classified as a strenuous hike, and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes in total. A vehicle shuttle between Saint Jean la Rivière and Le Suquet is required for this hike. Do not confuse the total duration of this hike with the 45-minute walk to the Vallon de l’Infernet: these time estimates relate to different routes and starting points.

Chapel and scenery along the hike

The hike to Le Suquet passes the rural chapel of St Pierre. The vegetation also differs depending on the slope: deciduous vegetation characterises the shady slope, while the sunny slope has a Mediterranean character. Those interested in culture and scenery will find two distinct features along the same strenuous hike: a named building on the route and a clear contrast between the slopes.

The Le Suquet plain lies within the municipality of Lantosque, at an altitude of about 300 metres. In the Vésubie, downstream of the Le Suquet water intake, you can find brown trout, bullhead, South European barbel, European eel and blageon.

More hiking and canyoning options

In the wider area around Le Suquet, the hike to the Granges de la Brasque links the chestnut groves and meadows of Pélasque with the larch and fir forests near the Granges. The scenery differs from the contrast between shady and sunny slopes on the hike to Le Suquet. The access routes to the Granges de la Brasque and the Vallon de Bagnolar follow the same sequence of roads: first take the RM 2565 to Le Suquet, then the RM 373 towards Pélasque.

The canyons also differ in form: the Vallon de Bagnolar is a narrow gorge with a series of cascades and enclosed pools. The Vallon de l’Infernet, by contrast, features a natural slide that empties into a circular pool. Their respective water features make it easy to compare the two canyon descriptions, while the hikes to Le Suquet and the Granges are distinguished by their own route lengths, timings and landscape features.

For the broader travel overview: Utelle.