Gorges de la Pierre-Lys is a balcony road in France

Gorges de la Pierre-Lys is a very scenic canyon located in the Aude department of France. It's one of the French balcony roads.

Gorges de la Pierre-Lys

Where is Gorges de la Pierre-Lys?

The gorges are located in the Occitanie region, in the southern part of the country.

How long is Gorges de la Pierre-Lys?

The road through the gorges is entirely paved. It's called D117. The road is 8.2 km (5.09 miles) long, running north-south from Quillan to Saint-Martin-Lys, through the deep gorge at Pierre-Lys, with cliffs on either side of the road stretching to 700 meters in height.

Is Gorges de la Pierre-Lys worth it?

Beyond Axat, the route passes through the equally dramatic Gorges de Saint-Georges and Gorges de l'Aude. All three offer an excellent opportunity to enjoy the landscape, either from the comfort of your car—it is said to be one of the most stunning drives in France—or as a starting point for walking and cycling in the region. If you want to admire the scenery, don't drive; the road is much too dangerous to allow your eyes to wander. The gorge is accessed to the south of Quillan, a pleasant town, but with little in the way of great monuments. It is, however, well-placed to explore both the Cathars castles to the east and the dramatic gorges to the south. The best time of day to drive is at sunset, when the rocks become an even deeper shade of red, casting sharp, jagged shadows over the landscape.