Alps White Water Holiday – France 2026 – Friday Day 07 Durance Sunshine Run

2026 08 07 Durance Sunshine Run

We paddled from St Clements down to the Rab Wave and then on down to Embrun. This is the Sunshine Run, and everybody seemed to be on this stretch today.

Setting off from the classic put-in at St Clements, the conditions were brilliant, setting the stage for a spectacular journey down one of the most beloved stretches of alpine water. The atmosphere was absolutely electric; it felt like the entire paddling community had the exact same idea. Clara led some of the rapids as she had run this section just a few days ago. Everybody seemed to be on this stretch today, making for a busy, vibrant, and highly social start to our river trip. We paddled as one large group of 14 boats but could have split down into 3 smaller groups if needed.

Navigating downstream, the group was immediately greeted by the wide, bouncy wave trains that define the upper sections of this classic run. We made our way through the scenic Méandres de Châteauroux (a winding section (meanders) of the Durance river located near the village of Châteauroux-les-Alpes), soaking in the spectacular alpine scenery that surrounds the valley. The lively river traffic only added to the excitement as we tackled fun, splashy features like L’apéro and Les Robert, with everyone in the group finding their rhythm and enjoying the continuous, rolling water.

A major highlight of the descent was, without a doubt, hitting the renowned Rab Wave. The bustling crowds on the river amplified the energy as everyone cheered each other on, navigating the main drop and taking turns surfing the feature under the bright skies. It was a fantastic display of shared camaraderie alongside a multitude of fellow kayakers, perfectly blending the thrill of the rapid with the social spirit that makes alpine paddling so special. All of us made it down safely, but the river was fairly low and the feature more of a wave rather than a stopper. We stopped for lunch in the sun and enjoyed the fun as various rafts, hydrospeeds and kayakers made their way down.

After plenty of action and a few well-earned rests in the eddies, the group continued the scenic journey toward our final destination. Along this final stretch, we paddled under the iconic Iron Bridge, rode through the turbulent waters of Le Rapide à Zaza, and caught a few last surfs at the La Clapière wave. This wave has caught a few paddlers out in the past, and Keith and Keiron paddled it once everyone had broken out. Keiron was playing in the river left side where it was particularly sticky. The inevitable happened, and he bailed; his boat and paddle came out, but he began to recirculate in the small but sticky stopper. I started to get out on the rocks about 1 m away from him while a raft safety kayaker attempted to drag him out on the front of his Waka kayak. Keiron lost his grip, so the raft guide stepped out of his boat and threw him a line. Throw line practise at the beginning of the trip kicked in, and Keiron was soon dragged out of the recirculation. He stood for a time to get his breath before I towed him downstream to his kayak and paddle and the waiting group. It was only a short 200m to the get-out on the river left by the supermarket.

This action-packed descent truly lived up to its sunny name, capping off a perfect day on the water.

The B team had an exciting day on the Guil. Very little water but the Middle Guil was just possible with a bump and slide. It was quiet technical in places and most of the Fairy Steps has been wiped out by a giant landslide and needs to be scouted very carefully. After the run the team took a look at Château Queyras from the via ferrata that runs above and alongside the gorge.