Clue de Barles, Water gap in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France

The Clue de Barles, also called the Clue de Saint-Clément, is a water gap in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence between the communes of Barles and La Robine-sur-Galabre, within the Haute-Provence Geological Reserve. Pale grey limestone cliffs rise in jagged vertical buttresses and fluted ridges on either side, with dark crevices and shadowed overhangs. Between the two walls, a narrow valley floor of dense trees recedes into the distance.

The Clue de Barles lies within the Haute-Provence Geological Reserve, created in 1984 to protect the area's rock formations and fossils. The site is a water gap where the Bès river cuts between the limestone walls separating the communes of Barles and La Robine-sur-Galabre.

The name "clue" comes from the Provençal word for a narrow passage between cliffs, and the site is also called clue de Saint-Clément. The gorge lies within the Réserve naturelle géologique de Haute-Provence, a protected area created to safeguard the region's geological features.

The gorge is accessible throughout the year via route D900, allowing visitors to explore by car, motorcycle, or bicycle. The road passes through the area and provides several viewpoints to observe the formations.

The clue lies within the Haute-Provence Geological Reserve, a protected area created to safeguard exceptional geological sites. The gorge separates the communes of Barles and La Robine-sur-Galabre, and it is also known as the clue de Saint-Clément.