For a long time difficult to access, the Vercors is surrounded by impressive cliffs. On its western facade, which looks out over the Royans plain, titanic works have been undertaken to simplify the transport of wood. Thus at the end of the 19th century, panoramic roads were carved into the rock, with spectacular tunnels that will give you a thrill.
Forests and flowery meadows as far as the eye can see.
From the Grenoble conurbation, access to the Vercors is via the laces and the Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte lookout. This is an opportunity to admire the massifs of Chartreuse, Ecrins, Belledonne and Taillefer.
Once you have reached the plateaux, you reach the pretty Nordic ski areas of Autrans and Méaudre, which in spring are covered with a carpet of multicoloured flowers. The Vercors has more than 2,800 km of walking trails, not forgetting the great crossings to be made on skis, by bike or on horseback, which pass through the small authentic resort of Lans-en-Vercors.
Villard-de-Lans, the main town in the Vercors, is home to most of the shops, with a water sports centre and a multitude of activities close to the forest surroundings. Also enjoy the calm and charm of the neighbouring village of Corrençon-en-Vercors.
A refuge since the dawn of time, the Vercors has been the scene of violent fighting around the Resistance maquis, with several memorial sites in Valchevrière and Vassieux-en-Vercors.
Taking the road around the panoramic bends of the Col de la Bataille, go and see the Cistercian abbey of Léoncel, founded at the beginning of the 12th century.
Spectacular caves and gorges
Impetuous gorges cut into the Vercors massif on the side of the Furon, the Combe Laval, the Grands Goulets and the Bourne. This is where the exceptional Choranche caves are hidden. Waterfalls, underground lake, strange fish, lace of coloured stones with astonishing shapes, will amaze you. While in the valley at the very bottom you can admire the suspended houses of Pont-en-Royans, overhanging the river Lyonne.
Since October 1970, the Vercors Regional Park (186,000 hectares, the majority of which are forests) has preserved a large part of the Vercors, straddling the departments of Isère and Drôme. Among the curiosities, do not neglect the Cirque d'Archiane, the tabular shape of the Mont Aiguille. Between forests and plateaus dotted with pretty hamlets, the Vercors culminates at Grand Veymont (2,341 m).
A generous gastronomy
Not far from the Vercors Prehistory Museum, through the laces of the Rousset pass, it is easy to glide through the Drôme valley. Then taste the sparkling beverage of the Clairette de Die vines. On the flavour side, you will enjoy trout, ravioli, mushrooms, Vercors-Sassenage blueberries and blueberry tarts.
In the Vercors, the four seasons are punctuated by concerts and festivals, celebrations of ancestral traditions, competitions and sporting events.
Campsites in the Vercors
Among the many campsites in the Vercors, we suggest you the campsite Le Grand Lierne **** in Châteaudouble, which has an aquatic area of more than 300m², where you will benefit from an ideal starting point for hikes in the Vercors massif. You can also choose the campsite Les Buissonnets *** in Autrans-Méaudre, open all year round. The campsite of the gouffre de la Croix *** in Chorance is located near the famous caves. You will also find four campsites in Die (including the municipal campsite of Justin along the river), for all budgets, in the Drôme valley at the foot of the Col de Rousset.