the vercors

The National Regional Park of the Royans Vercors could fill a book on its own. Most hikers know this 1 000 to 2 300 metre massif, (3 280 - 7 546 feet), such is its reputation as a citadel. A vast plateau with difficult access roads, each attracting large numbers of tourists: the Grands Goulets, Combe Laval, the Col du Rousset pass… Sheep farming and forestry form the two essential economic activities.

The superb pine and beech forests, stretching as far as the eye can see, and the Lapiaz desert on the high plateaux are such contrasting environments that 1 800 different plant species grow there (including more than 60 varieties of orchids); 135 species of birds, almost all cervidae and 65 species of wild mammals also flourish. Although the Vercors forest is mysterious and even awe-inspiring, the immense grassy areas, which are so inviting for hikers to explore off the marked trails, should also be treated with care and prudence.