Hiking in the Vercors Nature Park

7 days

Duration

Moderate

Difficulty

France

Location

May-October

Availability

Hike in a pristine pre-alpine landscape with fantastic panoramic views.

Discover the untamed wilderness and amazing biodiversity of this natural paradise.

Walk on a high limestone plateau across valleys & forests.

Soak up real mountain village ambiance in the heart of the Vercors Nature Park.

Sample the excellent local produce at the village markets.

Self-guided walking holiday in the Vercors Nature Park

This wonderful walking holiday in the Vercors is ideal for walkers who wish to discover a beautiful and hidden corner of the pre-alps.

With nearly 3,000 km of walking routes and signposted trails, the Vercors Nature Park is a paradise for hikers. Sometimes called the ‘limestone citadel’, France’s biggest national park is a mountain fortress wedged between the Alps and Provence, just a few kilometres southwest of Grenoble. A large limestone plateau has been carved by rivers over millennia, creating a wonderland of vertical cliffs, plunging gorges and verdant valleys. The Vercors is a protected area which is incredibly rich in flora and fauna. More than 80 protected plant species can be found here, including wild orchids and tulips. Ibex, chamois and wild boars roam freely while golden eagles and peregrine falcons soar high above the mountains.

On this week-long walking holiday, you will hike on beautiful forest trails and enjoy fantastic panoramic views atop soaring cliffs. You can soak up the laid-back ambiance of the charming mountain villages and sample the excellent local cheese and wine, as well as other local produce at the village markets.

6 DAYS / 5 NIGHTS

From €850 per person sharing*

*Discounts available for groups of 4 or more. Please enquire for prices.
*A high-season surcharge will apply during July and August.
*A single supplement charge will apply for solo walkers.

ACCOMMODATION

In charming ** and ***hotels/guesthouses on a bed & breakfast basis. The standard hotels of this trip are listed below. If any of the hotels are fully booked, then we will book a similar one for you and inform you about the alternative booked.

Lans en Vercors: Hôtel du Col de l’Arc
Villard de Lans: Hôtel le Dauphin
La Chapelle en Vercors: Hôtel Bellier

You can also book additional nights at any of the hotels along the way.

AVAILABILITY

You can start on any day of the week, subject to availability, between May 1^st and October 20^th.

INCLUDED

6 nights in selected hotels with private facilities
6 breakfasts
5 self-guided walks
Luggage transportation between hotels
Day 3: transfer from Saint Martin to Chapelle en Vercors
Day 7: transfer from La Chapelle to Villard de Lans
Road Book with detailed walking itineraries & highlighted maps
GPS tracks
24/7 telephone support

NOT INCLUDED

Flights & travel insurance
Travel to Lans and from Villard
Lunches & dinners
Anything else not mentioned in the Included section

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

Extra nights
Singe room supplement

DIFFICULTY

The difficulty level of this trip is rated as moderate overall. Daily hikes of 12 to 17 km require a good level of fitness. You will walk on different types of terrain, with some uneven or steep sections.

Day 1: Arrival in Lans en Vercors

Settle in your hotel for two nights in the traditional mountain village of Lans en Vercors, easily accessible by regular bus line (40 mins) from the city of Grenoble.

Overnight: Lans en Vercors.

Day 2: Gorges Bruyant loop walk

Distance: 12 km | Ascent: 390 m | Descent: 390 m | 4 hrs approx..

For your first walking day, you head north along the valley of Lans en Vercors. You follow the Bruyant river up to a vast plateau from where you’ll have stunning views over the Furon Gorges. A better picnic spot would be hard to find! You might see some wild orchids, as this area is protected and shelters a wealth of flora and fauna. The walk finishes back in Lans en Vercors, so in the afternoon you can relax by the pool at your hotel.

Overnight: Lans en Vercors.

Day 3: From Lans en Vercors to Villard de Lans

Distance: 13 km | Ascent: 600 m | Descent: 600 m | 4½ hrs approx.

Today’s route is a superb balcony trail along a section of the Sentier Gobert, offering a magnificent view of the surrounding area. Your destination today is Villard de Lans, the capital of the Vercors. This small town nestles at the bottom of a wide valley at an altitude of 1,050 m, dominated in the east by the jagged peaks of the Roc Cornafion, Gerbier and the Grande Moucherolle.

Overnight: Villard de Lans.

Day 4: Loop walk via Le Col Vert

Distance: 13 km | Ascent 600 m | Descent: 600 m | 4 hrs approx.

Distance: 15 km | Ascent 900 m | Descent: 900 m | 5 hrs approx.

You ascend on a well-marked trail through hamlets, open fields and forest. You quickly find yourself high above Villard de Lans, following a mountainside path through pine forests and prairies, with wide-sweeping views of the village and valleys below. A last effort leads you up to the Col Vert pass. You will find a bench fixed onto the rockface, which offers an opportunity to take a well-earned break while enjoying an awe-inspiring panorama. From here, you have a sensational view to the Alps, with serrated teeth soaring into the sky and dotted with glaciers. Though the Vercors mountains are not the highest of the Alpine peaks, they are far removed from the other chains, ensuring breathtaking views from all angles. Now you’re ready for the descent, which takes you through prairies and past mountain huts, dreaming of the fondue dinner you can share in the heart of the village.

Overnight: Villard de Lans.

Day 5: Walk to Saint Martin en Vercors via Herbouilly

Distance: 16 km | Ascent: 550 m | Descent: 850 m | 5 hrs approx.

Warning: this route is not recommended for people prone to vertigo.

Wide and easy farming tracks lead you through dense forest of spruce, fir, beech. There are many temping spots for a picnic along the way. You reach the Herbouilly clearing, set in the heart of the forest. In its centre are a set of ruins that served as a refuge for the resistance movement during WWII. You leave the plateau and descend towards St. Martin, with some light scrambling along the way. You’ll be transferred from Saint Martin to the nearby village of La Chapelle, where you’ll spend the next two nights.

Overnight: La Chapelle en Vercors.

Day 6: Belevedere de Revoulat loop walk

Distance: 17 km | Ascent: 700 m | Descent: 700 m | 5½ hrs approx.

Your final hike in the Vercors leads you through tranquil woodlands to a stunning panoramic viewpoint on the edge of the vertiginous cliffs of the Grands Goulets. Keep your eyes peeled for chamois as you return via the hamlet of Les Revoux back to the village of La Chapelle.

Overnight: La Chapelle en Vercors.

Day 7: Departure

Your walking holiday in the Vercors comes to an end this morning unless you have booked any additional nights. After breakfast you will be transferred back to Villard de Lans (or to DIE with supplement) for onward travel.