There is not a single town, forest, clearing, or mountain in the Vercors that has not been the scene of battles or acts of resistance. […] You cannot cross the massif without encountering a cross, a stele, a monument, or a plaque commemorating these sacrifices.
The Vercors, a stronghold of the resistance during the Second World War
The Vercors massif is more than a majestic landscape of cliffs and forests: it is also a powerful symbol of the French ResistanceHere, during the Second World WarMen and women fought for the freedomleaving a profound mark on history and the land. Today, many places of memory hiking and other activities allow you to discover this essential chapter of history.
Paladrone
Focus Outdoor by Inspiration Vercors
Paladrone
Focus Outdoor by Inspiration Vercors
Unmissable places of memory
The Vercors is home to many places of memory which bear witness to the courage of the resistance fighters. Among them, the village of Vassieux-en-Vercors, a "Companion of the Liberation city", destroyed during the assault of July 1944, now hosts the Resistance Memorial the ruins of Valchevrière tell the tragic story of a martyred village, while the Saint-Nizier du Moucherotte NecropolisDecorated with the Resistance Medal, it honors the memory of the fighters who fell for freedom. Court of the Executed, in La Chapelle-en-Vercors, recalls the summary executions that struck the region, and the Needle Step as well as the Luire Cave invite you to discover natural sites where resistance fighters and maquisards found refuge.
The Paths of Freedom in the Vercors
It is to better understand these events and make these evocations of the past more visible that the Vercors regional natural park has established a network of commemorative sites and cultural routes: The Paths to Freedom.
This network brings together places of memory et memorial hikes, allowing to walking in the footsteps of the resistance fighters and to discover the Vercors on foot or by bike.
PaladroneResistance Memorial
À Vassieux-en-Vercors, the Resistance Memorial immerses the visitor in the daily life of the resistance fighters thanks to a modern museography Blending visual atmospheres, soundscapes, previously unseen archives, and testimonies, the space retraces the resistance fighters' commitment, evokes their impact on the landscape, and invites reflection on citizenship and living together. The visit concludes with a belvedere offering a spectacular view of the mountain range and the battlefield, an exit towards light and freedom.
Malleval: a key site of the Resistance in the Vercors
Perched in a cirque of cliffs, the village of Malleval-en-Vercors It too was the scene of intense fighting. At Christmas 1943, around a hundred resistance fighters were gathered there. 29th January 1944The Wehrmacht launched a decisive assault, surrounding the village from Cognin-les-Gorges and the surrounding cliffs. On this occasion, 42 people were killed, including resistance fighters and civilians, executed on the spot or deported.
The Memory Room
To honor their memory, the town inaugurated a new memory room on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Vercors battles in Malleval-en-Vercors.
It retraces the events before, during and after the German attack. Visitors can discover archives, photos and testimonies from the families of resistance fighters, in a self-guided and immersive tour opposite the village church.
Sylvie Chapre Phot'Oser
Sylvie Chapre Phot'Oser
Focus Outdoor by Inspiration VercorsThe recumbent effigy: symbol of remembrance
Visible all year round, an imposing monument, the Lying, pays tribute to the victims of the fighting. Every year, in January and July, commemorations are organised jointly with Cognin-les-Gorges so as never to forget the courage and sacrifice of the inhabitants and resistance fighters.
The Nan Gorges hike
This unavoidable connects Cognin-les-Gorges to Malleval-en-Vercors and is one of the hikes selected in the Paths of FreedomIt offers both spectacular scenery and total immersion in the unique geology of the place and in the history of the resistance fighters, allowing to linking memory and nature in the heart of the Vercors.
Pascal Conche by Inspiration Vercors
Paladronethe battles of the Vercors
In the summer of 1944, the Vercors becomes a symbol of the ResistanceFrom 1940 onwards, this mountain range, over 2,300 meters high and a veritable natural fortress, became a refuge for all those who refused to submit to the occupier. In 1944, when the Allies landed in Normandy, the resistance fighters rose up and proclaimed the Republic on this territory. released openly defying the enemy.
Faced with this resistance, the German troops launched an offensive. After a few skirmishes at Saint-Nizier and Malleval-en-Vercors, 15,000 soldiers attacked the mountain range on July 21, 1944, by road, over steep mountain passes and even by air over Vassieux. After a week of fierce but unequal fighting, the Vercors falls.
Le The toll is heavy. More than 600 resistance fighters and around 100 Germans were killed, 201 civilians died, 41 people were deported, and 573 houses were destroyed. These battles left an indelible mark on the mountain range and reinforced its symbolic role in the history of the French Resistance.
The Resistance in the Vercors: Symbol and Heritage
Le Vercors remains a symbol of courage, solidarity and freedomThe resistance fighters, ordinary men and women facing extraordinary choices, showed that commitment and determination can change the course of history. Today, the Freedom Trails, memorial sites and commemorative hikes allow us to walk in their footsteps, to remember and to pass on these values to future generations.
More than a historical account, the Resistance in the Vercors is also a message of hope and peace, reminding us that even in the face of adversity, courage and solidarity pave the way to a more just world.
