discover these mythical itineraries of the vercors

Tunnels built in the rock, roads suspended above the void, dizzying viewpoints...

Cyclist on the road to PreslesFocus Outdoor by Inspiration Vercors

what are the sublime roads of the vercors?

Spectacular and daring, these famous corbelled roads were built at the cost of considerable human effort and extreme difficulty: impressive routes cut into the side of the cliffs, overlooking the void, tunnels dug in the rock, courses sunk into the bottom of the throats. A titanic work over ten years in the 19th century which made it possible to make the massif accessible to the rest of the world and to offer us these magnificent panoramas today.

Portions of narrow roads as if suspended from the relief, vertiginous cliffs, a succession of passes in wooded surroundings, from plains covered with walnut trees to villages with typical architecture, these are the sublime roads of the Vercors!

The Gorges of the Bourne

Opened in 1872 after eleven years of work, the famous Gorges de la Bourne go from Villard-de-Lans to Pont-en-Royans by taking the D531 for 24 km.

As soon as you leave Pont-en-Royans, you reach the Gorges de la Bourne, one of the great attractions of the Vercors Regional Natural Park. After the village of Choranche, the road narrows and winds along a pleasant route along which each bend is a feast for the eyes.  

Panorama of the Bourne gorges in the VercorsInspired by Vercors

on the road, do not miss:

The road to Presles

On leaving Pont-en-Royans, 7 km connect the Bourne valley to the Coulmes plateau along the D292.

This small winding road gradually rises above the Gorges de la Bourne and becomes narrower and narrower until the Col de Tous Aures, a belvedere from where you will enjoy a panoramic view of the south of the Vercors and the Isère plain.

Sunset on the road to PreslesMarion Carcel

on the road, do not miss:

The Ecouges road

Linking the Balme de Rencurel to Saint-Gervais, the Route des Ecouges oscillates like a tightrope walker along the 15 km on the D35.

Perhaps the most dizzying and impressive of all, the Route des Écouges offers unique views and sensations: the cliffs and their daring corbels, the canyon with the white waters of the Drevenne, the sensitive natural area nearby... It is not for nothing that the sector was chosen during the first climb of the Tour de France in the Vercors in 1954.

On site, take a break in the sensitive natural area of ​​the Domaine des Écouges.

Tunnel in the Ecouges road from Saint-Gervais to Rencurel in the VercorsSandrine and Matt Booth

on the road, do not miss:

The Nan Gorges

22 km of road carved out of the cliff on the D22 between Cognin-les-Gorges and Malleval-en-Vercors.

Overlooked by the magnificent and mysterious Gorges du Nan with its exceptional geology, this narrow and winding road is one of the most confidential.

On site, take a break in the sensitive natural area of ​​the Gorges du Nan.

A child under the Gorges du Nan tunnel in Malleval en Vercors and Cognin-les-GorgesPierre Jayet

on the road, do not miss:

nearby: the road to combe laval

Opened in 1898 for logging, this iconic Vercors listed corniche route offers 4 unforgettable kilometers of aerial cliffs, sheer drops, tunnels carved into the rock and vertiginous belvederes.

700 meters of difference in altitude between Saint-Laurent-en-Royans and the Col de la Machine, belvedere and highest point of the road to enjoy a superb panorama of the circus and the Orthodox Monastery of Saint-Antoine. 

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Belvedere of the Col de la Machine on the road to Combe-Laval in the VercorsSandrine and Matt Booth for Inspiration Vercors

travel the sublime roads of the vercors

Cycling on the road to Combe Laval in the VercorsFocus Outdoor by Inspiration Vercors

the road books

In order to promote the sublime roads of Vercors, Inspiration Vercors and the Tourist Offices have created 6 digital travel diaries traversing these mythical roads to meet its craftsmen, producers, traders, artists and actors from the cultural and tourist world.

These itineraries adapted to soft mobility (by bike or VAE) have been designed to survey the roads of the Vercors, by segment or in full, with stops rich in sharing, exchange and emotion.

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Meeting with Antoine Dépierre, winemaker at Domaine Mayoussier in Auberives en RoyansBernard Claeyssen for Inspiration Vercors
Balsamerie La Clandestine in IzeronBertrand Claeyssen
Ferme Rodet meat and nuts in Cognin-les-GorgesBertrand Claeyssen