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First climbed in 1492, Mont Aiguille is the symbol of the Vercors
The northern chain of the Pre-Alps, of which the Vercors marks the southern extent, are predominantly limestone massifs that form a western line of defence to the Alps proper, and were produced by the same earth movements that gave birth to the Jura. Characterised by rocky obelisks, spires and molars, the Vercors is also deeply riven by impressive gorges and surrounded on all sides by steep, fortress-like crags. A large portion is protected as a Parc Régional, while the uninhabited Haut Plateau is a special nature reserve.
Roughly triangular in shape, with Grenoble at its north-eastern apex, the Vercors is enclosed by the Isère, the Drôme and the Drac. A high-level valley drained by the Vernaison and Romayère rivers makes a north-south divide through the centre of the massif, while the deep Gorges de la Bourne slice the countryside between Villard-de-Lans and Pont-en-Royans with vast crags that sometimes appear gold-coloured, sometimes white, ochre, steel grey or even black. The remainder of the Vercors consists of a complex series of plateaux with precipitous limestone escarpments, the dense woodland cover thinning to open grassland grazed by large flocks of sheep as height is gained. In the east the landscape is tilted, with peaks rising in a wave-like crest that terminates in an almost unbroken line of cliffs stretching for something like 80 kilometres from the outskirts of Grenoble to the Col de Menée.
Walking in the Vercors
Walking in the Vercors has its own special appeal. Brian Evans, who has made a number of tours there in winter as well as in summer, enumerated some of the attractions in a chapter published in Classic Walks in the Alps. He wrote of ‘... broad views over roll upon roll of forest and clearing. Snow-covered Alpine giants sparkle to the east, whilst here is dry limestone with rocky paths which twist among tiny tangled pines.’ Elsewhere he described ‘paths [which] traverse their length at different levels, amongst forest or higher on more open crests. White ribbons of limestone crags dance along for miles. It is still possible to find solitude and the best areas are not ruined by commercialism.’ Being limestone and riddled with pits, much of the high land is dry in summer; some of the water sources are sporadic, some distinctly feeble, and anyone making a multi-day traverse or circuit will find their routes influenced by the availability of drinking water. The 1:25,000 maps of the area indicate sources with a small symbol. June and July are said to be the best months, while September (often a good month in the high Alps) can be very difficult in the Vercors following a long dry summer. Camping is forbidden in the Hauts Plateaux nature reserve, but a chain of rather simple huts has been established for backpackers – although potential users should expect no more than the most basic of facilities.
Compared to most other areas described in this book, walking in the Vercors is quite modest, for instead of a constant steep switchback from valley to col and back to valley again, once up on the plateau there are large sections where gentle gradients and almost level walking can be enjoyed. There are walkers’ ways onto the plateau from a choice of villages, and day trips are easily arranged. Longer, waymarked Grandes Randonnées routes exist such as GR9, and the GR91 which makes a traverse of the high plateau, or the north-south traverse by the Balcon Est which provides a marvellous opportunity to understand the true nature of the Vercors. This latter route is said to offer ‘a sporting challenge’ for it contains several exposed sections, especially where steep and awkward ravines are crossed, and if tackled early in the season carrying an ice-axe is recommended. On such multi-day routes walkers will need to carry supplies as there are few opportunities to drop down to a village with a foodstore.
Dauphiné
Location:
Entirely in France. North of the Maritime Alps, and to the south of the Graian Alps. The Pre-Alps range of the Vercors is on the western edge; Queyras on the south-east, and Massif des Écrins midway between the Queyras and Vanoise.
Principal valleys:
In the Écrins, these are Vallées du Vénéon, Romanche, Guisane and Durance, Vallouise and Val Gaudémar. The main Queyras valleys are those of the Guil, Bouchet, Cristillan and Mélezet, while those of the Vernaison, Romayère and Bourne represent the Vercors.
Principal peaks:
Barre des Écrins (4102m), La Meije (3982m), L’Ailefroide (3954m), Mont Pelvoux (3943m) are the major peaks of the Écrins; Monte Viso (3841m) in the Cottian Alps; Pic de Rochebrune (3320m), Grand Glaiza (3293m) and Le Pain de Sucre (3208m) in the Queyras; Le Grand Veymont (2341m) and Mont Aiguille (2086m) in the Vercors.
Centres:
Bourg d’Oisans, La Grave, Vallouise, Ailefroide, La Chapelle-en-Valgaudémar, Bourg d’Arud, St-Christophe and La Bérarde in the Massif des Écrins. Guillestre, Ceillac, St-Véran and Abriès in the Queyras. Grenoble, Villard-de-Lans and Pont-en-Royans for the Vercors.
Huts:
Plenty of huts in the Queyras and Écrins for walkers and climbers, mostly run by the CAF, but others privately owned. A number of valley bases have gîtes d’étape that are useful. In the Vercors refuges built by the PRV are very simple and provide only basic facilities.
Access:
By rail or bus to Grenoble. Buses run from Grenoble into the Écrins region via Bourg d’Oisans, and to the Vercors via Villard-de-Lans. The Queyras region is best approached by train to Montdauphin-Guillestre (on the Briançon line) from where buses serve the central Queyras. Nearest airport – Lyon.
Maps:
The 1:50,000 sheet Écrins, published by Rando Éditions, covers most of the Écrins National Park, and is also worth having by trekkers following the Tour of the Oisans. Otherwise use the IGN Serie Bleu at 1:25,000 for both the Écrins and Queyras.
Guidebooks:
Tour of the Oisans: the GR54 by Kev Reynolds (Cicerone Press) describes this challenging multi-day route in 10 stages.
The Écrins National Park by Kev Reynolds (Cicerone Press) contains a selection of 70 of the best walking routes.
Tour of the Queyras by Alan Castle (Cicerone Press) describes this circular route. Walking the Alpine Parks of France & Northwest Italy by Marcia R. Lieberman (Cordee/The Mountaineers) includes a number of walks in the Écrins and Queyras.
Other reading:
The Outdoor Traveler’s Guide to The Alps by Marcia R. Lieberman (Stewart, Tabori & Chang; New York, 1991) provides an up-to-date view of selected valleys in the Queyras and Écrins.
The Alps by R. L. G. Irving (Batsford, 1939) contains a brief sample of the region.
Scrambles Amongst the Alps by Edward Whymper (John Murray – various editions) for a pioneer’s perspective.
Outline Sketches in the High Alps of Dauphiné by T. G. Bonney (Longmans, 1865). Illustrated by his own sketches, in this book Bonney provides an interesting historical view of the region in the mid-nineteenth century.
Mountaineering Holiday by F. S. Smythe (Hodder & Stoughton, 1940) describes a number of pre-war climbs in the Dauphiné.
Classic Walks in Europe edited by Walt Unsworth (Oxford Illustrated Press, 1987) has a chapter by Andrew Harper on the Tour de l’Oisans, and another by Brian Evans which describes a traverse of the Vercors by the Balcon Est.
Classic Walks in the Alps by Kev Reynolds (Oxford Illustrated Press, 1991) contains a chapter on a winter traverse of the Vercors high plateau, also written by Brian Evans.
Walking & Climbing in the Alps by Stefano Ardito (Swan Hill Press, 1995) describes a traverse of the Vercors similar to the Evans route mentioned above.
The Mountains of Europe by Kev Reynolds (Oxford Illustrated Press, 1990) contains a good background chapter by John Brailsford.
Alpine Points of View by Kev Reynolds (Cicerone Press) has a number of full-colour photographs of the Écrins region, plus descriptive text.