From Vercors... to Diois (route no. 5) to Die

l.pascale-LaDromeTourism

Description

Two words sum up this circuit: tranquility and wonder. Discover the valleys nestled between the Drôme Valley and the Vercors cliffs: breathe and appreciate... (140 km)

The essentials: the stations: Col de Rousset, de Font d'Urle-Chaud-Clapier and the Grand Echaillon. Vassieux-en-Vercors (Museum of the Resistance, Little World of Santons and Museum of Prehistory with its flint cutting workshop, necropolis then the Memorial to the Col de la Chau), the Lente national forest, the remarkable Col road of the Battle. The Omblèze gorges and the Pissoire and Druise falls (72 m). Die (St Marcel gate, cathedral, ramparts, archeology museum, the Purgnon tower, the former Bishops' palace, the Mosaic of the 4 rivers from the XNUMXth century, the Protestant temple, the Valcroissant abbey).

The plus of this circuit: Rochers de Chironne (via ferrata, climbing), Plateau d’Ambel (hiking). The aromatic plant distillery in Chamaloc (in season), the Brudour cave, Léoncel (Cistercian abbey), the Rocher du Vellan belvedere (to be done on foot), Beaufort-sur-Gervanne (old village with ramparts), the Valley of Quint.

Did you know ? : 3 hypotheses are put forward around the origin of the name “Col de la Bataille”: one of them evokes the battle of the monks of the two slopes for the supremacy of the pass, a second claims that the name would have been given during the religious wars and the last, apparently more plausible, alludes to the battle of the winds coming from the south and the north at the top of the pass.

Heritage to discover

Cistercian Abbey of Léoncel

A Cistercian abbey founded in 1137 and listed as a Historic Monument by Prosper Mérimée in 1840, the choir features a robust and uncluttered Romanesque style. The nave shows signs of a discreet evolution towards the Gothic style.
Nativity scene in the abbey church.

Cellar of Die Jaillance

Hum... this fruity taste that sparkles in the mouth! Clairette de Die has its own quality mark, that of Jaillance. 8 degrees of happiness and naturalness are enough to delight the palate!

Fall of the Druise

The Druise Falls, an impressive waterfall 72 meters high, is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the Vercors.
This fragile area is located on private property. Follow the instructions carefully.

4 Valleys Distillery

At the foot of the Vercors mountains, we welcome you for a discovery for all the senses! Lavender and lavandin producers and distillers since 1930, we offer comprehensive tours, rich in discovery, from the field to the essential oil!

Urle Font

In winter, downhill and cross-country skiing are an excellent complement! Font d'Urle is a resort where children will find an ideal playground for learning the joys of snow. In summer, there's a children's rope park and an archery course.

Omblèze Gorges

At this location, the Gervanne had to make its way through the limestone rocks of the Vercors. In the cool, shady atmosphere of the gorges, moss thrives around the Grande and Petite Pissoire waterfalls.

Brudour Cave

Grotte du Brudour from the bridge over the Brudour, 1/2 hour walk there and back. A very pleasant path leads to this cavity, a resurgence of water that has fallen in the area. The Brudour itself does not take long to be swallowed up, in numerous "scialets".

Memorial to the Resistance in Vercors

A sound, visual, immersive, sensitive and punctuated experience of unpublished archives, to discover the history of the resistance in the Vercors.

Mosaic of the 4 Rivers

Mosaic from the XNUMXth century. symbolically representing the universe. It served as an altar carpet for the St Nicolas chapel (private chapel of the bishops) which also presents frescoes from the Middle Ages and wallpapers from the early XNUMXth century.

Vercors Prehistory Museum

Around the flint-cutting archaeological site, listed as a Historic Monument, discover the conquest of the Vercors by our ancestors: minerals, bones, weapons, jewellery... and flint tools, fashioned by craftsmen based on the site of the current museum.

The Departmental Resistance Museum is located in the center of the village of Vassieux en Vercors.

Departmental Museum of the Resistance

Founded by a former resistance fighter, the museum was renovated in 2010. The tour is punctuated by the presentation of the rich collections and combines the renewed history of the resistance and reconstruction with the testimonies of the founder.

Ambel tray

The Ambel Plateau extends over 1231 hectares, shared between pastures and forests. Rich in its historical and natural heritage, its three freely accessible refuges, Ambel welcomes you and offers you numerous possibilities for nature discoveries.

Vellan Rock

A true “signal” of the entire Gervanne Valley, the Rocher du Vellan (953m) overlooks the village of Plan de Baix by almost 200 m. A cross, symbolizing reconciliation between Christians, is erected at the bow of this limestone plateau.

Chinese living

Located in the Cure de Die (Renaissance style mansion), this small groin-vaulted living room was decorated in the XNUMXth century by Louis Farjon. Chinese style (in vogue at the time) the decor is homogeneous and in a fairly good state of conservation.

Col de Rousset

The Col de Rousset is the southern gateway to the Vercors massif. This resort offers numerous activities for the whole family, both in winter (downhill skiing, snowshoeing, etc.) and summer (toboggan run, panoramic chairlift, downhill scooters, mountain biking, etc.).

Beaufort-sur-Gervanne

Its dominant location offers the visitor an exceptional view from the Vivarais to the Vercors, up to the Saoû massif. Inside its well-preserved ramparts to the north, the village offers a fine example of a village grouped around its castle.