The Grand Veymont from the Beure plateau

At 2,341 meters, the Grand Veymont is the highest point in the Vercors massif. Its summit overlooks both the Hauts Plateaux to the west and the Trièves to the east, offering one of the most spectacular panoramas in the massif. On a clear day, the view extends from Mont Aiguille to the Écrins massif and as far as Mont Blanc.

The route begins on the Beure plateau, a vast pastoral area that still hosts herds for summer grazing. For centuries, these alpine pastures have served as a gateway to the Vercors High Plateaus, a high-altitude territory where the human footprint remains discreet.

The hike then crosses the Vercors High Plateaus National Nature Reserve, the largest terrestrial nature reserve in mainland France with over 17,000 hectares. Created in 1985, it protects an exceptional collection of forests, alpine meadows, cliffs and limestone pavements, as well as remarkable wildlife including ibex, marmots, vultures and black grouse.

Shortly before reaching the Queyrie plain, a keen eye might also spot the remains of Roman quarries. Nearly 2,000 years ago, the inhabitants extracted a particularly hard limestone here, hewn on site before being transported to Die across the mountains. These discreet traces remind us that the High Plateaus, now perceived as a wild area, have been inhabited by humans since prehistoric times.