The Vercors Regional Natural Park (French: Parc naturel régional du Vercors) is a protected area of forested mountains in the Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France.
Geography Set upon a limestone plateau south of Grenoble, the park extends into the French Western Alps. It spans two departments, Drôme and Isère, and covers a total area of . The plateau's main elevation reaches while the eastern Alpine mountain ridge tops with Le Grand Veymont (2341m).
The Vercors area is peppered with caves. During World War II, it served as a safe and defensible position for the French Resistance: Forteresse de la Résistance. The area now contains around three hundred monuments to the Resistance, including a memorial center and the preserved remains of a destroyed village.
In modern times, Vercors has become a popular tourist destination frequented for skiing, hiking and spelunking. Several small communes dot the landscape, supported principally by forestry, shepherding and tourism. The area was officially designated a regional natural park in 1970.
Member communes The Vercors parklands include the following communes:
Auberives-en-Royans Autrans Beaufort-sur-Gervanne Beauvoir-en-Royans Bouvante Chamaloc Château-Bernard Châtelus Châtillon-en-Diois Chichilianne Choranche Clelles Cognin-les-Gorges Combovin Corrençon-en-Vercors Crest Die Échevis Engins Gigors-et-Lozeron
Glandage Grenoble Gresse-en-Vercors Izeron La Chapelle-en-Vercors La Motte-Fanjas La Rivière Lans-en-Vercors Laval-d'Aix Le Chaffal Le Gua Léoncel Lus-la-Croix-Haute Malleval-en-Vercors Marignac-en-Diois Méaudre Miribel-Lanchâtre Le Monestier-du-Percy Montaud Omblèze Oriol-en-Royans
Percy Plan-de-Baix Ponet-et-Saint-Auban Pont-en-Royans Presles Rencurel Rochechinard Romans-sur-Isère Romeyer Rovon Saint-Agnan-en-Vercors Saint-Andéol, Drôme Saint-Andéol, Isère Saint-André-en-Royans Saint-Gervais Saint-Guillaume Saint-Jean-en-Royans Saint-Julien-en-Quint Saint-Julien-en-Vercors Saint-Just-de-Claix Saint-Laurent-en-Royans
Saint-Marcellin Saint-Martin-de-Clelles Saint-Martin-en-Vercors Saint-Martin-le-Colonel Saint-Michel-les-Portes Saint-Nazaire-en-Royans Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte Saint-Paul-lès-Monestier Saint-Pierre-de-Chérennes Saint-Romans Saint-Thomas-en-Royans Saint-Paul-de-Varces Sainte-Croix Sainte-Eulalie-en-Royans Treschenu-Creyers Vachères-en-Quint Vassieux-en-Vercors Villard-de-Lans Vinay
Partially affiliated
Claix Fontaine Noyarey Saint-Quentin-sur-Isère Sassenage Seyssinet-Pariset Seyssins Varces-Allières-et-Risset Veurey-Voroize
See also List of regional natural parks of France Maquis du Vercors
References
External links Official park website