Vassieux-en-Vercors loop via Font d'Urle

Park in Vassieux-en-Vercors, near the church, in the large shaded car park on Place des Martyrs.

(S/E) Take the road heading west, pass Place de la Fontaine, and turn left onto the GR® de Pays du Tour du Vercors Drômois. Continue along the path and follow the GRP® until you reach a road above the hamlet of Teston.

(1) Leave the GRP® and follow the yellow PR® signs straight ahead. Pass the holiday camp, rejoin the tarmac road and arrive at a crossroads.

(2) Turn right towards the Musée de la Préhistoire. Leave the museum on your right and follow the small road (cycle signs) to the top of the hill.

(3) Leave the cycle signs and turn right onto the GR® 93. Be careful in the bend: keep to the left and leave the GR®, which is too steep. Keep left onto the Piste de la Combe de Gaza and reach a hairpin bend.

(4) Take the hairpin bend to the right and follow the main track up towards the ridges, continuing along this track. You will rejoin the GR® 93 for a while, then leave the GRP® again to stay on the track. Begin the descent, then turn sharply left, then right, until you reach a fork.

(5) Take the wide track on the left, then left again a few metres before the tarmac, and continue straight ahead until you reach the junction with the^D76B.

(6) Follow it to the left towards Font d'Urle. At the entrance to the hamlet, take the GR®93/GRP® on the right, cross the residential area and reach the bottom of it.

(7) Leave the road and follow the path on the left. Stay on the GR® trail as you descend the tracks of the Chaud Clapier resort. At the next fork, turn right and rejoin the D76.

(8) Continue left on the road for about 100 m, then turn onto the path on the right, almost at the end of the car park. Stay on the GRP® Tour du Vercors Drômois. Quickly turn right onto the Route Forestière de la Pelouse des Serpents. At the exit of the Pelouse des Serpents, leave the GRP® on your right and continue straight ahead until you reach a crossroads.

(9) Turn right towards the Col de la Baume and, at the next crossroads, turn right again and continue to the Col de la Baume.

(10) At the pass, take the track on the right and follow the signs for Col de la Chau on the cross-country ski trails. The directions are clearly marked. Join the road (D76) about 300 m before the Col de la Chau.

(11) Take the departmental road on the left. Pass the entrance to the Resistance Memorial and, via a beautiful descent with views of the valley, reach the National Resistance Necropolis.

(12) Just before this, take the track on the right (yellow signposting). Continue along the road until you reach the Place des Martyrs (S/E).

(5) You can continue straight ahead to Pelouse la Croix and turn left to rejoin the route.

(8) You can drink at the Chaud Clapier ski resort or take shelter there.

Hiking is not possible in winter: the route follows cross-country ski trails, some of which are closed to pedestrians and bikes!

Be careful of herd protection dogs in the middle of summer on the various mountain pastures.

(7) At Font d'Urle, take a short detour to the Porte d'Urle. Breathtaking views of the Royans and Quint mountains.

Between (8) and (9), Pelouse des Serpents.

(11) Resistance Memorial (Col de la Chau).

(12) National Resistance Necropolis.

(S/E) Village of Vassieux en Vercors.