📌Approximately 1 hour of driving per day (200 km over 4 days)
👍The plus: Magnificent hikes in the Monts du Vercors, rural landscapes, and mountain lake
📍Stages: Portes du Vercors (Barbières/Léoncel), Forêt de Lente & Font d'Urle, Combe Laval & Royans, Gorges d'Omblèze
WEEKEND ROAD TRIP: THE VERCORS MOUNTAINS → LEONCEL → FONT D'URLE → GORGES DE LA VERNAISON (4 days/3 nights)
DEPARTURE : Valence Agency
ARRIVAL : D125
Just a few turns from Valence, the roads leading to the Vercors Regional Nature Park unfold their reliefs of forests and torrents to the delight of van life lovers! The distances between each spot vary from 30 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, allowing you to enjoy swimming, visits to historical sites, or a peaceful walk in the mountains. That's what we love about van travel: the opportunity to discover different places and environments and feel the magic of the French landscape reveal itself as you travel. In four days, you'll have a packed adventure: you'll explore the foothills of the Vercors, its high plateaus, forests, and vertiginous gorges with the unique feeling of being in the heart of wild and protected nature. On the agenda: hikes and refreshing breaks at high altitude, with the promise of leaving with a light heart and less heavy legs ♥️
DAY 1 : VISIT TO THE VERCORS REGIONAL PARK
VALENCE→ BARBIERES → LEONCEL (45 KM - APPROX. 45 MIN)
On this first day, we slowly leave Valence behind to climb up into the foothills and immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of the Vercors. Before hitting the road, you can enjoy Valence and take the ViaRhôna, an 815 km greenway cycle route that runs alongside the Rhône river and winds its way between archaeological sites, villages, and diverse natural areas. Running from the Alps to the Mediterranean, you can take it to Port de l'Epervière, a very pleasant water sports center to warm up! Then, head east! Take the D532 and D125 to Barbières, your first stop at the gateway to the Vercors. This village is the ideal starting point to begin climbing. You can visit the village's Romanesque church and enjoy the tranquility of the surroundings. To end this day of approach, climb up to Léoncel (via the D70), a village perched at an altitude of 900 m, nestled in a mountain cirque. The “mountain” atmosphere is already beginning to take hold!
👉 THINGS TO DO
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Stop off at Rochefort-Samson to discover the beauty of this village along the way.
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Walk along the natural watercourse of the Barberolle.
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Cool off in the Riveure torrent (if the flow allows).
👉 WHERE TO EAT ?
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Au Petit Bar A Bières : Traditional cuisine made with fresh, local ingredients. 433 Grande Rue, 26300 Barbières
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La Gaillardière : Country restaurant renovated in a contemporary style. Serves traditional regional dishes made with local ingredients. 520 Route de la Barberolle - Quartier Monnaie, Grangeneuve, 26300 Marches
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Auberge de Léoncel : Cooperative café-restaurant that prioritizes short supply chains, organic produce, and seasonal menus. 160, rue des marais, 26190 Léoncel
👉 WHERE TO STAY ?
- Col de Tourniol, magnificent panorama over the Rhône valley. Spot located on a bend on the D101
- Around Léoncel : you will find several discreet spots for a peaceful night in the heart of nature (check Park4night)
DAY 2 : HIGH PLATEAUS AND MAGICAL FORESTS
LEONCEL → COL DE LA BATAILLE → FORÊT DE LENTE → FONT D'URLE (25 MILES - 1 HOUR)
Today, we're diving into the heart of the Vercors! Léoncel is a village perched at an altitude of 900 m, between the Col de la Bataille and the Forêt de Lente. It's a town steeped in history where you can visit the village's Cistercian abbey and set off on a hike to the Col de la Bataille. Its unique feature is that it is a spectacular gateway to the southern Vercors. Located between the cliffs of Combe Laval, the Col de Carri and the Serre Montué, you can follow a trail towards the Pas de l'Echarasson and pass through the Lente Forest. It covers 3,150 hectares and is full of majestic fir trees. With high-altitude meadows, forest flowers, and impressive cliffs, the setting is stimulating and ideal for power walking! Depending on your mood, you can continue on and venture to Font d'Urle. Here, you'll find wide open spaces with breathtaking views of the Vercors ridges. You'll be captivated by the park's hiking trails. It is home to 10% of a nature reserve, has more than 3,000 km of marked trails and rises to a height of 2,341 m at its highest point. The landscapes are magnificent: limestone ridges and cliffs in an environment where very little has been built, for the pleasure of the eyes and ears: complete silence.
| Name of the hike | Distance | Duration | Elevation gain | Grade | Starting point |
| Ambel Plateau Loop | 8 - 10 km | 2-3h |
~ 300 m |
Easy |
Font d'Urle |
| Font d'Urle → Saint Genix | 7 km (round trip) | 2h 30 | ~ 200 m | Easy | Font d'Urle |
| The Rocks of La Sausse | 12 km (roud trip) | ~ 4h | ~ 500 m | Moderate | Col de la Bataille |
- Les Rochers de la Sausse.
Starting from the Col de la Bataille or Col de la Chau, with views of the gorges, 4 to 5 hours' walk. This hike takes around 4 hours (12 km there and back), so to make the most of this sporting experience and the beautiful unobstructed views, the morning is the ideal time of day! The best thing to do is to prepare your picnic in advance. Once you've conquered the pass, all you have to do is sit back and contemplate the view, perched high up in the clouds...
👉 WHERE TO STAY ?
- Continuing on from the mountain range, the Ambel plateau and its refuge are the perfect spots for camping in the heart of nature.
- In Lente, the forest area is great for parking your van. You can even grill some food on the fire pit provided on site.
- The Font d'Urle plateau is a large parking lot with a great view to enjoy the sunrise.
DAY 3 : MOUNTAIN SUMMIT AND NATURAL SWIMMING
COMBE LAVAL → BOUVANTE VALLEY → VERNAISON GORGES
Get ready for a spectacular day! The Combe-Laval road, carved into the cliffs, is one of the most famous in France (not for those with a fear of heights!). This route crosses the Col de la Machine pass and offers breathtaking views of Saint-Jean-en-Royans. We strongly recommend visiting the Cascade Blanche waterfall in the Vernaison Gorges. You can enjoy its clear spring water at the river, between Saint-Eulalie-en-Royans and Pont-en-Royans. There are various paths allowing you to start your hike from either point. It's about 1 km from Saint-Eulalie and around 4-5 km if you start from Pont-en-Royans. The waterfall is a great place to take out your fishing rod and enjoy a refreshing break or take some beautiful photos, but swimming is not allowed. You can still enjoy the setting and relax between hikes.
We hope you enjoyed discovering the treasures of the Vercors during this road trip focused on nature and outdoor activities. Feel free to use the Park4night and Bivouac Huttopia apps to find the perfect spots to park your van and get a good night's sleep.
Ready to enjoy your own Vercors experience? Book the ideal van for your trip by clicking here.
