I often call the Vercors the most under-rated cycling region in the Alps. The massif to the south-west of Grenoble doesn’t have the highest roads in the Alps, but it is full of stunning gorges and mind-blowing cliff stretches.
Here are ten route suggestions:
Note: Many of the routes on the map below overlap. If you zoom the map and hover your mouse on a route it should be highlighted. Plus every ride discussed below will include a link to a more detailed post and map.
#1 Combe Laval / Col de la Battaille Loop
Blue route on map
Combe Laval is a reculée (steephead valley), a deep, narrow, flat-bottomed valley with an abrupt ending. In the 1890’s a cliff road was built up to and along the top edge of this valley. The “fun” stretch is the last two or three kilometres of the climb to Col de la Machine. Amazing.
Detailed post here.
Here is another Combe Laval loop that includes Col de Carri. Black route on map
#2 Five Cols, Two Gorges
Pale green route on map
This ride includes the beautiful Gorges du Nan and the Gorges de la Bourne. Crazy fun cliff roads everywhere.
Detailed post here.
#3 Col de Rousset Plus 10 More Cols
Brown route on map
This is a spectacular loop on scenic, quiet roads. It crosses at least 11 cols (some you won’t even notice), and comes near several others but the highlight is climbing the amazing hairpins of Col de Rousset.
Detailed post here.
#4 Col Hunting on the Edge of the Vercors
Dark red route on map
Much of this ride is in the Vercors on its eastern edge. But it’s completely isolated from the rest of the Parc Regional National du Vercors by a huge, spectacular ridge.
Detailed post here.
#5 More Col Hunting – and a scary tunnel!
Orange route on map
After climbing through the Gorges des Écouges there is the tunnel d’Écouges. Basically a spider hole. Yikes! I am scared of tunnels, but this is a superb route with four Cols, two typically stunning Vercors gorges, and that terrifying tunnel.
This route descends through the stunning Gorges du Nan that was climbed in ride #2 above.
Detailed post here.
#6 More Vercors Col Hunting
Purple route on map
Three French friends that know their routes take me col hunting on the western edge of the Vercors. Includes a nice climb to a telecommunication tower: Relais du Musan.
Detailed post here.
#7 Col de Ménée, Col de la Lauzette
Grey route on the map
A super scenic loop on the south-east edge of the Vercors. It includes an optional gravel stretch.
Detailed post here.
#8 A 10 Col Loop
Pink route on the map
Shamelessly hunting cols in the heart of the Vercos.
Detailed post here
#9 Col d’Herbouilly
Yellow route on map
A very pleasant loop including Les Gorges de la Bourne and Col d’Herbouilly. My first ride in the Vercors with my wife over a decade ago.
Detailed post here
#10 Mont Noir via Gorges du Nan
Red route on map
Similar to some of the above routes. But beautiful.
Detailed post here.
#11 Unpaved
Dark Green route on map
A bonus unpaved route. There are lots of unpaved options in the Vercors and I am the wrong person to give advice on these rides. For the ambitious mountain biker, I would recommend Les Grande Traversées du Vercors options – see here.
My ride here was a little unpaved loop to several cols with my brave wife.
Detailed post here
Final Thoughts
I love the Vercors. I have a few more ideas that I hope to add to this article soon. And one day, perhaps, I’ll ride the Grand Traverse. Please use the comments if you have any favourite recommendations.
16 Comments
Nice post Will. I too love the Vercors. A couple of other rides not mentioned are Le Tunnel Mortier and La Molière (inc radio mast!). Also I investigated the old road near the ‘scary tunnel’. See here for my Vercors rides: (The page is a bit shabby but I’m working on it. )
https://www.questel.co.uk/vercor-rides/
PS I find it fascinating how we both feature radio masts and cows on our blogs!
Keep up the great work
Vince
Hi Vince, thanks. Yes, I have a ride up through the Tunnel de Mortier all mapped out. Soon hopefully.
Rode some of it a year ago.
If anybody decides to go there, worth watching this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsvA0UkdRuw
John, thanks.
Yes, the WW2 history of the Vercors Maquis (French Resistance) is well worth understanding. There are monuments, and grave sites all through the massif.
I can also highly recommend a well-researched book, “The Cruel Victory” by Paddy Ashdown. It’s interesting when you can relate your cycling routes to past events.
Don’t forget tomorrow’s stage of the tour ends in Villard-de-Lans!
Vince
There is also the Tunnel du Mortier which is a “confidential” way to get to Autrans and the plateau from Grenoble avoiding the busy main roads
Thanks, yes I have it mapped out and had planned to ride it this year. Hopefully next year ….. Looks fun.
Unless you guys know something that has changed, the last time I cycled up from the valley on the D3 then the D218 you get to a point where the road has been washed away. The tunnel is intact but you couldn’t get to it. There was about 100m missing and no way of hiking across. This was two years ago.
Has it changed?? Been rebuilt??
Steve
Steve, it was definitely rideable in Sept 2019. See here
https://www.questel.co.uk/tunnel-mortier/
I’d be interested to know if you did it after or before that.
Cheers
Vince
Wow so it has been rebuilt. That makes such a big addition to getting up from the valley. I went up around about 13 years ago on my annual cycling trip to Grenoble. From your post it was definitely before your photo. We climbed up couldn’t get passed so went back down to st Quentin sue isere. There’s a heart Lee Rondonners cafe nearby.
This fantastic blog inspired me to plan a four day tour through the Vercors for this year. I am thinking of either June or September to avoid the busiest (and hottest) months. You guys have a preference yourself?
No preference. Both would work. May should probably be fine too. Enjoy.
There is also the Bacchus pass to be climbed in moderation.
:-). (Bacchus is included in ride #3)
In the meanwhile, I’ve been to the Vercors. It’s already a couple of weeks ago, but I still think about it everyday. What an incredible environment to cycle and so quiet….Combe Laval (probably the busiest part), Gorges du Nan, Ecouges, Gorges du Bourne and last but not least the Hauts Plateaux du Vercors is fantastic to ride, no roads, houses or whatsoever. The only downside however is that it is certainly not an easy ride, but definitely worth it if you have a gravel bike or mountainbike. If you are interested, you can check my tour I did there with a friend: https://www.komoot.nl/collection/1331477/-vercors-rondrit-2022 Many thanks again for this blog as this was my main inspiration to go there!