Vercors — balconies and cols
197 km
1 day
~4 h 18 min riding
From Grenoble
A big loop through the Vercors: up through the Engins gorges, the Villard-de-Lans plateau, the Col de Rousset and its tip into the Diois, Vassieux and its memorial, Pont-en-Royans and its hanging houses, then back up the Bourne gorges and home along the Saint-Nizier balcony. Not a metre of motorway.
Route map
Base map © IGN · Géoplateforme. Indicative route — check that the passes are open before you set off.
The route, step by step
The route in detailGrenoble, Engins, Rousset, Vassieux, Pont-en-Royans, Bourne gorges197 kmapprox. 4 h 18
- Agence envie2rouler — Grenoble (Sassenage)start
- Gorges d'Engins+29 km
- Lans-en-Vercors+7 km
- Villard-de-Lans+9 km
- Col de Rousset+43 km
- Vassieux-en-Vercors+10 km
- Pont-en-Royans+30 km
- Gorges de la Bourne+10 km
- Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte+39 km
- Agence envie2rouler — Grenoble (Sassenage)+20 km
What to see on the way
- Villard-de-Lans and Corrençon: the Quatre Montagnes plateau, heart of the Vercors regional nature park.
- The Vercors Resistance Memorial above Vassieux: opened in 1994, fifty years to the day after the village was destroyed, with the national necropolis below.
- Pont-en-Royans: the houses hanging over the Bourne, built in the 16th century and listed historic monuments since 1944.
- The Choranche caves, minutes off the gorge road: one of the most visited cave systems in the Prealps.
Photo stops not to miss
Twelve stops scouted along the 197 km loop, from the climb through the Engins gorges to the Saint-Nizier balcony.
1The Engins gorgesThe climb from Sassenage, on a road cut into the cliff. This is the gateway to the massif and the first change of scene, fifteen minutes from the agency. Shoot from a lay-by, never from the carriageway.
2The Villard-de-Lans plateauPasture, barns and cliffs all round, as soon as the climb tops out. The setting changes completely in twenty minutes of riding.
3The Col de Rousset viewpointJust above the tunnel at 1,254 m: the cirque and the hairpin descent towards the Diois. The signature shot of the day, and the climate shift is visible to the naked eye.
4The hairpins on the south side of RoussetOn the way down, several lay-bys let you frame the road winding across a dry, rocky slope.
5The Resistance Memorial at VassieuxThe building overlooks the plateau, set apart from everything else. Restrained architecture and a view over the village and the July 1944 battlefield.
6The national necropolis at VassieuxBelow the memorial, lined up facing the plateau. A place to photograph with restraint.
7The Col de Proncel, 1,100 mA quiet little pass between Vassieux and the valley, with nothing built and fine glimpses over the forests.
8Pont-en-Royans from the Pont PicardThe houses hanging over the Bourne, ochre and red facades mirrored in the water. Built in the 16th century, listed historic monuments since 1944.
9The village from the entrance car parkFrom the parking at the entrance to the village, the widest view of the overhanging houses, without having to ride into the lanes.
10The Bourne gorgesTen kilometres of road cut into the cliff face, with the river far below and stretches running under the rock. This is the set piece of the return leg. Stop only in the marked lay-bys, the road is narrow and busy.
11The Choranche cavesRight beside the gorge road, under a cirque of cliffs several hundred metres high. The car park lets you frame the whole thing without going into the cave.
12The Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte balconyThe last viewpoint before the descent: the whole Grenoble basin and the Belledonne range opposite, from the village terrace. Superb late in the day.
What you will see along the way
The Quatre Montagnes plateau
The climb to Villard-de-Lans opens onto a plateau of pasture and forest perched above 1,000 m and ringed by cliffs. The Vercors is the largest regional nature park in the Prealps: the roads are wide, flowing and rarely busy, with fast sweeping bends you will not find in steeper massifs.
The Col de Rousset, the tipping point to the south
At 1,254 m the Col de Rousset marks a sharp climatic border. You enter from the wooded, cool Alpine north and come out on the Diois side, dry, rocky and luminous, on a run of balcony hairpins above the Drôme valley. It is the highlight of the day and one of the finest road viewpoints in the department.
Vassieux-en-Vercors, martyred village
On 21 July 1944 German gliders landed directly on the plain at Vassieux. The village was completely destroyed and more than two hundred civilians were killed. Vassieux is today a Compagnon de la Libération, and the Vercors Resistance Memorial, opened fifty years to the day after the attack, overlooks the plateau. A stop that gives this loop real depth.
Pont-en-Royans, then back up the Bourne gorges
The descent west leads to Pont-en-Royans and its houses hanging over the Bourne. Built in the 16th century by timber merchants short of space, they have been listed historic monuments since 1944 and have become the image of the Vercors. The return then climbs back up the Bourne gorges for about ten kilometres, on a road cut into the cliff face, before reaching Grenoble along the Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte balcony. Not a kilometre ridden twice, and no motorway.
Good to know before you go
- Best season: May to October. The Col de Rousset has a tunnel at the top and stays open very late in the season.
- 197 km: the day just fits within the 200 km included on the first day of hire.
- The Bourne gorges road is narrow and occasionally closed for rockfall or works. Check its status before you go: falling back on the Isère valley adds little distance but loses the best of the return.
- Buses and camper vans are frequent on the plateau, on the Rousset descent and above all in the Bourne gorges: leave yourself room in blind bends.
- About 4 h 20 of actual riding, leaving time for the Resistance Memorial and Pont-en-Royans.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Vercors loop suitable for beginners?
Yes. The plateau roads are wide and flowing, and the only technical section is the descent from the Col de Rousset, on regular, well-surfaced hairpins. The loop is available on an A2 licence.
When is the Col de Rousset open?
The pass is crossed by a tunnel at the summit, which keeps it rideable for much of the year. The best window remains May to October, when the Bourne gorges road is also clear.
What is there to see at Vassieux-en-Vercors?
The Vercors Resistance Memorial, opened on 21 July 1994, and the national necropolis. The village was destroyed and its population massacred in July 1944; it is one of the few French communes decorated with the Order of the Liberation.
Can this ride be done in half a day?
No, 197 km and 4 h 20 of riding need a full day. For half a day, take our Lans balcony discovery loop instead, 70 km from Grenoble.
Ready to ride?
Our Triumph and BMW bikes (A2 and A licence) are prepped, insured and serviced. Book online, self-service pick-up 24/7 in Grenoble.
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