The Park du Vercors is at the heart of everything you do, see and feel in this still little known corner of France. It offers an incredible variety of landscapes: mountain peaks, gorges, valleys, plateaux, forests, rivers, waterfalls, caves, walnut groves, apricot and peach trees, alpine flora (including dry wild orchids) and wildlife (mountain goats, deer, boar and birds of prey). All kinds of sporting, artistic and leisure pursuits are possible and within easy reach: all forms of walking, golf, trekking with donkeys, water-rafting, canyoning, horse-riding, icon painting, photography on the ground or from the air and of course all forms of winter sports or simply a ride in a sleigh with huskies in winter.

Various religious orders have left us with the abbeys of Leoncel and St. Antoine and churches worth visiting for their architectural and spiritual merit.

Villages clinging to rocky mountain sides or nestling in tiny valleys will inspire you. The town of Romans, the shoe capital of France (Charles Jourdan shoes are made here) will tempt you with its outstanding Musée de la Chaussure, shoe shops and workshops. Valence, capital of the county, will seduce you with its provençal atmosphere.

Of course this is France: you will sample in restaurants set in picturesque locations the regional dishes of ravioles (cheese raviolis), tartiflette (sliced potatoes baked with bacon and cheese), gratin dauphinois (sliced potatoes baked with cream), walnut tart (similar to pecan pie), Vercors trout (cooked or smoked), all accompanied by the wines of the Drôme and Rhône.

Or simply relax in the southern sun with a glass of glass of Clairette de Die...