Page 210 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

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Grenoble
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\ # 1
18 Foothills of the St-Julien- # 0 ¸ # #Lans-en- \ #
Vercors
D531
Alps
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2
# Gorges de
en-Vercors
\
St-Martin # la Bourne 0 ¸
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A480
\ # en-Vercors 0 ¸ Parc Naturel
In the transition zone between the Alps and Provence St-Agnan- D103 du Vercors
Régional
lie some of France’s most magnificent and least en-Vercors # \ Grotte de
#
explored landscapes. Extending from the Vercors 0 ¸ 3 Mont
#la Luire
4 0¸
plateau to the Verdon River, this trip starts in poppy- D518 R Aiguille D526 \ #
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Chichilianne
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strewn pastures where cowbells jingle beneath # Chamaloc 0 ¸
\
D7
limestone peaks and ends among the lavender fields Die \ # \ # Treschenu-
and arid gorges of Haute-Provence. Along the way, 0 ¸ # \ Creyers
D539
there’s plenty of outdoorsy excitement for the entire Châtillon-
en-Diois
family. DRÔME
La Motte-
Chalancon
\ #
of Lans-en-Vercors via Au- \ #
TRIP HIGHLIGHT trans, following the D106
1 Lans-en-Vercors and a partly unpaved for-
Lans-en-Vercors (1020m) est road. Alternatively, Les # \
Accompagnateurs Nature
is idyllically set among the
sloping pastures, plateaux et Patrimoine (%04 76 95
08 38; www.accompagnateur-
and chiselled limestone vercors.com;) offers guided
peaks of the 1750-sq-km walks (adult/child €27/20) Mont Serein
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#
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(1445m)
Parc Naturel Régional du throughout the Vercors. R Mont Ventoux
Vercors, 28km southwest R (1912m)
of Grenoble. With stun- 54 p213 0 ¸
D164
ning vistas and wildlife in- The Drive » Follow the # Sault 0¸
\
D950
cluding marmots, ibex and D531 southwest from Lans-en-
chamois, the park draws Vercors, descending to enter F G # \
families seeking low-key the magnificent Gorges de la 22 Banon
outdoor adventure. Hikers Bourne after about 10km. 0 ¸ VAUCLUSE
D943
of any age will enjoy the # \
easy, supremely scenic c
7km high-country loop 2 Gorges de la
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\
from La Molière to Pas Bourne Apt
Parc
de Bellecombe, with its Cliff walls up to 600m Plateau des R Naturel
Régional
built-in lunch stop at Gîte high crowd around the Claparèdes Mourre du Luberon
Négre
d’Alpage de la Molière road through these deep (1125m)
(p213). To reach the and dramatic gorges, cut # Cadenet
\
trailhead, go 20km north / ·
N96
# Pertuis # \
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Durance
208 # \ w