Vercors Midi (climbing week)

Last updated: August 16, 2023 11:01 p.m. (the bridge over the Cholet on the D361 is closed to all traffic and pedestrians).

From Pont-en-Royans you cycle along the Bourne River to the Bourne Gorges: a very impressive gorge with high rising rock massifs. Unfortunately, the road through this gorge is also popular among tourists and can therefore get crowded in high season, and it is therefore highly recommended to cycle on this route early in the day. And this is also why part of the main road is avoided by climbing the Col de Méselier . It is a very quiet road and a climb unknown to many. At the top, you look at the magnificent rock massifs.

The route passes through an inland road to Bourne Reservoir, then briefly climbs steeply out of the valley to get to the main road through the gorge (officially, only residents are allowed to use this part of the road from the end of the reservoir to the main road).

The main road through the Bourne Gorges is then followed for a further 9 km (i.e. in a climbing direction, you follow part of the Col de Romeyère here). Tip: just before a tunnel you can pedal to a viewpoint around the tunnel, from this point you have a wonderful view of the Bourne River Gorge! We skip the climb from Balme de Rencurel to the D103 (this would make the route shorter, but it is a steep climb (up to 15%)). You then gradually climb along the D103 to Saint-Julien-en-Vercors (about 200 meters of vertical drop) and then go through some tunnels, one of which is even 1.7 km long. The 1.7km long tunnel was completed in 2008 to make passing through the Grands Goulets gorges much safer (and on this road you can also expect more traffic). You descend to Saint-Jean-en-Royans and then another natural wonder in the Vercors follows: the ascent of the Col de la Machine with nearly 800 meters of elevation. The natural wonder is located on the very last part of the climb: the balcony of Combe Laval.

Then you stay at altitude and climb (about 250 meters higher) to the Col de la Portette then you go down to the west of the Vercors with sometimes beautiful views. The way back to Pont-en-Royans is partly on narrow (sometimes steep) roads through the hilly agricultural landscape of the western Vercors, with climbs of 60 to (occasionally) 200 meters of elevation. In Auberives-en-Royans, the D531 is abandoned to climb steeply via the Route de la Plaine to avoid part of the D351 sometimes moderately frequented (officially only residents are allowed to pedal on this road). You can also continue on the D531 to Pont-en-Royans.

Warning: the altimeters indicated by route are too high because of the many gorges on the road! A realistic estimate of the number of altimeters is 2450 hm.