[ColinC]

Thinking of spending some time in the Vercors in June and was wondering if anyone has firsthand experience of some of the roads. I spotted the advice in the Caravan Club overseas handbook that the D531 is not suitable for caravans or large motorhomes. this is because of the narrowness of the road, plus a number of tunnels and rock overhangs as the road skirts the Gorge de la Bourne. On the Michelin road atlas it appears to be the main link between Villard-de-Lans and the villages of la Chapelle en Vercors and Vassieux en Vercors in the southern part of the plateau.

Alternatively, I see from the IGN 1:25,000 map that there is a minor road, the D221, that provides a link between Villard-de-Lans and those villages. On the map it looks straightforward.

We have a Rapido 9048df A-class. Has anyone driven a similar vehicle on either of these routes?

Colin

 

[CurlyBoy]

Villard-de -lans

Hi colin, just had a look on Google earth, as you said some of the photos show it to be a bit risky, very narrow with treacherous overhangs, far worse than Gorge du Verdon which we did last year. hope that helps.
curlyboy

 

[ColinC]

I may have answered my own question. I see from the Chapelle en Vercors website that their advised route from Villard de Lans is the D221. Nvertheless would welcome any other comments on the topic.

Colin

 

[daisthedog]

Hi, We spent part of our holiday in Vercours and inadvertantly ended up driving the Gorge de Bourne. Whoaa!!.
We followed a largish motorhome and everything was going quite well untill a large quarry truck and a tractor + trailer loaded with hay appeared travelling in the opposite direction. 20 minutes of chaos ensued but in the end all managed to pass. We were luckily on the side of the road with the low wall and the drop so didn't have to worry about headroom, some of the rock overhangs look too low.
All in all it is about ten times worse than the Gorge de Verdon but having said that, the local lorry drivers seem to use it.
For information our motorhome is 3.2m high, 2.38m wide and 8.3m long.
If you have to drive this road my advice is to make an especially early start and pass through at first light, pedal to the metal.
Vercours is great, free motorhome parking just about everywhere and no crowds. The col de Rousset road leaving the plateau to the south is easy driving but is just about the most spectacularly engineered road I have driven in France.

 

[carol]

Colin I started a reply yesterday and lost connection.

2nd try.

We were there last October - drove up from Die - wondervul ride - narrow but fantastic. we stayed 3 or 4 nights at the aire outside - just vercors - good museum and memorial. TIC had good map and showed some roads Closed for 'repairs'

We had the Michellin - Best camping-car tours - French - and were following their tours - due to road closures we had to change it a bit - but no oroblems at that time of year. Veey cold in the morning - and surprisingly about 15/20 on the aire at night.

We will go back and do the roads we missed.

If you go to France Touring forum on here you will see my account of our trip - and there are photos in my album

Excuse errors pda pain to weite with

Carol

 

[Arizona]

Hi Colin

We spent 10 days in Autrans 2 years ago. At the time we had a tag axle Hobby. I honestly didn't find the roads that bad. There are plenty of hairpin bends and steep hills but all were manageable. I would ensure that my brakes were in good working order and that my clutch was 100%. The one thing I did fine disconcerting was the locals overtaking us on the bends!! There is a local bus service and one piece of advise we got was to the follow the bus!!

Good luck & enjoy

Arizona