Trail of the 3 valleys and 4 mountains in the Vercors
In summary
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Sports
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Duration4 days
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LevelConfirmed
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DestinationIsère / Vercors Massif
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AgeFrom 15 - 90 years
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CO₂-Emissions47.53 kg CO2
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Type of stayIndependent traveler
In a few words
Get ready for your season or simply discover a new region on a trail run! The Vercors, on the southwestern edge of the Northern Alps and a natural park for 40 years, is the perfect setting for running . Magnificent and varied nature will accompany you throughout your journey. Lush forests, ridges, remarkable views of the Alps and chamois – all the elements are there for an unforgettable stay! The variety of terrain guarantees a unique running experience . Enjoy the rich local cuisine , which you can discover in your accommodations at the end of each day's run!
The highlights
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Discovering the Vercors, a land of trail running!
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Carefully selected accommodations and routes
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The provision of our "roadbook" mobile app or GPS tracks
Photos
Sport
Level
Trail running
The expert's opinion
Trail runners, difficulty level 2 to 3 on a scale of 4:
The estimated skill level for these steps: Moderate to Advanced
Each day, two itineraries are offered to you to adapt your stay to your desires and your fitness level.
Difficulty of the stages: from intermediate to difficult
Your trail, composed of the "intermediate" courses:
Average elevation gain: 1,000 m Maximum elevation gain: 1,180 m
Average length: 26 km Maximum length: 30 km
Average time: 4 hours 30 minutes Maximum time: 5 hours
Your trail, composed of "difficult" courses:
Average elevation gain: 1,500 m Maximum elevation gain: 1,750 m
Average length: 33 km Maximum length: 37 km
Average time: 5 hours 45 minutes Maximum: 6 hours
In figures
Trail and road running
- Average duration/day: 5h
- Average distance/day: 30 km
- Average daily elevation gain: 1279 m
- Average daily descent: 1272 m
Management
After receiving the balance payment and within two weeks of your stay, we will send you a complete hiking and trail running guidebook by mail (one per group). We carefully prepare it so you can fully enjoy your independent stay. It contains:
- Information for your arrival on the first day (address, check-in time, parking, etc.),
- A detailed itinerary outlining the schedule of your stay and the services booked,
- A complete guidebook written by our team to accompany you on hiking and trail running routes (profile, description, refreshment points, etc.),
- Map excerpts with the route traced,
- The guide map corresponding to your route,
- A cultural booklet to discover the region,
- The provision of GPS tracks or our mobile app.
Late registration:
If you register less than 15 days before departure, your travel guide will be sent to your first accommodation and therefore given to you there. As a precaution, we will send it via express delivery (such as Chronopost); an additional fee will be charged (according to the rates in effect at the time of booking).
Program
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Welcome to Méaudre, in the heart of the Vercors
- Accommodation Cottage
- Breakfast not included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner included
Welcome to Méaudre , a charming village in the heart of the Pays des 4 Montagnes. Dinner and overnight stay in a guesthouse-hotel. Accommodation in a 4-star guesthouse-hotel with a wellness area.
Day 1 -
Méaudre - Villard - Lans
- Activity Trail and road running
- Duration of the activity 4h
- Distance 26 km
- Positive elevation gain 1230 m
- Negative elevation 1210 m
- Activity Trail and road running
- Duration of the activity 5h45
- Distance 30 km
- Positive elevation gain 1550 m
- Negative elevation 1530 m
- Accommodation 3-star hotel
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner included
In the morning, after a hearty breakfast to fuel your adventure, you'll begin! You'll start your hike with a walk towards Croix Chabaud and the alpine pastures of La Fauge. Then, you'll begin the ascent of Pic St-Michel, which rises to 1966 meters, where you'll brush against the peaks of the Vercors massif and be rewarded with a magnificent view of the Oisans massif. Afterwards, you'll head to your accommodation, a 3-star hotel in Lans, where your luggage will be transferred during the day.
Day 2 -
Lans - Engins - Autrans
- Activity Trail and road running
- Duration of the activity 5h
- Distance 30 km
- Positive elevation gain 1000 m
- Negative elevation 960 m
- Activity Trail and road running
- Duration of the activity 5h45
- Distance 32 km
- Positive elevation gain 1250 m
- Negative elevation 1200 m
- Accommodation 3-star hotel
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner included
You're off again! You'll climb through deciduous and coniferous forests to reach the Molière alpine pasture with its striking scenery and panoramic views of the Alps. Next, you'll follow a GR (long-distance hiking trail) where you'll only encounter other hikers and chamois. The "Sentier des Génisses" (Heifer Trail) will lead you to the Sure ridge, a rather technical section, where you'll have a breathtaking view overlooking the Isère valley. You'll then descend towards Autrans where you'll find your accommodation for the night, a 2-star hotel where your luggage will be transferred during the day.
Day 3 -
Autrans - Méaudre
- Activity Trail and road running
- Duration of the activity 4h
- Distance 25 km
- Positive elevation gain 890 m
- Negative elevation 940 m
- Activity Trail and road running
- Duration of the activity 6h
- Distance 37 km
- Positive elevation gain 1750 m
- Negative elevation 1790 m
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner not included
The final day begins with a climb to the Pas de Pertuson before descending through the charming hamlets of Rencurel to the Bourne Gorge. The second ascent of the day takes you to the Gros Martel. The Sentier des Lauzes trail will lead you back to your starting point, completing the loop. You'll collect your luggage, take a shower, and then set off again.
Day 4
Note
We may sometimes need to slightly modify the indicated itinerary, either due to organizational issues (overbooked accommodations, changes in trail conditions – landslides, damaged paths – weather, etc.). Rest assured, these modifications are always made in your best interest, for your safety and comfort.
Accommodation
Access
You have a meeting directly at the first accommodation at the end of the day.
Go to the starting point
Take a train or TGV to Grenoble , then a bus to Méaudre .
Train / TGV to Grenoble: Timetables available from SNCF at www.sncf-connect.com .
Then take a regular bus to Méaudre (line T64 then T66). Check the timetable with the Cars Région Auverge-Rhône-Alpes company at +33 4 26 16 38 38. The bus departs from the bus station next to the SNCF train station. Purchase your ticket directly at the Grenoble bus station (€6.90 per trip). Please let us know your departure time, and we will pick you up in the village.
From the North - Grenoble: From the A48 towards Grenoble, take exit 14 “St Egrève Sassenage Villard-de-Lans”. In Lans-en-Vercors, follow signs for Autrans. At the bottom of the Col de la Croix Perrin, turn left towards Méaudre and continue for 1 km.
From the South - Valence: From the A49 towards Grenoble, take exit 8 "Aire Royans-Vercors, Villard de Lans". Follow signs for Villard-de-Lans. At the end of the Bourne gorges, turn left towards Méaudre. The gîte is 3 km past the village.
Price details
The price includes
- Accommodation for 3 nights,
- Half-board (dinners and breakfasts),
- Transporting luggage between stages to run light,
- Tourist taxes
- Circuit coordination,
- Access to the relaxation area of your first accommodation,
- The route book (map backgrounds, guidebook, GPS tracks to be requested when booking).
The price does not include
- Drinks,
- Picnics,
- Insurance,
- Transportation from the place of residence to the starting point and back.
Options
- Picnic : CHF33.85 / person
- Additional night - Single room : CHF107.03 / person
- Extra night - Double room : CHF84.16 / person
Practical information
Specific formalities
Specifics
Minimum number of participants: 2
For safety reasons, this trip is organized for a minimum of 2 participants (no solo departures).
Travel abroad:
Before your departure, check with the embassy or consulate regarding the entry and stay requirements for your destination country. You can also find this information on the France Diplomatie website ( https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/dossiers-pays/ ).
In the case of flights with stopovers operated by different airlines, also check the entry requirements of the countries you are transiting through.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance, particularly regarding the validity of your identity documents (
For example, some countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after your return date. Consider visa requirements, necessary vaccinations, and health recommendations. And don't forget to take into account any customs restrictions and other potential requirements of your destination or transit country.
ℹ️ Information may change up to the departure date, remember to regularly check official websites.
Equipment
Equipment to bring
Required equipment and materials:
- A fully charged mobile phone, possibly with a small external battery if you are using it as a GPS.
- A comfortable and well-fitting trail running backpack (10 to 20 litres).
- Water supply: water bladder and/or flasks (1.5 liters minimum at the start) with possibly a nutritional drink.
- Food supplies: gel, cereal bars, etc.
- Toilet paper and a small plastic bag to throw away at the end of the day.
- A pair of sticks.
- A headlamp, remember to check the batteries.
- Don't forget: sunscreen, sunglasses, anti-chafing cream, a whistle, a lightweight first aid kit containing your essentials.
Miscellaneous
- Comfortable change of clothes for the evening
- Breathable shoes to rest your feet after a day of running
(like flip-flops or Crocs, to each their own). - A few plastic bags to protect your belongings.
- 1 airtight container and 1 fork-spoon for picnics if you order them, as well as a pocket knife.
- A toiletry bag
- A bath towel for the swimming pools / wellness area.
- A needle and thread.
Personal pharmacy
- Your usual medications.
- Pain medication: paracetamol preferred.
- Lozenges for sore throats.
- Disinfectant.
- Elastic adhesive tape, Elastoplast type, minimum 100 cm x 8 cm.
- Sets of adhesive bandages + disinfectant compresses.
- Double skin (like Compeed or SOS blisters).
- Vitamin C.
- 1 pair of tweezers.
- 1 tick remover.
- Hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes.
- 1 tracking cover
TRANSPORTING YOUR LUGGAGE
You don't need to carry anything except your day's essentials. We'll transport your luggage so you can walk light. You'll find your luggage at your accommodation every evening from 4 pm. We allow one piece of luggage per person , preferably soft-sided and not too bulky (maximum 60 cm), weighing no more than 10-12 kg.
IMPORTANT :
- We absolutely disclaim all responsibility in the event of damage to any fragile item (laptop, for example).
- Out of respect for the people who carry your luggage, remember that you are in the mountains, that the areas around accommodations can be difficult (stairs, steep slopes, etc.), that space in vehicles is limited and that you sometimes have to travel a few hundred meters between the vehicle and the accommodation.
Clothing to bring
Here is a non-exhaustive list of equipment we recommend you bring. Remember to adapt this list according to the season. Keep in mind that in the mountains and at altitude, the weather can change very quickly. To explore the Vercors trails with peace of mind, be sure to test all your equipment before your trip.
Trail runner clothing:
- A breathable t-shirt that dries quickly.
- A second warm layer: fleece jacket, long-sleeved merino wool, etc.
- A waterproof running windbreaker with an integrated hood.
- Running shorts and long-legged running pants or tights.
- A cap and/or a bluff, as well as a beanie depending on the conditions.
- Thin but warm gloves.
- Seamless running socks are preferable.
- Trail shoes adapted to your activity and tested beforehand, don't forget spare laces.
They traveled with us
