Hauts Plateaux of the Vercors: trekking in a high-altitude limestone desert

There's a corner of the French Prealps that resembles a desert suspended at altitude. The Hauts Plateaux of the Vercors, protected by the largest terrestrial nature reserve in France, are a vast limestone plateau where no roads pass, there are no villages and water simply isn't there, because the rain vanishes into the karst depths of the rock. It's a place that discourages fast tourism and rewards those who accept its rules: carry everything, count on yourself and walk long in the silence. That's why, even in a region on the whole close to the big cities, the isolation here is real.

The traverse

The plateau is crossed from north to south along routes that link the few historic staging points, the old shepherds' shelters. The most famous is the cabane de Carrette, but the whole tableland is dotted with bergeries and unstaffed huts, simple stone shelters where you can stop for the night. The classic traverse generally starts from the area of Corrençon-en-Vercors, to the north, and heads south down towards the surroundings of Châtillon-en-Diois and the Drôme valley, passing through the great plateau of Tussac and through environments that shift from pine forest to open, wind-swept pastures. Along the way it's not rare to come across the great vultures reintroduced to the region, wheeling above the walls, and herds of chamois and mouflon.

A bare plateau

The appeal of the high Vercors lies precisely in its bareness: vast horizons, dolines and fields of stone shaped by karst, enormous skies. But it's also a land of memory, because the massif was one of the centres of the French Resistance, and down below, on the fringes of the plateau, the places still tell that story. Up high, though, nature in its pure state reigns, with no signs of human presence save the shepherds' low stone walls.

The challenge of self-sufficiency

In terms of difficulty, the traverse presents no technical passages, but it's demanding for another reason: self-sufficiency. You have to carry all the water you need or plan very carefully around the very few points where you can resupply, because on the plateau the springs are absent or unreliable. The stages are long, the elevation gain is gentle but constant and the distances between one shelter and the next are significant. Navigation requires care, because in fog the tableland becomes disorienting and the landmarks disappear. That's why it's a trek recommended for those who already have experience of self-sufficient walks and know how to move with map and compass.

Getting there

To get there, the bases are the villages surrounding the massif: to the north the area of Villard-de-Lans and Corrençon, reachable from Grenoble, to the south the Diois valley towards Die, served by the railway. Once up on the plateau, however, you're alone: there's no transport, there are no shops, and the only way to move is on foot. It's therefore wise to arrange your arrival and return in advance, and to reckon realistically with the days needed, allowing a margin for bad weather.

When to go

The right time is summer and early autumn. From June to September the plateau is free of snow and walkable, with long days in June and July and the growing quiet of September, when the air turns crisper and the colours change. Outside this window the snow and cold make the traverse a genuine winter undertaking. Even in full summer, however, the Hauts Plateaux remain among the most solitary places in the French Alps: the absence of water and roads is the best filter against the crowds.

A practical tip worth more than any other: managing water is the key to everything. Plan your resupply points before you set off, carry a generous reserve and don't improvise. Check the reserve's rules as well, because in such a strictly protected area bivouacking is allowed only under certain conditions. Respect the silence and bareness of the place: it's exactly what has kept it intact and what you came to seek.