Summer time in Vercors

It is already an autumn. Summer has passed so quickly, but left some nice souvenirs to remember during the cold and rainy weather. Enjoy it!

 

 

Spring in south of Vercors

End of the april, while the north side of Vercors is still covered by the snow, in the south part you can start to enjoy beautiful spring blooming! 
This time photos were taken in the south of Vercors, near the town called "Die" (Drôme department).

Husky dog sledding in Méaudre

End of the January in Méaudre in the Vercors, took place the national dog-sledding championship. This year 19-20 january, happened 13th championship. For the 13th edition, this unique race in the Vercors invited to enjoy a fabulous 4-legged athletes, such as the Nordic dogs. More than 400 dogs were confronted on the route of 25 to 50 km, depending on the teams. (2 to 12 dogs). This race of sledding dogs is an important event as it takes place of National Championship Middle Distance and Long Distance FFPTC.  (French Federation of Pulka and sledding Dogs).
     The Dog Sledding is appeared in the Vercors in 1937 as a means of circulation during storm days (La Chapelle-en-Vercors). In the years of '50s, Gerald Taylor starts the activity with a team of huskies repatriated from Terre Adélie in Antarctica. He crisscrosses the Vercors finding a route through north-south. The first professional develop output with dogs was to carry food for the skiers. Quickly, leads of the team appears for the public demand. The activity structure is under the leadership by professionals (Vassieux-en-Vercors and Autrans).
The Vercors is now a major area in France to manage dogsledding.

 

Evening snow beauty ( Le Balcon de Villard)

Lans en Vercors

Lans en Vercors is a cozy mountain town of the department of Isère, Rhône-Alpes region, located in a protected natural area ( Regional park Vercors). Its altitude varies from 1020 m to 1983 m. Lens, Leins, Lans, are variously spelled as established by Cassine maps and Bourdet, was long time the administrative center, located in the hamlet of Peuil, territory named as Quatre Montagnes.
Originally largest village in the valley, Lans is gradually gave the first place to what was a village before: Villard-de-Lans.
This demographic domination original Lans is true in the etymology of the neighboring villages. And Villard-de-Lans literally means "the farm of Lans" and other village Autrans means as "off Lans ", that is to say" beyond the Lans ".
Since May 9, 1947, Lans took its current name Lans-en-Vercors.
Today Lans-en-Vercors is a quiet village but with dynamic hosting; each summer season having sport or cultural events. And in August 2008 was held the fourth European Congress of Speleology, in the largest gathering VERCORS 2008, organized by the French Federation of Speleology and caving Federation of the European Union.
Currently Lans-en-Vercors has population of  2 684 people, to compare with population in Villard de Lans of 4 277 people in 2012.  
Lans en Vercors has: two downhill ski areas: Les montagnes de Lans and le Massif de l'Aigle and also two areas of cross-country skiing: Les Alliéres and Le Val-de-Lans.

 

Snow in autumn(29.10.2012)

This year snow came so unexpected, it was about 1 meter deep in Villard de Lans area, after one night of snowfall.  Probably it be will melted very soon, but for the moment we enjoyed the sun and snow!

 

Golden Col de Rousset