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Resistance and history

Resistance, maquis, martyrdom… so many terms that are still associated with the history of the Vercors.

It’s undeniable that the Second World War left its mark on the Vercors massif, even though the latest events take us back 80 years. The Resistance fighters are still there in the collective imagination, at the foot of the headstones and in the sense of freedom that surrounds our activities on this peaceful massif. Everywhere in the Vercors, you can’t fail to find at least one place of remembrance to commemorate, to learn from and to remember.

Discover these sites in Villard-de-Lans / Corrençon-en-Vercors and throughout the Vercors with Les chemins de la Liberté.

Published on 4 November 2025

Valchevrière - Martyred village

Valchevrière, a place of silence and contemplation, is one of the most moving and evocative sites of the Resistance in the Vercors.

This hamlet, deep in the forest, served as a camp for the maquisards before being the scene of a fierce confrontation on 22 and 23 July 1944.
On the lookout overlooking the village, men sacrificed themselves to delay the advance of the Nazi armies and died with their weapons drawn.
The houses were then burnt down, with only the chapel spared.
The hamlet remains as it was, its stones bare and blackened by the fire.
A Way of the Cross, with an original building at each station, links Villard de Lans to Valchevrière.

How to get there:

    Herbouilly Farm

    This former farm is located in the heart of the Herbouilly plain, on the border between the departments of Isère and Drôme. A command post for Resistance fighters in June 1944, it was destroyed by German troops in July of the same year. Today, this peaceful spot offers an accessible walk through forests, views and history.

    How to get there:

        Exhibition - The Cyprian Norwid Polish High School 1940-1946

        It tells the story of the Polish high school in Villard-de-Lans from 1940 to 1946, the only free Polish secondary school in occupied Europe.
        During these 6 years, 800 Poles studied or worked at the school, located in the heart of the village. They discovered winter sports, forged links with the villardians, worked in the fields and, at the time of the Resistance, fought alongside the French. This new exhibition is an invaluable reminder of this historic period, which had such a profound effect on the Vercors.

        Camp 2 stele

        At the entrance to the Hauts Plateaux, water is scarce and the Puit des Ravières is one of the only springs in the area. It was here in 1942 that Camp 2 of the Vercors maquis set up camp to resist the occupation of France. A stele now pays tribute to the Resistance fighters and gives you the chance to find out more about this page in history.

        How to get there: