Heritage and tradition | Villard de Lans / Corrençon en Vercors Tourist Office

Our architectural heritage

Our architectural heritage is representative of the evolution of the villages of Villard-de-Lans and Corrençon-en-Vercors over the centuries.

Initially driven by a forestry-based economy, the region then turned towards agriculture. The many farms still present today on the Vercors plateau bear witness to this agricultural past.

Under the beautiful sunshine, a thick white blanket or through a dense fog, these farms form part of our landscape and integrate perfectly with nature. Take the time to look up, you’ll be suprised!

Why this form of gable?

These traditional Vercors farms are very characteristic of the region, with their stoney profile and the presence of the stepped-gable roof, otherwise known as a crow-stepped gable.
The purpose of this construction was to protect the thatched roofs from bad weather, such as the wind from the south – very common on the Vercors plateau. The facade of the house is generally south-facing, turning its back upon the cold wind from the north, and features the majority of its openings. The function of the Vercors farm was to house men, animals, crops and equipment. At the top of the roof, there is a heavy stone – known as the “la couve”: a symbol of fertility.

Seeing the great Vercors farmhouse lying low against the ground, one imagines that it is filled with livestock, or perhaps crops …

1924 Jules Blache. Geographer and Resistance fighter

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Our guides will help you discover Vercors through its plants, wildlife and local heritage.

Our agricultural heritage

From the outset, Villard-de-Lans and Corrençon-en-Vercors have always been lands of agriculture and livestock-breeding. This know-how has formed our landscapes and our men.

It plays a major role not just in the local economy, but also in the use and maintenance of our open spaces.

Just like tourism, it is a dominant economic activity within the Vercors Regional Nature Park, offering a host of benefits, based on the quality of its products and its integration within its natural and economic environment.

Despite recurring concerns of the decline of agriculture, this business remains nonetheless highly dynamic, with farmers who collectively reflect on their future, respecting a range of values: quality of life, products and the environment, and opening up to inhabitants, territorial organisations and other socio-professional categories, among other aspects.

Want to find out more?

Taking great care to maintain mountain traditions, the farmers of Villard-de-Lans/Corrençon-en-Vercors invite you to discover the richness of their know-how and abilities.

Don’t miss the chance to admire the herds in the pastures, where their presence serves as proof an intense agricultural activity. The farmers can also welcome you in their lodges and farm inns, or invite you in for a snack to share in a moment of their lives alongside the animals of Vercors. Proud of their heritage, they can help you discover products passed down through the generations, such as goat’s cheese, St-Marcellin cheese and the famous “Bleu de Vercors-Sassenage”, made here for more than 600 years – not forgetting our honeys, unusual spreads (milk, dandelion, etc.) and poultry. A whole host of healthy and natural products to help make your stay in Vercors as pleasant as possible.

Our architectural heritage

Heritage, tradition and cuisine

Our architectural heritage

Why this form of gable?

Fancy a tour?

Our agricultural heritage

Want to find out more?

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