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Hautes-Alpes (05), France - June 16, 2022: The Gioberney Refuge in the heart of the Ecrins National Park massif late Spring- Summer. Valgaudemar valley in the French Alps 1470482197 ecrins national park, gioberney refuge, gioberney, alpine, ecrins massif, vaccivier peaks, les rouies, high mountain, paca, tourist attraction, peak, refuge

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Parc Naturel Régional du Vercors

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Mountains, limestone cliffs and dense forests create a high-drama landscape within this 2062-sq-km preserve, a few kilometres southwest of Grenoble. The Gorges du Furon are a prime attraction for walkers, canyoners and abseilers, and the park is well known for caves like the vast Grotte de la Luire. Capping the park is the 170-sq-km Réserve Naturelle des Hauts-Plateaux, France's largest terrestrial nature reserve.

Hikers can ply 3000km of trails, looking out for chamois, birds of prey and 75 different varieties of orchid.

In winter, guides lead snowshoers through the frozen landscape.

°Õ°ù²¹²Ô²õ¾±²õè°ù±ð (www.transisere.fr) buses 5100 and 5110 (€5.60) link Grenoble with Lans-en-Vercors (45 minutes, nine daily) and Villard de Lans (1¼ hours, four to seven daily) in the park.

Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±'s must-see attractions

  • Grenoble Museum.

    Musée de Grenoble

    27.21 MILES

    For lovers of European art, this museum is an uplifting place to get lost for a day. There's an even spread of artistic eras on display: an antiquities…

  • Cité du Chocolat Valrhona

    Cité du Chocolat Valrhona

    26.52 MILES

    Death by chocolate! On the main road in Tain l'Hermitage, the Cité du Chocolat is a chocoholic's dream come true. This vast complex run by famous…

  • Musée Archéologique

    Musée Archéologique

    27.37 MILES

    This highly impressive museum unveils the secrets of a 12th-century church and cloister using light effects, a haunting choral soundtrack and an…

  • The Bastille Grenoble.

    Fort de la Bastille

    27.17 MILES

    After a fun ride in the téléphérique, or a steep, hour-long climb, the reward is a magnificent mountain panorama from Grenoble's stocky fortress, built…

  • Entrance of the Dauphinois museum (Musee dauphinois) in Grenoble.

    Musée Dauphinois

    27.05 MILES

    This ever-evolving museum unleashes a century of regional history on visitors. Suits of armour are back-lit in brightly coloured rooms, 3-D family trees…

  • Famous Luire cave entrance.

    Grotte de la Luire

    4.64 MILES

    Filled with karst springs and enormous, spectacularly lit chambers, the Grotte de la Luire was used as an emergency hospital during WWII. When it's open,…

  • Musée des Troupes de Montagne

    Musée des Troupes de Montagne

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    Though the subject is niche, this museum exploring France's elite Alpine regiments, which date to 1888, is riveting. An audioguide (in French, English,…

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Nearby attractions

1. Grotte de la Luire

4.64 MILES

Filled with karst springs and enormous, spectacularly lit chambers, the Grotte de la Luire was used as an emergency hospital during WWII. When it's open,…

2. Gorges du Furon

20.93 MILES

Canyoning, abseiling and walking are all popular in the spectacular Gorges du Furon, carved through the Vercors limestone by the rushing Furon River. You…

3. Maison des Têtes

22.09 MILES

Tucked along a winding lane in the historic centre, the extraordinary façade of this building blends Flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance elements from 1530…

4. Cathédrale St-Apollinaire

22.15 MILES

A major landmark in the old town, this impressive cathedral dates from the late 11th century but was largely destroyed in the Wars of Religion before…

5. Musée de Valence

22.17 MILES

This great museum adjoining the cathedral offers a comprehensive and well-organised collection of art and archaeology from the Rhône Valley. Of particular…

6. Parc Jouvet

22.23 MILES

Just south of the old town, Parc Jouvet makes a pleasant setting for a stroll, with grassy lawns, tree-lined paths and water features. Kids will enjoy the…

7. Le Magasin

25.91 MILES

A cavernous glass-and-steel warehouse built by Gustave Eiffel has been turned into one of France's leading centres of contemporary art. Many of the…

8. Cité du Chocolat Valrhona

26.52 MILES

Death by chocolate! On the main road in Tain l'Hermitage, the Cité du Chocolat is a chocoholic's dream come true. This vast complex run by famous…