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The two leaders were excellent and so hard working; their natural history skills were complementary and greatly respected by all of us, while the picnic lunches they prepared were outstanding (even in the rain). The hotel was delightful, perfect for a group of our size and every meal was something to look forward too, certainly right at the top of Naturetrek accommodation.
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France - The Vercors (by train)
Tour Code: FRA24An 8-day holiday in search of birds, plants, mammals and butterflies in the Vercors massif, a spectacular area in the heart of France's Dauphine region on the doorstep of the Alps.
8 days
from
£2,195 (Inc train)
£2,195 (Inc train)
Land only price
from
£1,895
£1,895
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Heading south from Lyon in south-eastern France, an awe-inspiring massif of jagged limestone looms into view. Framed perfectly by the resplendent snow-capped Alps in the distance, and the deep Isère Valley in the foreground, the Vercors Regional Nature Park is an area of exceptional beauty. It cries out for exploration, and that's exactly what we do on this varied 8-day wildlife holiday, making full use of the region's trails and back-roads as we search for the birds, plants, mammals and butterflies which inhabit the limestone gorges, high summits, and extensive forests and flower-filled meadows of the Vercors.
- Travel by train to Lyon on a flight-free holiday
- Wonderful wildlife amidst truly magnificent scenery
- Friendly, family-run hotel serving good home cooking based on local produce
- One of the three principal orchid hotspots in mainland Europe
- Stunning alpine plants with abundant gentians, saxifrages & many more specialities
- Wallcreeper, lekking Black Grouse, & numerous birds of prey
- July highlights include the mysterious Ghost Orchid & the elusive European Beaver
Grading
Grade A. Easy walks only.
Heading south from Lyon in southeastern France, an awe-inspiring massif of jagged limestone looms into view. Framed perfectly by the resplendent snow-capped Alps in the distance, and the deep Isère Valley in the foreground, the Vercors Regional Nature Park is an area of exceptional beauty. Incorporating France’s largest nature reserve — the splendid Hauts Plateaux — this is one of the oldest ‘Nature Parks’ in France and a most interesting region for the visiting naturalist. We will explore its thousands of hectares of unspoiled countryside on this holiday, focusing on the rich and varied fauna and flora of the massif’s deep limestone gorges, high summits (dominated by the Grand Veymont at 2,341 metres) and vast expanses of forest. From our base in La Chapelle, a delightful village in the heart of the massif, we are within easy striking distance of the many rich habitats which, after centuries of glacial and then fluvial erosion, form a harmonious limestone landscape of damp, flower-filled meadows alternating with majestic vertical cliffs and high wooded plateaux.
One of the highlights of our week will be a day spent in the Hauts Plateaux nature reserve in the company of a local guide. This wild area, in many respects unique in Europe, consists of a patchwork of meadows, moorlands, forests and high mountain ridges, shaped by savage winters and centuries of forestry and grazing. A small, pioneering population of Wolves, presumed to have recently recolonised this part of France from the Italian Alps, hides in the vast Silver Fir (Abies alba) and Mountain Pine (Pinus uncinata) forest, their presence betrayed only by tracks left in the extensive winter snows. Griffon Vulture, Golden Eagle, Peregrine, Black Grouse, Ring Ouzel, Firecrest, Crossbill, Citril Finch and perhaps even a Tengmalm’s Owl or Black Woodpecker are amongst the avian possibilities here, whilst the alpine flora is at its dazzling best at this time of year.
The pretty winter ski station of Font d’Urle provides an unusual backdrop to beautiful alpine meadows carpeted with wild pansies, gentians, wild tulips and snowbells. The path to Font d’Urle leads us through an unspoiled alpine habitat with stunning views south across the Forêt de Quint. We must keep our eyes open here for Chough, Alpine Chough, Golden Eagle, Rock Thrush, Water Pipit and Alpine Marmot. The numerous limestone cliffs in the Vercors attract resident Wallcreepers, and one or two of our picnic spots make ideal points from which to scan for this sought-after species. On the drier, sunnier southern slopes, Rock Sparrows breed, while Short-toed Eagles glide and hover overhead hunting for snakes. Orphean and Subalpine Warblers and the attractive Ortolan Bunting, too, will also be amongst our targets during this part of our holiday.
The Vercors is one of the very few regions in western Europe harbouring six species of wild ungulates — Ibex, Chamois, Red Deer, Roe Deer, Mouflon and Wild Boar all occuring here. Whilst these animals invariably remain elusive in the wooded areas, they may sometimes be seen on the higher, rocky slopes. Smaller carnivores such as Fox, Badger and Pine Marten are well represented, while Mountain Hare, a relict from the Ice Age, is confined to the high mountain ridges. We will look for some of these smaller mammals in the freshly cut hay meadows at dusk.
It is perhaps the stunning flora, however, with several rare orchids present in an overall list of 64 species, for which the Vercors massif is best known. The spectacular Lady’s Slipper Orchid is relatively common in the fir and beech forests, and we will look for the endemic Ophrys bertolonii ssp. drumana in the drier Mediterranean climate of the Gervannes. Orchis spitzelii, Toothed Orchid (Orchis tridentata) and, on our later tour, Ghost Orchid (Epipogium aphyllum) will all provide excitement during our walks and picnic lunches, throughout what promises to be a varied and enjoyable week in this, one of the most beautiful regions of France.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Train to Lyon
Day 2/7
Natural history excursions in the Vercors.
Day 8
Train to London
What's Included?
- Trains
- Accommodation:
A delightful family-run hotel; all rooms have private facilities.
- Food:
All included in the price (except on train journeys).
Reviews
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It was a wonderful week. We enjoyed the overall atmosphere created by the environment, the hotel, the leaders, and the extraordinary landscape and its treasures. One of the best Naturetrek holidays we have had.
D.O & V.Y, London, May 2022 -
Despite the lateness of spring this year, the tour was able to introduce us to the flowers, birds and butterflies of this little-known region. In addition, we were able to learn something of the recent history of the area, and enjoy a feel of the region. As with other NT holidays, the choice of hotel was excellent, and the capacity of the staff there to accommodate the various dietary needs of our small group was exceptional - larger hotels often fail in this respect. Our guide (this was our third trip with Paul Harmes) was helpful, supportive and informative, as usual.
M.K. South Yorkshire, May 19 -
We had an excellent week based in Chapelle en Vercors. Our two knowledgeable guides took us to excellent plant sites where we found over thirty species of orchid. Our small, family run hotel was comfortable and served wonderful local food and wine. Weather was cold in the mountains but the company and leadership made up for this. A truly excellent holiday that could not be faulted.
T.G. Surrey -
It was the perfect holiday for me. Stunning scenery. Why do more people not know about this area? The hotel gave us coffee and fresh croissant at 3am! Family run as you said. The leaders were absolutely excellent. They complemented one another ideally. One quiet and one less so. Their driving was perfect despite many hairpin bends. Their knowledge of the area, the terrain, the botanical sites and the ice creams was amazing. Paul is a very good botanist. The train was good - as you said - a chance to get to know fellow travellers.
Dr W. Devon -
Paul and Alan are superb leaders. Knowledge, enthusiasm, encouragement, people skills - they tick all the boxes. They work hard and long and effectively. The highest complement I can pay is to say that I enjoyed this Vercors trip as much as I had relished my 4 previous Naturetreks with John and Jenny Willsher. Vercors scenery: big surprise at how magnificent the Kanst landscape is, the mixed natural forests are especially beautiful in May with the dark conifers interspersed with bright new green deciduous tree leaves.
Mrs C. Bristol -
I thoroughly enjoyed this holiday - Paul Harmes and Alan Miller were terrific leaders - hugely knowledgeable and endlessly patient. Apart from the first two days, we didn't have particularly good weather but they were not put out and simply adjusted their itinerary. As in the UK the season was particularly late. Paul and Alan were undaunted and with great enthusiasm found us some spectacular views, plants and birds. I don't think I'll ever forget the sight of so many orchids in meadows and verging on 60 plus griffin vultures soaring above the cliffs.
Z.F. Avon -
Our two guides were excellent - extremely knowledgeable, pleasant and patient throughout.
F.H. Somerset -
Hotel Bellier was excellent - comfortable, immaculate with kindly service, and excellent food. The daily itinerary gave an excellent idea of the environment and, despite poor weather for the second half of the week, we did well on plant and birds species. My particular interest has always been in orchids and they were stunningly good.
D.L. East Sussex -
Well organised, great hotel, wonderful location. Leaders were knowledgeable, friendly, considerate and very hard-working.
R.M. & K.F. Kent -
In this amazing area, roads wind round towering rock faces, squeezing through natural arches, past dizzying chasms, to reach some awe-inspiring views. Waterfalls tumble to turbulent streams, calming themselves to babble conveniently past picnic sites; and everywhere - roadside verges, rocky cliff faces, open meadows and high plateaux are filled with flowers. So, the setting in itself was a veritable Shangri-La, where botanical enthusiasts discovered 32 varieties of orchid, whilst 'birders' scanned the skies for vultures and crag martins, or quietly watched for wallcreepers and dippers, bird songs and sightings permeating the day from dawn to dusk.
J.G. Avon
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Mon 12th May – Mon 19th May
6
£2,195
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£1,895
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£250
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[description] => Botanical Tours – See Wild Flowers with our Expert Botanical Guides
There are few more pleasing sights in the natural world than a meadow filled with wildflowers. Seeing plants in their native habitat is always exciting and our flower tours offer you an incredible choice, from dazzling tropical blooms and the thrill of finding elusive orchids or delicate alpines, to seeing island endemics or British flora. Our tours range from week-long holidays focusing on the ‘Alpine flowers of the Swiss Alps’, the ‘Italian Dolomites’ and the ‘Alpine Flowers of Slovenia’s Julian Alps’, to orchid-hunting on Italy’s Gargano Peninsula and searching for the Autumn Plants of Greece’s Peloponnese. We also visit more remote areas of the world in search of plant-life, from the Tien Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan where we look for wild tulips, to the rainforests and spiny deserts of Madagascar where over 80% of the flora is endemic.
Many of us want to know more about the plants we see around us. Whether inspired by an appreciation of the aesthetic appeal of flowers, or a more focused desire to identify individual species, everyone with an interest in botany will derive pleasure from joining one of Naturetrek’s flower tours.
Why choose Naturetrek’s botanical holidays?
- All our botanical holidays are led by expert botanist guides
- All levels of interest and expertise are catered for, from hobby gardeners and complete beginners to keen botanists who wish to explore a new area with the help of a knowledgeable leader
- We keep the overall focus on flora, though expert guidance is also given on other wildlife
What can I expect on a typical Naturetrek botanical holiday?
- Travel with a group of like-minded people
- Stay at a comfortable hotel or lodge, close to an area of outstanding botanical interest
- Enjoy a series of leisurely day excursions with ample time to appreciate the local flora
In addition to our dedicated flower tours, we also offer holidays with a wider theme to encompass birds, butterflies and other aspects of natural history as well as the flora. Our spring tours to 'Crete' and ‘The Island of Cyprus’ are both timed to allow us to enjoy the botanical highlights as well as the spring bird migration, whilst ‘Croatia and Slovenia – Spring in Istria’ also allows time to enjoy a little of the local culture. ‘Romania – the Wildlife of Transylvania’ combines an appreciation of the flora of the Carpathian Mountains with birding, butterflying and a trip to look for Brown Bears from a purpose built hide, and our holidays in both the ‘French Pyrenees’ and the ‘Spanish Pyrenees’ combine birds, butterflies and botany throughout the week.
Our specialist recommends...
"I'd recommend 'Wengen – Alpine Flowers of the Swiss Alps', 'Crete' and 'The French Pyrenees', which all offer some fascinating European botany, along with plenty of wider natural history and some stunning scenery. If you’re keen to travel a little further afield, I’d suggest joining us in South Africa for our 'Wild Flowers of the Cape & Namaqualand' tour”
David Tattersfield - Tour Leader
David Tattersfield - Tour Leader
Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists
The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Butterfly Watching Holidays Led by Expert Naturalists
Who can fail to be delighted by butterflies – the intensity and variety of their colours, their delicate beauty and fascinating life cycles? Our tours allow butterfly-watching enthusiasts to observe marvellous species all around the world. Sadly, butterflies are in decline in many regions. To help prevent the loss of these beautiful creatures, our butterfly holidays make a direct contribution to their conservation.
Naturetrek Butterfly Tours
- We offer an excellent range of dedicated butterfly holidays
- All tours are led by a Naturetrek butterfly-watching expert
- Although butterflies are the main focus of our butterfly tours, we also take time to observe other wildlife
- By booking one of our dedicated butterfly holidays you will automatically be making a contribution to their conservation.
Here’s a selection of our dedicated butterfly tours:
Although we include butterfly-watching in many of our holidays, we offer a wide selection of dedicated butterfly tours, including:
- The Cevennes – we look for butterflies in the Massif Central
- Butterflies in Normandy – we go in search of some of Normandy’s 160 species of butterfly
- Sweden's Butterflies & Dragonflies – Sweden is home to Large Blue, Apollo, Scarce Copper and many more species
- Butterflies of the Dolomites – we explore sheltered valleys and butterfly hot-spots in the Italian Dolomites
- Sri Lanka - A Butterfly Tour – seeking Sri Lanka’s dazzling tropical species
- Butterflies of Morocco's High Atlas Mountains – a search for the butterflies of the High Atlas Mountains, with a wealth of other wildlife and mountain walks in spectacular scenery.
Naturetrek & Butterfly Conservation
As a top category ‘Gold’ corporate sponsor of Butterfly Conservation (BC), we donate around £1,500 annually to the charity. As well as this, since 2002 we have donated 10% of all income generated by our annual programme of butterfly tours that we run in partnership with BC, and give BC membership to all non-members joining the tours.
Our specialist recommends...
"I'd recommend Naturetrek's Butterflies of South Africa holiday. On this butterfly holiday we look for butterflies in the Wajkkerstrom (montane grassland), which supports a wonderful diversity of species. Closer to home I'd suggest our Butterflies of Hungary tour, or Butterflies of Croatia for unspoilt landscapes and a density of butterfly-life rarely seen in western Europe now."
Tom Brereton - Operations Manager
Tom Brereton - Operations Manager
Flight-free Wildlife Holidays
At Naturetrek we make full use of the Eurostar rail service through the channel tunnel, and of the ferry routes between England’s south coast and France and Spain, to offer a range of ‘flightless’ wildlife holidays in Belgium, Holland, France and Spain. In addition, we also offer the widest selection of wildlife holidays within the UK, none of which require a flight to participate in. Therefore, if you prefer not to fly, for whatever reason, we have a range of varied and exciting wildlife holidays for you to choose from, and we are committed to regularly adding more.
It is also the case that many of our other holidays within Europe are also accessible by rail. Generally, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and we’d be pleased to offer advice to anybody who wishes to join any of our tours within Europe by a means other than flying!
Our specialist recommends...
"Our Picos & Plains tour offers an environmentally-friendly route down to Spain for some excellent birding and cetacean-watching. More broadly, we’re very keen for Naturetrek to offer the most dynamic, market-leading carbon-reduced holidays available, and we hope you enjoy browsing our list of no-flight wildlife holidays!”
Kerrie Porteous - Operations Manager
Kerrie Porteous - Operations Manager
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
Enquire
Tour Reports
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
