Some cross-country ski trips stay with you. The kind that leave a mark, carve out beautiful memories, and above all, whisper that the effort was worth it. This is one of them.

Château Julien: the name alone is enough to set the imagination running…

There’s no stone keep or Prince Charming behind it, but rather an iconic Vercors viewpoint with an unbroken ring of peaks stretching 360 degrees around you.

Reaching the summit requires a good level of fitness. The route involves significant elevation gain and is best suited to experienced skiers, with red and black sections along the way.

In the heart of the Haut Vercors Nordic ski area, the magic never fails to work once you’ve completed the 12 km of trails: what a joy it is to glide through the fir trees so characteristic of the Vercors massif. In this limestone region, the forest is ever-present. It acts as a link between villages, species, people and nature — and covers almost 70 per cent of the area.

A matter of perspective

You can start from Bois Barbu in Villard-de-Lans. Along the way, there are beautiful open views over the Vercors range. A detour to the Valchevrière viewpoint is well worth it; this former village, destroyed during the Second World War, has been preserved as a place of remembrance.

The effort gets your heart pumping, the climbs are steady and sometimes technical… but the views at the top are a fitting reward.

Another option from Bois Barbu is to turn left at the Grande Allée junction, follow the blue run towards Malaterre, then continue on a red run up to the Château Julien viewpoint.

From Corrençon-en-Vercors, several routes lead to the viewpoint. Choose an itinerary that suits your level and follow the marked trails.
The beauty of the landscape awaits at the end of the trail.

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