France: The Vercors - Limestone Fortress among Lavender Fields

The Vercors is a natural citadel that stretches for 60 km. along the western edge of the French Alps. This elongated massif is bisected by some spectacular gorges, and its chalky white summit is home to a wild and hauntingly beautiful nature reserve. But it is from the surrounding regions, the secluded Trièves in the east, and the lavender rich Drôme valley in the south, that the full splendour of the Vercors' fortress walls can perhaps best be appreciated.