At the Cirque d’Archiane, jagged rocks in shades of gray, pink and ochre encircle the hamlet of Archiane. The cirque lies at the foot of the Vercors limestone high plateaus, between the Glandasse cliff to the west and the Plateau du Jardin du Roy to the northeast. In Treschenu-Creyers, the nature-related topics described range from this striking landscape to habitats and specific hiking options.
Vercors scenery and habitats
The Réserve biologique dirigée d’Archiane biological reserve stretches from the Archiane stream valley at 690 m to the Tête du Jardin at 1,820 m on the edge of the Vercors high plateaus. Its description therefore covers both the valley and the transition to the edge of the high plateau. The Drôme department designates the area as an Espace naturel sensible (ENS).
The reserve includes forest, rocky and open-land habitats and the animal and plant species associated with them. These include vultures, ibex and yew trees. The Cirque d’Archiane is also important for vultures: it is a preferred nesting site for griffon vultures. Seasonal protection measures apply to the nesting sites; take these into account when planning your visit.
Comparing hiking routes
The Sentier des Vautours d’Archiane is a moderately difficult 5.9 km circular hike that takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes. The route also provides insight into the four vulture species found in the Vercors. It thus combines a specific hike with a nature topic that is also present in the landscape of the Cirque d’Archiane.
The Col de Côte Chèvre–Rocher de Combau circular hike is longer, at 10.5 km and about 4 hours and 30 minutes; it is rated difficult. The two routes differ in both their stated difficulty and the time required. Duration estimates are approximate. Trail conditions can change, so check them before your hike.
Views and traces of past land use
From the Col de Côte Chèvre, there is a panoramic view of the southern part of the Hauts-Plateaux du Vercors nature reserve. In the Vallon de Combeau, the landscape is used as sheep pasture in summer. These two details describe different aspects of the area: a view of part of the nature reserve and the seasonal use of the valley.
At Côte Chèvre, an alambic bears witness to the former distillation of lavender. If you plan to visit it, check its condition in advance. Together with the summer pastures and hiking routes, this historical detail adds a former use of the landscape to the nature-related topics.
Trout and visits by appointment
The Pisciculture des Sources de l’Archiane sells smoked trout, trout rillettes, terrines and fresh fillets at markets. Market locations and times may change, so check in advance where and when the products are available. This lets you plan a market visit specifically, rather than assuming fixed sales locations or dates.
The Pisciculture also offers tours of its facility by appointment. Arrange a time directly in advance of your trip. This is a different way to explore the local offering than shopping at a market: for the market, location and time matter; for a tour of the facility, an appointment must be made in advance.
Discover more destinations: Chabeuil, Jaillans, Suze-La-Rousse, Mirabel-Aux-Baronnies, MĂ©vouillon, AncĂ´ne, Saint-Donat-Sur-L'herbasse, Mirabel-et-Blacons.
For the main travel overview: DrĂ´me.
