Vassieux-en-Vercors

french commune
nomcommune=Vassieux-en-Vercors


x = 195
y = 179
lat_long = coord|44|53|46|N|5|22|15|E|type:city
région=Rhône-Alpes
département=Drôme
arrondissement=Die
canton=La Chapelle-en-Vercors
insee=26364
cp=26420
maire= Michel Repellin
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=Vercors
longitude=
latitude=
alt moy=1048 m
alt mini=1028
alt maxi=1654 m
hectares=4825
km²=48.25
sans=340
dens=7
date-dens=2005

Vassieux-en-Vercors is a commune in the department of Drôme in southeastern France.

Geography

The village is built on a polje of limestone and dominated by a vast Karst landscape.fr icon cite web| url=http://www.resistance-drome.org/uk/atlas.php?e=aff&id=19| title="Cartographie de Vassieux-en-Vercors"| author=Centre Historiqe de la Résistance en Drôme| accessdate=2008-01-01] This polje lies on a syncline generally known as the "Plateau de Vassieux".

The Plateau de Vassieux is the site of numerous other karst phenomena, such as limestone pavements and caves, which are studied and explored by local speleology groups.

History

Vassieux-en-Vercors is home to several prehistoric archaeological sites, and has a Museum of Prehistory which was created in May 1970 after the discovery of a flintknapping workshop.fr icon cite web| url=http://www.prehistoire-vercors.fr/index2.html| title="Le Musée de la Préhistoire de Vassieux en Vercors"| author=prehistoire-vercors.fr| accessdate=2008-01-01]

For its great acts of resistance during the German occupation of France, the town was awarded the Ordre de la Libération. A memorial was built at the Col de la Chau to remember the grim events of the Second World War, and includes a cemetery where the victims of a July 1944 German massacre are buried.

Economy

The main human and economic activities are based on agriculture (livestock, timber etc.) and tourism.

References