Gorges de la Bourne is a balcony road in France

Gorges de la Bourne is a very scenic canyon located on the boundary of Isère and Drôme departments in the French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. It's one of the French balcony roads.

How long is Gorges de la Bourne road?

The road through the gorges carved by the River Bourne is totally paved. It’s called D531. It is 22.6km (14.04 miles) long, running west-east from Pont-en-Royans to Villard-de-Lans.

Is the road through Gorges de la Bourne challenging?

The drive is very challenging, with narrow parts, unlit tunnels and countless turns. Be careful because sometimes can be tricky to drive. Rock slides can occur anytime and can sometimes block some sections of the road. The road mainly follows the course of the river through various ravines and can be too busy in summers.

When was the road through Gorges de la Bourne built?

Tucked away on the southeastern part of the country, the history of this road through the largest of the Vercors gorges is as twisted as its path. It took 11 years and the devotion of Jean Serratrice and the workers hanging over the void risking their lives, to complete the construction work between 1861 and 1872. And even today, it is a major challenge to maintain this link subject to climatic changes and erosion.

Is Gorges de la Bourne worth it?

Located in the Vercors Massif, within the Vercors Regional Nature Park, the journey is dotted with breathtaking views over this grandiose scenery. When you drive through the limestone gorge views around you are beautiful and breathtaking. The breathtaking gorge-side road mainly follows the course of the river through various ravines. Don't forget to stop at Choranche cave, famous for its stalactites.

Image credit: Depositphotos