Communauté de communes du Massif du Vercors

Communauté de communes du Massif du Vercors is a French intercommunal structure located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It spans parts of the Drôme and Isère departments, centered on the iconic Vercors Massif. Established to foster cooperation among its member communes, its primary missions include economic development, environmental protection, and the promotion of sustainable tourism within this renowned mountainous area.

Histoire

The establishment of the communauté de communes followed the broader French legislative push for intercommunal cooperation in the 1990s, notably under the Loi Chevènement. It was formally created in 1995, bringing together communes from the historical regions of Dauphiné and Diois that share the common geographical and cultural identity of the Vercors. This area, part of the French Prealps, has a significant historical legacy, most notably as the site of the Maquis du Vercors, a major center of the French Resistance during the Second World War. The creation of the intercommunality aimed to provide a unified framework for managing the challenges and opportunities of this distinctive territory, which is also a designated Regional Natural Park.

Composition

As of 2024, the communauté de communes comprises eight member communes, all situated within the perimeter of the Parc naturel régional du Vercors. These are: Autrans-Méaudre-en-Vercors, Corrençon-en-Vercors, Engins, Lans-en-Vercors (which serves as its administrative seat), Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte, Villard-de-Lans, Rencurel, and Château-Bernard. This grouping represents a population of approximately 3,920 inhabitants spread across a vast and sparsely populated area. The inclusion of communes from both the Isère and Drôme departments underscores the cross-departmental nature of the Vercors Massif's geographical and administrative identity.

Administration

The governing body of the communauté de communes is its council, composed of delegates elected by the municipal councils of each member commune. The council elects a president who oversees the administration and implementation of policies. The current president is Jean-Marc Giaume. The intercommunality's administrative services are headquartered in Lans-en-Vercors. Its operations are financed through the Taxe professionnelle unique, a single business tax levied across the territory, and other fiscal transfers, which fund its mandated responsibilities and development projects for the collective benefit of all residents.

Compétences

The communauté de communes exercises a range of mandatory and optional powers delegated by its member communes, as defined by the Code général des collectivités territoriales. Key mandatory competences include actions for economic development and the management of aires d'accueil des gens du voyage. Its significant optional competences encompass environmental protection, the creation and maintenance of tourist infrastructure, the management of milieux aquatiques, and the promotion of cultural and sporting activities. A central focus is the coordinated management of the territory within the framework of the Parc naturel régional du Vercors, balancing conservation with sustainable development.

Territoire et environnement

The territory covers approximately 765 square kilometers of the central and northern Vercors Massif, a limestone plateau and mountain range within the French Prealps. This area is characterized by high-altitude plateaus, deep gorges like the Gorges de la Bourne, and vast forests. It is a region of exceptional natural heritage, hosting diverse flora and fauna, including species like the Alpine ibex and the Golden eagle. A significant portion of the territory falls under the protective statutes of the Parc naturel régional du Vercors and the Réserve naturelle nationale des Hauts-Plateaux du Vercors, one of the largest terrestrial reserves in France.

Économie et tourisme

The local economy is predominantly oriented towards tourism and agriculture. The area is a major destination for both winter sports, with renowned ski resorts such as Villard-de-Lans and Autrans-Méaudre-en-Vercors (part of the Nordic skiing venue for the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble), and summer activities like hiking, mountain biking, and caving. Traditional pastoral farming, particularly for the production of Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage cheese, remains important. The communauté de communes actively promotes this economic sector by developing tourist infrastructure, supporting local artisans and producers, and marketing the territory under the unifying brand of the Vercors.