Vassieux-en-Vercors

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Coordinates: 44°53′46″N, 5°22′15″E

Commune of Vassieux-en-Vercors Vassieux in winter
Location
Coordinates	44°53′46″N, 5°22′15″E
Administration
Country	France
Region	Rhône-Alpes
Department	Drôme
Arrondissement	Die
Canton	La Chapelle-en-Vercors
Intercommunality	Communauté de communes du Vercors
Mayor	Michel Repellin (2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation	1,028 m–1,654 m (avg. 1,048 m)
Land area¹	48.25 km²
Population²	340
- Density	7/km² (2005)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	26364/ 26420
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.

Vassieux-en-Vercors is a commune in the French département of Drôme.

Contents 1 Geography 2 History 3 Economy 4 References

[edit] Geography

Further information: Vercors Plateau

The village is built on a polje of limestone and dominated by a vast Karst landscape.^[1] 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.

[edit] 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.^[2]

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.

[edit] Economy

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

[edit] References

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