Guides To The Vercors

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1-4 1st couple cross giving right hands, then cast off as 2nd couple step up.
5-8 All advance and retire. 2nd and 3rd couples fleeting touch their outer hands in the centre.
9-12 1st couple each dance out of the end to their right, 1st man up, 1st woman down, under open arches made with both arms by 2nd and 3rd couples who step in slightly. 1st couple cast to their right, round their 2nd corner, back to 2nd place on the opposite side. 2nd and 3rd couples stay in from the sides.
13-16 2nd and 3rd couples half turn with the left hand and retain hands. Meanwhile 1st couple set advancing slightly to their left and take right hands with each other on the centre line.
 1st man joins left hands with 3rd couple and 1st woman joins left hands with 2nd couple. All set with hands joined, then 1st couple release their right hands.
17-20 1st woman with 2nd couple, and 1st man with 3rd couple, each dance left hands across. 1st couple end facing each other in the centre.
21-24 1st woman followed by 2nd couple, and 1st man followed by 3rd couple, dance a Snake Pass, all passing the other dancers by the right shoulder. 1st couple end back to back on the centre line. 1st man faces up to 3rd couple at the top, 1st woman faces down to 2nd couple in 3rd place.
25-27 1st man with 3rd couple, also 1st woman with 2nd couple, each circle three hands once round to the left. 1st couple release their left hand and open out to form one big circle.
28-30 All circle six hands half way round to the left ending on their own side in the order 2,1,3.
31-32 All set.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA May 2025)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagram

Guides To The Vercors - Full Size And Key To Symbols

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Régis explained the geology and the architectural use of "Lauze" stone slabs; Catherine took me on a walk via the Cascade de la Fauge; Lionel drove me through the Gorges de la Bourne to a tour of the Grotte de Choranche; Anne and Gérard showed me the ruined village of Valchevrière, then got me to climb down into the dark and slippery Grotte de la Cheminée - and happily back up again for a walk along the cliffs above Saint Martin.

This dance tries to capture these experiences. The lines of bars 5-8 are for the north-south valleys and ridges, touching hands to form rectangular Lauze stones; the arches are for the caves; setting ready for teapots is for stalactites growing down to touch the tops of stalagmites; the snake pass is for the winding roads (and my attempt to teach an extended snake pass to the weekly class); and the circles are for the small and large rounds of the local cheeses.

Recommended music: Suggested tune: Garster's Dream (Traditional); suitable recording The Ferry Louper (Atlantic Firth: Ready And...).

(Dance information by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA May 2025)

It stretches across the departments of Isère and Drôme and lies to the west of the main Alpine chain. The region covers approximately 135,000 hectares and reaches a maximum elevation of 2,341 metres at the Grand Veymont. Its distinctive landscape includes deep gorges, steep cliffs, extensive forests, and high plateaux.

The area is known for its karstic geology, featuring caves, underground rivers, and sinkholes formed by the dissolution of limestone. Several major river systems border or pass through the massif, including the Drac and Isère rivers. The Vercors is divided into two main parts: the northern region, sometimes called the Vercors Drômois, and the southern Trièves and Diois areas. These zones are connected by a series of high mountain passes, many of which are only accessible in summer.

Ecologically, the Vercors is home to a wide range of plant and animal species, including Alpine ibex, marmots, and various birds of prey. The landscape supports both subalpine and Mediterranean vegetation, depending on elevation and orientation. Much of the massif is protected within the Parc naturel régional du Vercors, a regional nature park established to conserve the area's natural and cultural heritage.

Historically, the Vercors played a key role during the Second World War as a base for French Resistance fighters. Its isolated and rugged terrain made it suitable for guerrilla operations, and in 1944 it became the site of a major confrontation with German forces. The resistance effort in the Vercors is considered one of the most significant in France during the war.

Cascade De La Fauge, 38250 Villard-De-Lans, Vercors, Isère, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

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