Craftspeople of the outdoors

Vercorde is a group of State-certified professionals in climbing, canyoning and caving, self-employed, brought together since 2001 within a dedicated legal structure - like a guides’ office. We share the same terrain, the Vercors, and the same convictions. We organise our activities collectively, in an independent and fully self-managed way.

Our history

The structure was born from the ashes of DIMENSION 4, in 2001 - one of the first outdoor supervision structures on the Vercors plateau in the 1990s. Alain Pons and Vincent Meirieu, instructors at DIM 4, built Vercorde with François Grain, supported by the managers of this historic structure. Later joined by Olivier Dutel, Véro Piéri, Simon Fabre and Simon Pourqué, Vercorde took shape and grew, attached to the ethics and code of conduct of our activities - which must not be sacrificed on the altar of profitability: no cutting activity time short for the sake of truncated services or oversized groups. Over the years, Benoit Martineau and Etienne Rigotti joined us for good, and others, younger, take part regularly. No wish to grow beyond measure: we embrace the family and intimate character of the way we work, without expansionism. And all the time not spent guiding is spent climbing and opening new crags.

“Society confines, climbing liberates.” - Patrick Cordier

Our philosophy

Small groups. Quality over quantity!
Fair pay. 100 % of the amount invoiced to individuals goes to the instructor. For groups, only 7 % is deducted from the instructors’ pay to run Vercorde (3.5 % for clubs).
Education. Our activities carry values, and we work to develop them: self-esteem, confidence in oneself and in others, connection with the natural environment, collective organisation, and more.
Mixing everything. Because mixing fosters intelligence.