Photo : Wikimedia Commons
La Pierre Percée
On the borders of the communes of La Motte-d'Aveillans and Pierre-Châtel, not far from La Mure, the Pierre Percée is one of the most astonishing geological curiosities of our region. A tourist high point of the Matheysine, this natural arch due to the erosion of Triassic limestone is listed among the 7 Wonders of the Dauphiné, perched on the Creys hill at more than 1,270 metres' altitude, offering a sumptuous panorama over the Matheysine plateau. As its name suggests, this rock was hollowed out over time by erosion until it formed a sort of natural arcade whose flared opening measures 5.50 metres, the vault rising 3 metres at its central point. Seen from afar, its silhouette, shaped by the hand of Dame Nature, evokes a sort of enormous crouching monster, as if frozen for eternity in the rock. This has given rise to many legends: a "dragon resting on its front paws". The panorama from the site lets you discover a large part of the Matheysine plateau, the lakes of Laffrey, Petichet and Pierre-Châtel, the summits of the Grand Serre, Grand Vent, Coiro, Obiou, Mont Aiguille (another of the Seven Natural Wonders of the Dauphiné), the Vercors and further off the Chartreuse and the Chamrousse resort.
