Located in the municipality of Omblèze, in the Vercors Regional Nature Park, the Col de la Bataille pass connects the villages of Léoncel and Vassieux-en-Vercors. It is one of the few paths leading to the south of the Vercors massif. Popular with cyclists, its highest point is 1,313 m in altitude and it offers some beautiful views over the craggy, wild landscapes all around.
There are three theories about the origin of the name Col de la Bataille, which literally means "Pass of the Battle". The first is that it was named after a dispute over pasture land in 1190 between the shepherds of Léoncel Abbey and those of the Bouvante Charterhouse. During the Wars of Religion, battles were fought at the pass, hence its name. That's the second theory. The last theory makes reference to the winds that meet at the top and "battle" each other.
