The most beautiful walks in the Chartreuse massif

The Chartreuse massif is a small world in its own right. A wooded citadel. A protected fortress that preserves its nature from the swarming of Chambéry to the north and Grenoble to the south. A massif that is easy to access when arriving from Lyon. Ideally located in the heart of an urban triangle teeming with activity, the Chartreuse massif represents an island of nature and silence prized by city visitors.

Indeed, the Chartreuse massif is very close. You can see it from afar when you head from Lyon towards the Alps, especially when the snow has whitened the peaks. You can reach it through deep gorges cut into the rock. This is where you will feel that the adventure begins.

But the Chartreuse takes you far away. Walking its long hiking trails in the wilderness gives you the impression of going to Nordic lands, especially in winter. The landscapes are frozen, the tracks of wild animals betray a hidden and mysterious life in this world of silence.

Breathtaking hikes in Chartreuse

From the peaks of Chartreuse, the view of the Alps is magnificent. Starting from Saint Pierre en Chartreuse or Sappey en Chartreuse, the wild trails take you through dense forests to peaks or viewpoints that dominate the surroundings and where the view extends very far. Among the most emblematic viewpoints, the Fort de Saint Eynard which dominates the Grenoble basin, Chamechaude, above Sappey, the surroundings of the Col du Coq and the Dent de Crolles. From this side the view towards the Massif de belledonneis offered to you in its entirety, and your gaze will sweep the Alps between the Mont Blanc and the Cases. The outings are within the reach of most hikers. In winter, they are of course more challenging and require suitable equipment (snowshoes, first and foremost) and a good knowledge of the mountain to avoid avalanche corridors. Well marked, the trails always take you to a very beautiful site. Let yourself be carried away by the inspiration of the day.

Your best geography lesson.

From the Charmant Som, wild and steep but accessible to hikers, the view extends from South to North on a 360-degree panorama and you will embrace the entire expanse of the Chartreuse Massif. The highest peaks of the Alps also stand out above the horizon, sometimes above a sea of clouds.

On the Grésivaudan side (the Isère valley), the balcony of Petites Roches, above the Touvet, is remarkable for the ease and beauty of the walks. The landscape against the backdrop of Belledonne and the small bucolic hamlets encourage contemplation. It is the ideal place to be in contact with the mountains in autumn and spring, when the long mountain hikes are sometimes obstructed by snow.

Natural skiing in the Chartreuse massif

In winter, when climbing from Grenoble, you cross the Col de Porte, at only 1300m altitude, which has often been one of the snowiest sites in the Alps, which guarantees you the thrill of the Great North. Nowadays, unfortunately, we note from Météo-France's readings a continuous erosion of the snow cover, winter after winter... The site remains a renowned cross-country skiing center. After the Col de Porte, entrance to the Chartreuse massif, there are only forests and farms until Saint Pierre de Chartreuse, the capital of this Alpine region.

It is around Saint Pierre de Chartreuse that the Nordic sites and the alpine ski sites are concentrated, and in summer it is from there that you can start your hikes in the very wooded massif. A little further, to the North, another Saint Pierre awaits you: Saint Pierre d'Entremont. A very picturesque little village nestled in the hollow of a small green valley. Not far from there, fossil enthusiasts can look for traces of what was an ocean a few tens of millions of years ago.

And the famous monastery of the Grande Chartreuse

Finally, you will not miss discovering the valley chosen by the monks to install their famous monastery of the Grande Chartreuse. This is where the homonymous liqueur, known throughout the world, is distilled. The site gives you a feeling of fullness, grace and encounter with the elements of Nature, if not with its Creator, for the most mystical of travelers.

After all, it is perhaps no coincidence that in the heart of the Chartreuse massif, there is an abbey and that the villages are called Saint Pierre, after the name of the man who holds the keys to Paradise.

Here, holidays are neither artificial, nor noisy, nor hectic... we enjoy the mountains, the forests, the animals and the landscapes.

The Chartreuse massif is a haven of peace, a jewel in its green setting, a natural fortress whose hidden corners and panoramic ramparts must be discovered.

Activities not to be missed in Chartreuse

Discover the monastic life at the Grande Chartreuse
Taste the liqueur “Chartreuse” made by the Carthusian fathers
Reach the summit of the Lovely Som, the emblematic summit of the Chartreuse.
Discover the waterfalls from the natural site of the Cirque de Saint Même, in Saint Pierre d'Entremont.
Enjoy the view of Grésivaudan from the Fort Saint Eynard, above Sappey in Chartreuse.
Climb from the Grésivaudan plain to Plateau of Petites Roches by the Saint Hilaire du Touvet funicular and enjoy a magnificent view of the Belledonne range.
Take a cultural break at Grenoble and Chambéry
Go Swimming at Lake Aiguebelette.

The best webcams in Chartreuse

(click on the name of the village)

Doorway : the view of the forest surrounding one of the entrances to the Chartreuse massif.
Chartreuse: a view of the mountains from Les Essarts, at Planolet, above Saint Pierre de Chartreuse.
Little Rocks: the view of the Belledonne range from the Petites Roches plateau, in Saint Hilaire du Touvet.