Bec Charvet via the north-east face

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A steep and quickly slippery climb; we soon lost sight of the path, and I found myself lost in a treacherous scree slope
This isn’t a hike for everyone!
The descent along the ridge, however, was no problem.

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Date of your route : Nov 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

If you leave early (8 a.m. on site), it's manageable. But in the middle of the afternoon, there were hundreds of cars in the car parks and on every available verge on this beautiful All Saints' Day! But hardly anyone on the route!
From the lower car park (on the St Pierre side), take the path furthest to the left.
A few metres after the point (2), turn 90° to the right just in front of a small cairn. The path that continues straight ahead leads nowhere!
The trail is neither signposted nor marked. It's useful to have the Visorando app on your phone to find your way around! And there is no longer a cross at the top of Bec Charvet, contrary to what you can see on the IGN map!
I did the loop in the direction described and, in my opinion, this is the best way to do it. The terrain is quite slippery in wet weather, which makes the ground very muddy, combined with some fairly steep slopes. It is therefore better to climb on the Dent de Crolles side. Bring walking sticks and very good shoes!
Magnificent views from the summit over the Haut-Grésivaudan, Belledonne, Dent de Crolles and Chamechaude.
At the point (4), I pushed on to Emeindras-Dessus with its beautiful view of Chamechaude and, on the way back, Dent de Crolles and Mont Blanc in a row!
However, the return trip via the GR "Tour de la Chartreuse" is endless and not very interesting (long and very few views).

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Date of your route : Sep 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A challenging climb that gets going straight away with a steep ascent and some tricky sections: sturdy footwear and walking poles are recommended.
Stunning 360-degree views at the summit, but no shade to rest in (and plenty of flying insects).
The descent also features tricky/slippery sections, even though it hasn’t rained in the last few days.
A pleasant stretch through the woods in warm weather, but on the other hand, it is only at the summit (and right at the start) that the view is unobstructed
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Date of your route : Jul 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A really lovely walk, and a great alternative to the Dent de Crolles at the weekend, for example, when it gets extremely busy.
The climb gets off to a steep start and the 400m elevation gain is covered quickly. You get to enjoy an almost 360° view of the peaks surrounding you – it’s simply splendid.
The circular route isn’t difficult and the sections along the ridge are a visual treat.
Be careful in wet weather, as the start can be a bit tricky.

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Date of your route : May 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Because of the remaining snow, I couldn't quite make it to the summit

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Date of your route : Aug 02, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike away from the crowds found on the Dent de Crolles. A relatively easy circular route offering beautiful views. Be careful on wet days, though: some of the steeper sections can be slippery. But in dry weather, this isn’t a problem.

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