Montgelas Circular – Croix de Chignin

Date of your route : May 12, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Good description, as there are no signposts before the summit of Montgelas (or the Croix de Chignin). We did this hike after it had rained the day before, and the ground was very muddy in the first section. The return leg offers some lovely views and is an easier route.

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Date of your route : Mar 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, with a fairly good description, though you do need to be used to walking as there’s a long, steep climb to start with. At the first cross, it’s not immediately clear which way to go to complete the route, and after the second cross there’s a short section where you need to use your hands, but it’s easily manageable. Lots of walking through the woods, best done in mid-season. There was no one else there that day. Lovely views nonetheless.

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Date of your route : Jul 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The path is completely unkempt. Luckily I had a satnav for the way back. Not much to see, apart from the view at the crosses, as it’s through the woods the whole way. Great when it’s hot!

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Date of your route : Mar 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with stunning 360° views at Montgelas – not too busy, with a wide variety of trees in the woods
Best done in spring or autumn when the leaves have fallen and the light is beautiful.
A unique viewpoint over Lake La Thuile

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Date of your route : Sep 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We didn’t see a soul today on this stunning route, which offers magnificent views of the Lauzière massif, the Belledonne mountains, the southern peaks of the Bauges, then Lake Bourget, Lake Saint-André… and very different atmospheres in the areas without views (light-filled deciduous woodland followed by a dark spruce forest). Indeed, at points 2 and 3 the signposting is very discreet (or even non-existent); we made particular use of the GPX track here... the climb up to the ridge is quite steep and slippery in places due to heavy rain in the preceding days + lots of dead leaves (trekking poles are useful)

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Date of your route : Mar 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely route with stunning views from the summit of Montgelas and from the Croix de Chignin. Very quiet; I didn’t see a single soul on the ridge, even though it was a very sunny Sunday.
Please note: there is still snow on the ridge and icy patches on the descent.
Description: between point (3) and point (4), in the forest, there are several very subtle junctions that you mustn’t miss:
At N45.54507N, E6.03269E (853m), the path splits into two and you must take the branch that climbs diagonally to the left (it is not at all obvious and is not signposted). If you miss it, you may end up wandering around the forest for quite some time, as I did. Returning to the correct path, you reach a fenced-off area and, just beyond that, a clearing where you must turn right immediately.
At N45.54727N, E6.02894E (923m), the barely visible path takes a sharp right-hand bend.

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