Circular Grands Moulins route via the Col and the Refuge de la Perrière

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A beautiful hike in Belledonne towards a clearly visible summit. Between the Col de la Perrière and the summit, the ascent via the north-west ridge deviates from the classic route and is intended for experienced hikers.

Details

n°3348569
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.91 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 863 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 858 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,487 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,694 m
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Photos

A wonderful encounter
Les Grands Moulins in sight

Description of the walk

Park at the Val Pelouse car park, at the end of the D208.

(S/E) Leaving the car park and at the first hairpin bend in the road, head into the mountain pasture and climb up to reach a signpost.

(1) Continue straight ahead, ignoring the path that branches off to the left towards the Sources du Gargotton. Take the wide track which, after four hairpin bends, joins a ridge path.

(2) Turn right to follow it, then head straight on to reach the Col de la Perrière after a gentle descent.

(3) At the pass, ignore the paths to the left towards the Refuge de la Perrière and to the right towards the Sources du Gargotton, which are part of theGR® 738. Head straight on along the small, clearly visible path that climbs up the ridge.
There are no conventional markings here, only cairns to guide walkers, particularly through the boulder fields. The going is tricky; you’ll need to stow your poles and take your hands out of your pockets to negotiate several chimneys. As you approach the summit, snowfields may still be present in June. Head for the summit of the Grands Moulins, aiming for a prominent cairn.

(4) From the summit, descend via the southern ridge. This time, it is advisable to take your poles out again and watch your step carefully. Some snowfields may still be present in June. Further down, rejoin theGR® 738 near the Col de la Frêche.

(5) Turn right and continue the descent to reach the Refuge de la Perrière in just under an hour.

(6) Leave theGR®738here and take the path that runs slightly above the refuge (do not descend all the way to it). Follow the clear, easy path to return to the start (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,694 m - Val Pelouse car park
  2. 1 : km 0.15 - alt. 1,718 m - Signpost
  3. 2 : km 0.92 - alt. 1,870 m - Junction with the ridge path, on the right
  4. 3 : km 2.58 - alt. 1,979 m - Col de la Perrière
  5. 4 : km 3.79 - alt. 2,484 m - Les Grands Moulins
  6. 5 : km 4.88 - alt. 2,115 m - Junction with the GR 738 - Col de la Frèche (2183m)
  7. 6 : km 6.37 - alt. 1,858 m - Chalet de la Pérrière
  8. S/E : km 8.91 - alt. 1,694 m - Val Pelouse car park

Notes

Water source at the unmanned La Perrière refuge.

It is strongly advised not to take the section between (3) and (4) on the descent.

Worth a visit

360° panoramic views.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 5 reviews
Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
CLIM5471
CLIM5471

Hike completed on 03/08/2025
Route found on Camptocamp, NW ridge crossing → S slope classified as T4 and recorded on Visorando. A difficult and challenging hike where you need to use your hands. Only for experienced hikers who are not afraid of vertiginous slopes and are in good physical condition. Apart from that, it's a very beautiful hike. The return via the GR 738 is more relaxing. I loved it.

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Mbar2
Mbar2
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 15 October 2024 with absolutely no snow.

The information provided by Bisserain73 in this guide is accurate. My GPS recorded 10.2 km (not 8.9 km as stated) and personally it took me 5 hours 45 minutes (instead of the 4 hours 55 minutes stated).

The hike should definitely be classified as ‘Difficult’ but no more than that. I’d say T4 E2. The ascent is well marked with cairns (if, from one cairn, you cannot see either the next one or the path on the ground, you are on the wrong track, and going the wrong way can quickly become dangerous). It is therefore best suited to those accustomed to somewhat challenging hikes and properly equipped (so not for children, those prone to vertigo, or holidaymakers with no mountain experience...).
But if you’re used to challenging hikes, opt for this route—which is infinitely more enjoyable, varied and wild—rather than the ascent via the standard route.

Many thanks to Bisserain73 for this route, which I will certainly be doing again in the coming years.

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Mbar2
Mbar2

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The moderator's note (Warning):" The Val Pelouse road is closed to all traffic 5.5 km from the car park: following a rockslide in January 2022, a large section of the road was washed away." This is no longer relevant, as the road has been reopened in ... 2023!

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Patrixdemex
Patrixdemex

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello.
I did it 10 years ago. And I couldn’t remember how long the stretch between the Col de la Perrière and the summit was! Between those two points, it takes a good hour and a half, and you really have to use your hands on some of the vertiginous sections. My travelling companion, an experienced cyclist in good physical shape, had a few difficulties. But the reward is well worth it: stunning views from the summit (and not just that), an encounter with two chamois...
All in all: a tough hike (it took us 6 hours in total) for experienced hikers who aren’t prone to vertigo, best done in dry weather and in the direction indicated by the author.

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stef37236
stef37236

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello
The climb from point 3 is very tricky. You need to be in good physical condition. There are one or two sections where you need to be careful. In any case, you must be wearing good shoes. Not suitable for children. The route is dotted with cairns, which you sometimes have to look out for.
In any case, reaching the summit is well worth the effort. The return journey is much easier.

Thank you for this hike

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pyf38
pyf38

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello

We’ll go back because we couldn’t make it all the way!
There was indeed still a lot of snow; in fact, we had to leave the car more than 3 km from the car park at the start.
We made it as far as the flat section above the old black run, and were able to enjoy a splendid view

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