Grand Som loop

Date of your route : Oct 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello
We started from the Pont des Allemands, a car park located below the monastery. We followed the track and the signs for Petit Som and Grand Som. After the Casalibus site, we followed the signs and found ourselves on the Grand Som route. We resumed the route towards the Col de la Ruchère. We took a slight detour via the Pas du Loup (a few tricky sections, but nothing too difficult) and arrived at Petit Som, where we enjoyed a magnificent 360° view. After a quick snack, we descended towards the Col de Léchaud and Col de Bonivant before climbing back up to Grand Som. Again, there were a few tricky sections, but nothing too difficult. There were quite a few people at the Grand Som.
We descended towards the Pas de la Suiffière. This route is for experienced hikers only, as there are some very tricky sections. In places, you need to use your hands to descend. You come to a scree slope, which you follow to the left along a slippery path with hairpin bends until you reach the Col de Frenay. The descent through the forest is very long! We arrived at the hikers' car park at La Correrie, but had to continue to the Pont des Allemands.
My hiking app showed a total elevation gain of 1,659 metres and a distance of 10.6 kilometres to the Grand Som. Unfortunately, I don't have the remaining mileage, but I think we were close to 20 kilometres. We left the car at 9:15 a.m. and arrived at 7:20 p.m. without stopping.

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Date of your route : Sep 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

very difficult hike, not always well signposted, luckily there are other people around to ask for directions.
but on the other hand, the view is superb. It's worth doing, but you need to train a bit beforehand, otherwise just do the little Som

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Date of your route : Aug 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike to the Grand Som via the foot of the Petit Som on 9 August 2023. Three adults aged 62, 61 and 21, including two who were new to mountain hiking.
We passed through the Léchaud and Beauvinant passes. Once we reached Grand Som, we had a bird's eye view of the monastery. We returned via the same route so as not to cause any difficulties for the other two people and to shorten the journey a little by avoiding Petit Som.
The day hike is quite long. There is a significant elevation gain (1,000 metres). It is therefore difficult in places. In good, dry weather, there are no problems.
This is the third time I've done it and I'm always just as amazed when I reach the summit. It's best to be in good physical condition, well-shod and properly equipped, as always in the mountains.

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Date of your route : Sep 21, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Route partially completed, did not pass through Petit Som and returned via the Col de la Ruchère.
A beautiful classic walk in the Chartreuse, but always enjoyable.

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Date of your route : Aug 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

We had planned to do this hike with my 30-year-old daughter (I'm 65) over two days with a bivouac on Wednesday and Thursday, and therefore in the opposite direction based on the comments. It is indeed difficult to find the right paths and we got lost several times. What's more, the GPS had trouble locking onto the route, so it took us five hours to get from La Correrie to the bottom of La Suiffière, even though we left at 1:30 p.m. with backpacks weighing 8 kg for my daughter and 12 kg for me. we arrived at the bottom of the wall at 5.30pm and struggled to find the right route and the yellow markers. After a few attempts, we decided not to climb up this ridge, as we were tired, our bags were heavy and it would have taken at least an hour on the ridge and another hour on the sheep track to reach Bovinant. It was a wise decision. So we reached the Haber via the path that runs along the cliff via the Rialet and the Col de Mauvernay, and in an hour we were at the Bovinant spring to refill our water bottles. The water was flowing well, and we set up camp. We didn't regret our choice, as the locals we met told us that climbing the ridge is almost like rock climbing and should only be done when the weather is cool and you're light on your feet! We camped in the meadow near the shepherd's hut to get away from the Haber, the sheep and the Patou. We returned the next day via the Pas du Loup, the Col de la Ruchère and the monastery in three and a half hours.
Conclusion: yes, it's a demanding hike, even in reverse, and you should only climb the Suiffière if you're fit, light and confident; in the mountains, you have to know when to give up!

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Date of your route : Jun 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike on 11 June: good weather, excellent visibility. Group of three experienced hikers...

The following points must be emphasised:

- this is a difficult hike due to its length and elevation gain.

- Above all, emphasise the difficulty of the climb (and even more so the descent!) from the summit ridge: from landmark 7 to Pas de la Suifiière: 8.
The ridge is narrow in places, with a drop on both sides.
It can be slippery if the rock is wet...

This means that it is not for everyone!
This should be made clear in the hike description!

Suggestions:

1/ Do the route in the opposite direction to the one suggested: the ridge is easier to climb than to descend, from a distance!

2/ In this direction, it's difficult to find your way from La Correrie: there are very few signs for the many paths in the forest. GPS may be inaccurate due to the steepness of the terrain. Be careful of parallel paths that run for a few metres: are you on one or the other?

In summary: due to the southern ridge:

- for experienced hikers only!
- strongly discouraged in rain or snow!

There are kilometres of equally beautiful and much safer hiking trails all around and up to the summit of the Grand Som.

Enjoy your hikes, everyone!

Babour

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Date of your route : May 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This hike has the advantage of being accessible by public transport from Grenoble (line 40). It was done over the weekend, in the opposite direction to most of the comments. I think you get much more out of it on the ridge, going uphill (don't miss the point where you follow the ridge after the Suiffière step). If you're not afraid of heights, there are no particular difficulties.
There is almost no snow at this time of year (mid-May).
Slept in a tent next to the Bovinant "refuge", which isn't very welcoming but has a water source.
A magnificent hike with a beautiful variety of landscapes and numerous views of the monastery below.

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Date of your route : Sep 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice loop, but as mentioned in the comments, it's better to do it in the other direction

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Date of your route : Jul 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Following all the comments, we took the route backwards for a hike with bivouacking.
The route was fairly accurate up to the GR, then we stopped following the map but there was only one path so we followed it.
When we arrived at the Suffrière pass, there was a short climb as described, but nothing difficult.
Then the ridge is a complete mess. The description says "it's a bit exposed, but easy if you're careful because there's a drop on both sides", but it's actually climbing with a steep cliff on each side and a path that's only 20 cm wide in places, otherwise you have to climb the rock. It wasn't "a bit exposed" or "easy"; it was very challenging and risky!
Then we camped after the cross at the summit of the Grand Som in a hollow. What a view above the clouds in the morning!
On the way down, on the Sentier des Moutons, it seems we took the wrong path (to the left), which is to be avoided as a landslide blocks the way after about 500 metres.
For the rest of the hike, we followed the signposts to the monastery.
Disappointed with the description of this hike, which put us in danger!

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Date of your route : May 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A varied and interesting hike, particularly due to the descent via the Suiffière ridge.
As it was Sunday, we set off late (12.30 p.m.) hoping to avoid the crowds, but the Col de la Ruchère and the Petit Som couloir were still packed with walkers enjoying their first day out after lockdown.
Fortunately, the Grand Som seemed less popular and the descent via the ridge, overlooking the sheer drops, was deserted and splendid (unmarked but easy to find, two or three steps of grade II but not exposed). The passage under the Pas de la Suiffière (also superb) is almost more exposed, not to mention a few rockfalls while crossing the scree at the bottom of the face.
We must not have found the right path between point 11 and La Correrie because the one we took gradually disappeared, becoming a steep, earthy slope that was uncomfortable to traverse, which we crossed with the help of branches and roots.
But this inconvenience was minor at the end of a very beautiful hike.

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Date of your route : Sep 09, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

I didn't descend via the Suiffière ridge because I had forgotten my glasses at the start of the hike and wanted to retrieve them. At the top, a group of three hikers (including one aged 77) strongly advised me not to descend via the Suiffière ridge.
Like almost all the reviews below, I think it's better to do this hike in the other direction.
Very beautiful panorama and superb view of Mont Blanc

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Date of your route : Aug 18, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

This trip should be done in good weather, making sure there is no wind or only very light winds, as it can be dangerous on the ridges
i did this walk in reverse, and I strongly recommend doing it that way as it is much less dangerous on the ridges. Allow about an hour for the ridge walk, which is beautiful
it took me an hour less than the time given, despite photo breaks and meals, but that's not a criterion. In summer, you have all the time in the world, as the days are longer
Mont Blanc is visible

five deaths in ten years, but in what circumstances? Snow, wind, etc. It's easy. Don't be afraid of heights, don't go alone, don't go in strong winds, don't chat with friends, stop and stay steady for photos, AND stay alert. One step at a time and everything will be fine - AND IT WILL BE A PLEASURE!

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Date of your route : Aug 04, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A beautiful hike today with ideal weather conditions: Mont Blanc was clearly visible.

In my opinion, it would be better to do the hike in the opposite direction: the Suiffière ridge is sometimes quite tricky on the way down (and at times it is not always easy to follow the route).

Towards the end, I must have made a mistake after the point (10): at first everything seemed to be correct when turning left with a clearly visible GRP trail marker, but then there was nothing. The mistake must have been made when I went straight ahead instead of turning left at a fork (marked by a cairn).
Given this, the route no longer matched the map: the relatively wide path ended in a dead end, which was followed by a path that was fine at first but then became quite steep for a while. Much further down, we joined a good path that led back to the route described, not far from the Correrie car park
In my opinion, this section of the route could be clarified.

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Date of your route : Jun 26, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

very beautiful hike to the summit of Grand Som, but given the information provided by locals and the signs at the Notre Dame chapel and Col de Bovinant ("Dangerous access via Pas de la Sufriere: 5 deaths in 10 years"), we did not follow the route suggested from number 7 in the description instead, we returned to the Col de Bovinant and set off again along the Chemin du Tour de la Chartreuse from the Habert de Bovinand: a pleasant path through the woods.

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We did part of this route starting from St Pierre in the opposite direction to the guidebook... The weather wasn't great, but a few sunny spells allowed us to enjoy this superb route, which was technical in places (on the ridge). Much of the descent in the 2020 snowfields at an altitude of around 15,500 metres would have required crampons, ice axes and ropes for safety... It was absolutely superb:

Alain

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