Billon - Ruchère Circuit

A beautiful classic circular in Chartreuse, starting from La Correrie via Habert de Billon, Col de la Ruchère and finally Notre-Dame de Casalibus.

Details

n°942606

Creation:
23 Jan 2018

Last update:
26 Jun 2023

Last review:
06 Jan 2025

Activity: Snowshoeing
Distance: 11.67 km
Duration according to the author: 5 hrs
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 594 m
Descent: - 601 m
Highest point: 1,420 m
Lowest point: 849 m

Country: France
Areas: Alps, Chartreuse, Dauphiné
District: Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse (38380)
Start/End: N 45.350404° / E 5.791517°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3333OT, 3333OTR, 3334OT, 3334OTR
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Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the large Correrie car park.

(S/E) Return to the D103, follow it for a few metres to the right, then turn right to head north on the road leading to the Grande Chartreuse Monastery.

(1) Walk alongside the monastery and arrive at the Habert de Billon track junction.

(2) Take the track on the left. Further up, after the small tunnel, you will reach the Habert de Chartrousette crossroads.

(3) Keep right (north) and follow an easy climb to reach Habert de Billon.

(4) You will come to the junction with the Col de l'Aliénard trail: leave this trail on your left and take the trail on your right leading to the Prairie de la Folie. Continue north-east and you will reach the Col de la Ruchère.

(5) Turn right (south) and begin the descent. Bear southeast and enter the forest. Continue descending and you will soon reach Notre-Dame de Casalibus.

(6) Take the wide track on the left that joins the Habert de Billon track.

(2) Follow the same route back to the Correrie car park (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 868 m - La Correrie car park
1 : km 1.46 - alt. 915 m - Couvent de la Grande Chartreuse
2 : km 2.01 - alt. 994 m - Crossroads of the circular
3 : km 3.12 - alt. 1,050 m - Chartrousette crossroads
4 : km 4.7 - alt. 1,265 m - Habert de Billon
5 : km 6.59 - alt. 1,417 m - Col de la Ruchère
6 : km 8.21 - alt. 1,161 m - Notre-Dame de Casalibus
S/E : km 11.67 - alt. 867 m - La Correrie car park

Notes

(6) You can reach the Saint-Bruno Chapel in 5 minutes.

Worth a visit

Monastery of the Grande Chartreuse

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 16 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5

Route interest
4.7 / 5

Capucine S

06 Jan 2025 at 09:46 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, through the forest and then up to the open heights of the Habert and the pass. The paths are well-trodden enough that you don't need to put on snowshoes in the morning. In the afternoon, when the snow began to melt, they came in handy to prevent us from sinking in.

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etoiledesneiges

12 May 2024 at 13:05 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Circuit done in the opposite direction. The view from the Col de Ruchère is magnificent. No difficulty.

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Chrij73

18 Feb 2024 at 11:59 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We set off without snowshoes, as there were only a few small snowy sections that could be crossed in hiking boots. The circular route is easy, well marked, and mostly follows a forest road. Allow 2 hours 40 minutes without stops and 3 hours 12 minutes with breaks. Can also be done in summer

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supachipette1

21 Aug 2023 at 15:02 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very nice walk
Very pretty view at the Col de la Ruchère
4 hours 15 minutes without rushing

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Jean-Paul GARGAUD

26 Jun 2023 at 17:51 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk, but consider the possibility of going above the abbey to enjoy the view and discover this magnificent complex.

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MB1

26 Jun 2023 at 11:22 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb, easy walk. Beautiful views at Col de la Ruchère. It took us 4½ hours walking at a leisurely pace.
We picked some mushrooms in the meadows on the way back down for an omelette in the evening

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sempervivum

20 Jan 2023 at 17:46 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Starting from the Correrie car park (don't leave anything in your car to prevent theft), you can enjoy the beautiful tree-lined path to the monastery (the route starting from the Pont des Allemands bridge is shorter and allows you to put on your snowshoes straight away when there is plenty of snow). Picnic at the Habert de Billon. The return route via the Col de la Ruchère/La Correrie is fairly busy. A leisurely 4-hour hike in powder snow. A classic in both summer and winter!

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ptizoro

16 Jan 2023 at 22:49 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely little walk... The tour of the lake was beautiful despite the lack of sunshine... We discovered Roman ruins and the forest was really beautiful. We'll do it again in the spring... There was a slight hiccup at the last point (10) where we turned left instead of right because the sign was missing, and we arrived back at the starting point more quickly... But we were happy with that.
Very well marked all along... We recommend it...

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AudelineB

16 Jan 2023 at 20:18 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike, with little snow this year, part of the route on stony ground despite the winter season.
The descent was a little slippery between snow and mud.
But this circular was a lot of fun!
We did the circuit in the opposite direction and descended via the paved path.

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ptizoro

09 Jan 2023 at 08:26 3600

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful circular. A bit tricky at junction 2... You have to stay on the stony path and not on the tarmac road...

Otherwise, beautiful view, but very muddy... But otherwise very well marked afterwards...
I recommend it... I'll do it again...

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JB38850

02 May 2022 at 09:52 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Due to the road closure, we started from lower down and ended our hike at Habert de Billon. The route is well signposted (2½ hours round trip from the bridge). The view of Grand Son from Habert is magnificent, as is the section passing in front of the monastery. You can change the return route from the monastery, walking along the edge of the forest.

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fmarcel

19 Oct 2021 at 18:43 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful, varied hike with many points of interest. The time indicated is slightly overestimated.

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Rym

30 May 2021 at 18:32 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

No particular difficulty.
Very beautiful view at the Col de la Ruchère.
Very quiet route in the morning, but we encountered many people on the way back.

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supernature

15 Feb 2021 at 14:20 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful route, not very busy abundant snow

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Lechij

30 Dec 2019 at 19:43 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 30, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A beautiful, easy and scenic hike. Dogs are allowed in winter.

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