La Pinéa - Chalet du Charmant Som circuit

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

It's perfect for a training session: it goes up and down, the terrain is pleasant, except at the end, and there are several options for reaching it from the road.
Note the beautiful 360-degree view at La Pinéa

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I already posted a message: beautiful hike, the end of the climb up La Pinéa was a bit difficult because the rocks are very slippery. But after the Charmant Som chalet, the way back to point 1 isn't easy because it isn't marked. Otherwise, the Chartreuse has some very beautiful hikes.

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Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike, I really enjoyed the different viewpoints. Be careful on the last rocks before reaching the summit, as they are polished by repeated hikers and therefore very slippery. The trail should also be avoided in rainy weather or when humidity is high

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Date of your route : Jul 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

No details on how to return from point 6 to point 1. We found it, but only thanks to another app. The end of the climb to La Pinéa is really very steep. Otherwise, a very beautiful hike.

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Date of your route : Jun 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Accurate description. Magnificent route on a family hiking trail with breathtaking views of the
Chartreuse mountains and a glimpse of Grenoble. However, caution is advised when arriving at La Pinea.

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Date of your route : Sep 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike. The chimney and ridge of La Pinea are indeed vertiginous and not recommended for those who are prone to vertigo! If you still have energy, it's worth climbing to the top of Le Charmant 😉 Allow an extra two hours for the return trip. The stop at the chalet was really great. The return trip by road isn't great, but there's an unmarked side trail that takes you through the forest for 3/4 of the way. It's well marked. (Almost 7 km by road!)

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

A little-used route on this second Sunday in July.
Some beautiful views: at the top of La Pinéa (360° view), between points 5 and 6 (along the ridges), and at point 7, where you can see the Charmant Som mountain pasture with its cowbells and cows! Plus, there are views of Chamechaude throughout the route.
Please note: the viewpoints mentioned above are really worth seeing, but the paths/roads that connect them are less interesting. The return trip by road is not the most pleasant, but it is possible to take parallel paths at regular intervals.
I still recommend it! It's a very accessible hike by car (or bus, I think) from Grenoble.
It is not particularly difficult, even the "climbing" section to reach La Pinéa is quite doable (for children, I imagine you will need to give them a little boost and reassure them!)
It took us 4½ hours (including a 30-minute break for lunch and a 15-minute break at the Charmant Som mountain pasture).

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Date of your route : Jul 08, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike with well-maintained and well-marked trails climbing up to La Pinéa, with one fairly tricky section. The only downside is the return trip along the road, even if you cut a few hairpin bends. Otherwise, no complaints

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

Interesting route, sometimes busy, but a pleasant walk

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Date of your route : Jul 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Despite the rain, wind and fog, the hike was quite enjoyable. Beautiful 360° view. Obviously, the area is popular, there isn't much wildlife (mountain animals) or difficulty (except for the last few metres to reach and leave the summit of Pinéa), but for a short half-day hike, it's fine. Contrary to what is mentioned in the description, I find it interesting to cut across the main path several times on the way up between points 1 and 3. This adds a little difficulty and, above all, takes you on more "natural" routes in the middle of the forest. The same applies to the descent from the Charmant Som chalets, between points 8 and 1. For efficient and athletic hikers, you can even add the climb to Charmant Som, which is easy from the chalets (less than an hour there and back).

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

Hello,
There were quite a few people there. It's 18 km from Grenoble.
The sun was shining.
There were several different paths, which made for a varied ride.
A beautiful loop along the trails with spectacular scenery.

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Date of your route : Jul 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Route actually taken in dry weather: Col de Porte, La Pinéa, Chalets du Charmant Som and descent via the paved road...
An easy hike except for the final climb to La Pinéa, which has a few steps that may be scary for those with a fear of heights. However, you can wait a little further down, where there is also a beautiful view (at the crossroads of the path coming from the Col de la Charmette)
The return journey by road is uninteresting!
It is highly recommended to leave your car at the Charmant Som chalets car park

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Date of your route : Jul 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Starting point not easily found

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Date of your route : Jul 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike with 360-degree views of the Chartreuse, but the descent to the pass spoiled the hike a little. It is difficult to find the paths that are not marked on the map. Sometimes we found "single tracks" that then turned into tiny trails in the vegetation.

The map is reliable up to the oratory.

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hello,

it's difficult to find the starting point with Waze. I ended up at the Col de la Charmette and did the common section of Chalet de Charmant-Som towards La Pinea.
lots of people!!!

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