Col de Porte

In the heart of the Chartreuse mountains, the Col de Porte is a former family ski resort whose ski lifts are now closed. The paths are more or less well marked allowing you to enjoy the trails on cross-country skis or snowshoes. The proposed circuit climbs through forest, coming out on a crest and offers superb views over the entire Chartreuse mountain range.

Technical sheet

92750
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  • Snowshoeing
    Activity: Snowshoeing
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.38 km
  • ◔
    Duration according to author: 4 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 414 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 414 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,681 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,310 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) At the start of the Col, take the D57D which continues as the D57E where it is closed to cars when covered with snow.
Pass the Centre d'Etude de la Neige on the right and go down to a junction
(1) with a forest path that you take on the left and which runs through the forest. Signpost in the direction of "La Pinéa"

Travel about 500m and turn left onto the trail(2) that snakes up to spot height 1491, ignoring all the paths going off to the right. You then move along a ledge (3).

Climb slightly up to spot height 1544 and pass the sloping trail that switches to the left. Continue along the ridge line and then after going through an open section with no trees, fork right (4) on a steep climb.

At the top of the climb (5), turn right and follow the Tour de Chartreuse GRP. This takes you directly north up to the summit of Mont Fromage (1662m) where the view now looks out west(6).

Continue along the ridge on the Balme de l'Air until altitude 1703 (7) then down to the intersection with the D57E where you'll find the Orgeval oratory (8).

Take the road to the right, going south and follow it until your reach the Col de Porte(S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,323 m - Col de Porte
  2. 1 : km 0.73 - alt. 1,322 m - La Prairie, intersection
  3. 2 : km 1.34 - alt. 1,358 m - Montée de la Charmette
  4. 3 : km 2.54 - alt. 1,507 m - Arrival at the cornice
  5. 4 : km 3.44 - alt. 1,597 m - Right turn, montée de la Pinéa
  6. 5 : km 3.63 - alt. 1,614 m - Arrival on the ridge, junction with GRP
  7. 6 : km 4.45 - alt. 1,653 m - Mount Fromage summit
  8. 7 : km 5.55 - alt. 1,668 m - Top of the chairlift
  9. 8 : km 6.66 - alt. 1,641 m - Oratory of Orgeval
  10. S/E : km 11.38 - alt. 1,323 m - Col de Porte

Practical information

Be careful, cross-country skiers do not necessarily use the same itinerary and leave tracks in the snow that do not follow the same route as hiking trails, which can be misleading.
Use good snowshoes with poles.

In the nearby area

Superb views:
(3) South over Grenoble and the Vercors in the distance.
(6) Over the entire Chartreuse mountain range and beyond.

 Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

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

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
kris.teyran
kris.teyran

Hello delay jean louis
The ascent to the top of La Pinéa is a plus, an interesting option for doing this walk outside snowy periods. All that remains is to find a solution to avoid the tarmac. There are a few tarmac-free shortcuts. You could also go down through the woods and join the pasture valley, but there are few, if any, well-marked paths.

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nico-du-01
nico-du-01
• Last modified:

Delay Jean-Louis

Just so you know, the topo doesn't go via La Pinea, so we won't guess that you've been there if you don't say so directly 😅

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delay jean louis
delay jean louis
• Last modified:

If you don't know what it's about, don't do it
Snowshoeing up La Pinéa ...???

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nico-du-01
nico-du-01

Especially as it's well specified as a snowshoe hike, it's clear that doing it in July is clearly nonsense 😂

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kris.teyran
kris.teyran

Hello delay-jean-louis
"Too much tarmac
This walk is best done on snowshoes when there's snow. The small road is then closed and covered with a layer of snow that allows you to descend gently to the Col de Porte.

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delay jean louis
delay jean louis

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Too much tarmac to finish the walk

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DelphineBense
DelphineBense

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : Yes

Frankly, don't go there after it's rained. Very very muddy, even 1 week after heavy rain.
Uninteresting descent.

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j-p
j-p

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A very fine walk in very fine weather. A little too busy.

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bebert38
bebert38

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

We had enough snow to do this walk on snowshoes, and the route climbs up through the forest to a ridge with superb views over the whole of La Chartreuse, returning on the snow-covered road, which is much more pleasant than on tarmac.

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kris.teyran
kris.teyran
• Last modified:

Hi Cécile C.
It is possible to do this hike in summer. Bear in mind that the way back is along a small, little-used road (D57e) leading to the chalets of Charmant Som. If you return by road, you don't need to make any changes to the description.

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Cécile C.
Cécile C.

Hello,

I'd like to do this walk at the moment (summer months). Is it possible? Are there any particular changes to be made to the directions given, or can I follow the instructions without any problems?

I thank you in advance for your help and remain at your disposal,

Best regards,
Cécile C.

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nico-du-01
nico-du-01

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Nice hike without snowshoes, more snow at the Col de Porte and a few névés on the way up (packed snow) but nothing to get bogged down in... We had a picnic on the grass at the oratory, we'll do it again the day after the powder!

Beautiful views of the Chartreuse massif and Chamechaude facing us all day, a little difficulty awaits you, a steep section about 30 minutes after the start, which only lasts a few hundred metres...family hike, you can bring your sledges for the descent but of course stay on the road, we cut a few bends and ended up in the valley so we had to climb a steep 400m to get back on the right route...

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AUDUC
AUDUC

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 29, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Nice hike, we had enough snow to do it all on snowshoes (the snow fell on Tuesday evening!).

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bob2ben
bob2ben

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 15, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hi there,
I used this route but I shortened it in order to do it in half a day. however, because of the shallow snow between the col and the prairie, which would have obliged us to take off our snowshoes on this route, we took the path on the left about 50 m after the col and at the end of this path, we continued, free between the trees, staying level, to come back on a path that links the Prairie to the Bêcherie.
thank you

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