From Les Échelles, head towards the Chartreuse and Saint-Pierre-d’Entremont ski resorts, pass the Pas du Frou and climb to the right towards La Ruchère. Pass through the hamlets and follow the hairpin bends up to the Nordic centre.
(S/E) Head back along the La Ruchère road for 250 m until you reach the bend marked ‘Les Raviers’.
(1) Continue straight on northwards along a forest track that descends slightly to the junction at Combe du Crozat.
(2) Carry on straight ahead, with a few ups and downs, skirting a wetland area on the right. The path veers left to begin a steeper climb through the forest to the summit of the Pointe du Frou.
(3) Follow the ridge, staying on its eastern flank, and climb up along faint tracks (almost off-trail, but not too difficult) to a high point, then descend slightly whilst staying close to the ridge. The slope gradually steepens and, halfway up, near a small viewpoint, you’ll come across a path leading off to the left at the same level.
(4) Take this to the left. It becomes a footpath and then a forest track, which descends in stages to a low junction, near La Verchère and the starting point.
(5) Turn right and join the next track coming from the left to begin the ascent towards the Rochers du Quartier.
At the first junction, let a forest track leading down to the right pass you by, and take a less obvious track opposite, which follows the valley floor for about a hundred metres and veers left towards the entrance to the Gouffre Parco-Polo.
(6) Turn back and, at thefirst fork, head up to the right, towards the south-west. It is possible to stay on this signposted path all the way to the summit of the Rochers du Quartier, but after 300 m, it is more varied to veer right onto another, less-used forest track, which descends slightly before climbing again into a clearing, reaching the ridge sooner, near a forest hut close to a viewpoint.
(7) Return south-east via footpaths to the signposted path, which you take to the right. It runs alongside the ridge, keeping a short distance away, then descends to the left, skirting a valley, crosses to its left bank and continues downwards until it rejoins the edge of the cliff.
(8) Then head up to the left, staying behind the ridge at all times, before the path crosses southwards towards the junction marked ‘Forêt du Quartier’.
(9) Turn right towards the west and continue along a path to the Belvédère du Pertuis.
(10) Turn left onto a path that runs alongside a gully, then climbs back up to join a track; take this to the right for a traverse across more rugged terrain leading to the Col de la Sarriette, which drops down towards Saint-Laurent-du-Pont.
(11) From the pass, retrace your steps a few metres and turn right onto the path winding through the wooded sharp limestone pavement, then descending to join a wide forest track which you follow to the left down to the Riondettes meadow.
(12) From the car park, just after the stream, turn right onto the path that climbs towards the Pré de la Morte and its spring.
(13) Continue climbing straight ahead; then, as the path veers left, it levels out. As you pass through a wetland area, don’t miss the path branching off to the right, which takes you up to the Cernay junction, where it joins theGR® coming from Tracol.
(14) Turn left onto it and descend first along the hillside, then along the fairly gentle wooded ridge. This path leads straight back to the Nordic centre (S/E).
