Dent de Crolles via Le Prayet

In Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse, take the small road heading due east, which starts from the town hall square. Follow it to the hamlet of Perquelin, go past it and find a fairly large car park where around twenty cars can park.

(S/E) Start the hike by continuing along the road eastwards: a barrier (thankfully) prevents cars from going any further.
Start climbing, passing two hairpin bends, and reach a sort of cirque.

(1) Pass the Torrent du Guiers Mort and immediately leave the track to take a small path on the right, which climbs steeply straight away. You can veer slightly off the path to the right to take a look at the source of the Guiers: a waterfall.

(2) Turn back and rejoin the route to the right, eventually coming out onto a wide forest track.

(3) Turn left to follow this track, then leave it a hundred metres further on to take a path on the right that climbs steeply... There are no problems with direction; simply follow the path that passes in front of a cave, then runs along the foot of a limestone ridge to finally reach the limestone plateau of the Chaos de Bellefont.

(4) Ignore a path branching off to the left and continue to the right, heading south-east along a good path passing beneath a cliff. You’ll find the markings again at a junction with no signpost.

(5) Turn right, heading south towards the summit. Follow the yellow markings.

(6) Do not attempt to head towards the Trou du Glaz from this point: rockfall in winter 2026. Unfortunately, this includes the path to the Sangle de Barrère, as it is marked by long cracks: this section is also closed. Continue towards the summit across the plateau, with the yellow markings gradually giving way to cairns. Reach the Dent de Crolles.

(7) Descend from the summit via the Pas de l’Œille. The path is very busy and therefore very well marked. Follow the markings carefully to protect the flora. Navigate a first series of tight hairpin bends, followed by a diagonal descent beneath the cliff and then a second series of hairpin bends leading directly to the Col des Ayes, where the route joins the GRP® Tour de Charteuse, marked in yellow and red.

(8) Take the path on the right which heads into the forest towards the north-west.

(9) Ignore the path on the right leading to Habert de Barbizon and continue the descent. A little further down, the path turns into a wide track, which you should continue to follow until you reach the road.

(10) Turn right onto the road to cross the hamlet of Perquelin and reach the car park (S/E).

The cumulative elevation gain, calculated automatically, seems excessive given that the difference between the highest and lowest points is around 1,100 m and the elevation profile appears straightforward.