From the Crossey Gorges to the Pierre Chave Bridge, a circular route

Park at the side of the RD520, ideally on the left when coming from Saint-Étienne de Crossey, at the junction with the small road leading from the hamlets of La Couchonnière or L’Étang Dauphin (do not park in the private trial club car park).

(S/E) Take the path that climbs to the left. The start of the route is marked with yellow signs.

(1) After 400 m, at the “Les cloches de Rome” junction, continue straight ahead through a pretty gorge and, at the exit, stay on the path that climbs to the right. At the “Bois de la Garde” sign, continue straight ahead then, after 100 m, join a forest track and follow it to the left.

(2) At the “Bassin de Rousset” junction, just above the hamlet of La Bourderie, take the path climbing to the left and then, 50 m further on, at the “Le Chargeoir de la Bourderie” sign, take the path to the right towards Au-dessus des Jolys. 500 m further on, just after a short steep climb, leave the main path which branches off to the left and continue straight on along a track crossing a clearing (no signposting). At the end of the clearing, turn right onto a descent of about 100 metres, then turn left uphill. After 80 m of climbing, take the path on the right which remains level.

(3) At the junction, continue along the path opposite, which climbs for another hundred metres, then turn right onto the path which continues on level ground.

(4) Do not cross the barbed wire; instead, find the gap between two trees, just 5 metres to the left. At the junction 100 m further on, continue straight ahead. As you pass through the clearing beneath the power line, there is an unobstructed view of the village of Saint-Laurent-du-Pont at the mouth of the Guiers Mort valley, as well as several peaks of the Chartreuse (the Grand Som and the Grande Sure on the far right).

(5) At the junction near the hamlet of Les Jolys, take the path on the left uphill and head towards a crossroads.

(6) At the sign for “Au-dessus des Jolys”, continue to the right towards Le Perron. Further on, the path leaves the forest and opens out onto a gently sloping meadow with views of the Chartreuse.

(7) Immediately turn left onto the path that heads back into the forest (this section of the path does not appear on the IGN map, only on OSM, but don’t worry, the path really does exist).
You’ll arrive above the Saint-Aupre valley.

(8) Follow the path to the right. At the fork 500 m further on, head up to the right. In this section, it may be more pleasant to take the small path 5 m to the left rather than the stony or muddy track, depending on the season. When the path emerges from the forest and runs alongside fields, continue straight on until you reach a road.

(9) Follow the road to the right, then, after about a hundred metres, take the path to the left after the house. At the next junction (100 m), keep left. (Just before reaching the road, you may see a few sheep and a ram with long twisted horns in a pen). Take the road on the left for 200 m, then a path on the right. After 150 m, head down to the left towards the road and Le Tourniquet or Pont de Pierre Chave.

(10) Cross the bridge and walk for about 100 metres along the road, keeping to the right-hand side. Take the first path on the right which climbs into the forest. You will soon reach another small road; follow this to the right until you reach the hamlet of Les Verneys. Go round the last houses on the left; follow the yellow sign for Rocher de la Garde.

(11) After 100 m, turn right onto the path which starts by running alongside fields before entering the forest. After 600 m, at the junction, turn left.

(12) 100 m further on, take care not to miss the path branching off to the right. 300 m further on, at the junction, continue straight ahead. Again, after about 600 m, at a junction, continue straight ahead. Do the same after 400 m and reach Les Balmettes.

(13) Leave the gravel track on your right that descends to Saint-Aupre and continue straight ahead on the path that climbs. After 50 m, stay on the path on the left, then, 50 m further on, take the one on the right. After 400 m, keep to the left and you will soon reach the junction you passed on the way out.

(6) Turn right towards Plantimey. After 100 m, stay on the path on the left.

(14) At the sign for “Le bois de Plantimey”, head up to the left towards the Rocher de la Garde. After 250 m, continue to the right. At the first sign for Plantimey, continue to the right.

(15) At the second Plantimey sign, turn left onto a short, steep climb with a slight staircase. When the slope levels off, follow the path on the right which leads directly to the Rocher de la Garde (Yellow Cross but good path). As you approach the summit, take care in the short area of sharp limestone pavement.

(16) At the summit of the Rocher de la Garde, there is a view to the south over the entrance to the gorges, with the Grande Sûre in the background and the Vercors in the distance; to the west, the village of Saint-Étienne de Crossey and the whole of the Voironnais region. Retrace your steps for about a hundred metres, then descend to the right (yellow markings until the finish).
At the sign for “Sous le Rocher”, head down the path on the right. 100 m further on, at the junction, keep to the right.

(17) Signpost “Au dessus des Gorges”. Continue left towards Les Cloches de Rome and the Gorges de Crossey and return to the junction passed on the way out.

(1) At "Les Cloches de Rome", turn right towards the Gorges de Crossey, following the reverse route of the outward journey to reach the car park (S/E).

There are no water points on this route.

The Tourniquet or Pont de Pierre Chave is built over a narrow passage; it supports and overhangs the same road. This constitutes an extremely rare road configuration. Pierre Chave is thought to mean ‘bald rock’, i.e. without vegetation (see Wikipedia).