The Government Castle

de fr

Around the two communes of Saint-Pierre d'Entremont, this walk covers the two departments of Savoie and Isère, exploring the architectural heritage and Carthusian landscapes. The most beautiful panorama can be seen from the esplanade of the Château du Gouvernement in Saint-Pierre d'Entremont (Isère).

Details

n°111426
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.69 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 541 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 548 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 950 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 579 m
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Photos

Viewpoint from the "Château"

Description of the walk

Park on the side of the D912 shortly after a group of houses called "Le Pont du Lac".

(S/E) Go up the road and quickly turn left to reach Les Courriers.

(1) In the centre of the hamlet, turn left at the fountain. The path descends for a long way through woods and clearings with the Cozon stream on your left. Join the road towards a small group of houses called "Le Crêt", continue along the road and you will reach La Fracette, a larger group of houses.

(2) When crossing the hamlet, turn right, leaving the road that joins the D912 opposite.
Follow the road downhill to the village of Saint Pierre-d'Entremont (Savoie). Cross the village, keeping the Cozon on your left, then the Guiers Vif after the confluence of the two rivers. Gradually leave the village via the Corbel road (D45B), passing a school and a multi-purpose hall.

(3) Once you have left the village, about 400 m after the access to the water treatment plant, leave the small road and descend to the left towards the stream. Cross it via a footbridge to reach the department of Isère. Turn left onto the path to climb up the slope. Reach the D520C, cross the road (caution: poor visibility due to bends).

Continue climbing along a winding path through the forest, cross the Vivier stream on a small footbridge on the left and a cable crossing. Leave the forest and head for the hamlet of Le Château.

(4) Turn left and head back to see the ruins of the castle, a beautiful esplanade, an original orientation table and panoramic views.

Resume the walk by taking the Route du Hameau du Château on the left, which descends towards Saint-Pierre d'Entremont (Isère), and at the fork, take the left branch.

(5) After a right-hand bend, leave the road and take a path on the left, which shortens the tarmac section.

(6) Return to the road, leave the right-hand lanes and continue towards the centre of the village. Walk through the village, past the Tourist Office and then the church.

(7) Turn right onto the road bridge, which will take you back to Savoie.

(8) After the bridge, leave the road to the Cirque de Saint-Même on your right and take the D912 for a few metres, then immediately turn right into the dead-end lane. Set off along the mule track (GRP®, red and yellow markings) to the right of a small chapel.

(9) Follow theGRP® for a long time, ford a stream, pass by some houses and you will soon come to a crossroads.

(10) Leave theGRP® to descend to the left towards Le Cozon and return to the starting point at the edge of the road (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 722 m - Park on the side of the D912 near the - Cozon (cours d'eau)
  2. 1 : km 0.37 - alt. 764 m - Courriers Cross.
  3. 2 : km 1.54 - alt. 702 m - Intersection at La Fracette.
  4. 3 : km 4.2 - alt. 604 m - Descent towards the footbridge at - Guiers Vif (rivière)
  5. 4 : km 5.83 - alt. 928 m - Château de Montbel
  6. 5 : km 6.87 - alt. 858 m - Towards the shortcut trail
  7. 6 : km 7.79 - alt. 716 m - The road
  8. 7 : km 8.86 - alt. 640 m - Bridge to Savoie. Close to the - Église Saint-Alexis (Saint-Pierre-d'Entremont)
  9. 8 : km 8.91 - alt. 640 m - Dead-end alley
  10. 9 : km 9.1 - alt. 652 m - Chapelle des Dix Mille Martyrs (Saint-Pierre-d'Entremont)
  11. 10 : km 11.39 - alt. 757 m - Descend towards Le Cozon.
  12. S/E : km 11.69 - alt. 721 m - Car park at the start

Notes

The proposed route is a GPS track imported into Visorando.
Fontaine aux Courriers.

Worth a visit

The Bear Museum in Entremont le Vieux.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 17 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
Poulet Hubert
Poulet Hubert

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The approximate route. Apparently mapped out on a map, as there are many variations compared to the route I recorded. Or perhaps passages through woods off the trail

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champet67
champet67

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello, just a quick note regarding the route between points 3 and 4 at the end of the road: follow the Rando Croquis sign, as the trail is quite easy for wild boars to follow.
Otherwise, it's a lovely walk despite the fog!

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Marc Moissat
Marc Moissat

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marie the quere
marie the quere

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A lovely walk despite the lack of sunshine

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Deuxpattes
Deuxpattes

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
I have lived in Dauphiné for 65 years and I didn't know about this castle!
A wonderful discovery; beautiful, well-preserved ruins; a beautiful location with superb views; and the most beautiful and original orientation table I have ever seen.
The only problem is that a large part of the journey is on the road... However, there were few vehicles today and, overall, there were pretty hamlets with beautiful houses to look at.
The mule track for the return journey is perfect!

Thank you for this post.

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Lire7lynx3
Lire7lynx3

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route that takes a total of 4 hours and 45 minutes to complete.
The forests are ideal for photographers and painters when the sun shines through... There are also beautiful views of the peaks of northern Chartreuse. The various hamlets and castle ruins are worth stopping to learn about their history.
Bring warm clothing and good shoes because in autumn, even in sunny weather, some wooded areas are dark, very cool and steep...
We used the gpx file for some of the turnings.

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Coccx
Coccx

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great route, lots of variety!
Very accessible and with beautiful views!
A few sections on the road, but quite short.
Thank you!

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skyppyy38360
skyppyy38360

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Half of the route followed the waypoints: starting at (6), then (3), (4), (5) and finally (6). We stopped after walking for two and a half hours.
No particular problems, a pleasant route, mostly through the woods.
It should be noted that the actual route up to the castle is not quite the same as the one on the author's map due to a ban on a path halfway up the slope. However, it is well marked in yellow and red, with an additional signposted route for "sketch hikers" who are artists and painters. So there are no problems with direction.
At the top, you can visit the ruins and enjoy the beautiful view. The hamlets are charming
Thanks to the author, we'll do the rest another time.

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Topogeo
Topogeo

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The circular route from St. Pierre d'Entremont to Entremont Castle and back is marked with signs called "Rando Croquis" and is very well signposted. The trail is steep but not difficult. We chose to start from St. Pierre d'Entremont. Parking is easier and it can be done in two half-days. Overall, it is very easy.

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imagineve38
imagineve38

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The paths are pleasant (except for the road sections).
I recorded 15 km and 4 hours 20 minutes of walking.
A nice hike for getting back into it

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Bénédicte N.
Bénédicte N.

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Hello

I did this hike on 17 May 2020. It's a nice hike, with a few drawbacks. A bit too much road, but I recognise that it's difficult in Chartreuse in a narrow valley. I wouldn't start the hike at Pont du Lac, as you start with a descent and then tackle a big climb after a while...and you end the hike with another climb. I would start at the bottom in St Pierre, where it's less dangerous to park and, above all, to turn around, and while staying on the same route, I would end with a descent... but it's still very nice to follow a ready-made route!

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minou222
minou222

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

poorly marked trail, we walked quite a distance but enjoyed beautiful panoramic views

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vipspa
vipspa

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Beautiful hike

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patte
patte

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

This hike can be divided into two parts: the stream (completed in 2017) and the castle (completed today).
Regarding the castle, there are some inaccuracies in the route description.
When descending into the gorges, there is an interesting view of the old corbelled road, a beautiful structure abandoned for safety reasons. After the footbridge, the path turns right, not left.
After crossing the road, you soon come to a horizontal path, where you need to turn left. In any case, the path on the right is impassable due to a 2006 decree. And it is much further on, much further on... that you find the cable and the footbridge, which is easy to cross. Compliments to the designers of the footbridge, which is a very comfortable staircase.
At the castle, THE VIEW IS MAGNIFICENT over St Pierre d'Entremont and the surrounding area; it's a shame that the explanations about the castle have all been erased. On the way down, the shortcut is indicated by Randocroquis.
Despite these criticisms, THANK YOU for including this hike, which we really enjoyed.

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iflan
iflan

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 25, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A lovely walk, pleasant and varied.

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The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.