The Charande route from Villeneuve

de fr

Circular through the forests of Autrans, reaching the Charande ridge for a pleasant view of Grenoble on one side and the surrounding mountains, Chartreuse and Belledonne, on the other.

Details

n°81043
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.76 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 673 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 665 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,706 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,109 m
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Description of the walk

Park in the hamlet of Villeneuve, approximately 2 km after Autrans, via the road to La Sure snow stadium.

(S/E) Take the Charande road (signposted) to the first crossroads.

(1) Turn right onto the wide track marked JV (Yellow Green), which quickly gives way to a good path as you enter the woods.
Follow the JV markings to reach a brand new track that you will need to cross twice. You will then reach the forest road that connects the Col de la Croix Perrin to the Stade de la Sure.

(2) Cross over and take the path opposite (cairn) which leads to the Molière Orientation Table.

(3) You will then rejoin theGRP® des 4 Montagnes (GRP®4M) marked RJ (Red Yellow). Take it on the right to reach the highest point of Charande. Begin a short descent to the Combettes crossroads.

(4) Continue down a steep descent, find and cross the forest road mentioned above.
Take the wide path opposite on the right and follow it for about 500 metres until you reach the first cairn.

(5) Take the path on the left. Begin a long descent with hairpin bends to reach a wide track.

(6) Leave the track on the left and take the path on the right, which leads through a stony passage and then a small valley to another crossroads.
Leave theGRP®4Mon your left, follow the JV (Yellow Green) markings and stay on this wide path to reach the wide track.

(7) Turn left to reach the Villeneuve car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,109 m - Car park in the hamlet of Villeneuve
  2. 1 : km 0.18 - alt. 1,116 m - Charande crossroads
  3. 2 : km 2.08 - alt. 1,543 m - Croix Perrin road
  4. 3 : km 2.58 - alt. 1,633 m - La Molière orientation table
  5. 4 : km 4.27 - alt. 1,684 m - Combettes crossroads
  6. 5 : km 5.53 - alt. 1,453 m - Cairn GRP4M
  7. 6 : km 6.37 - alt. 1,242 m - Vallon crossroads
  8. 7 : km 7.56 - alt. 1,121 m - Track junction
  9. S/E : km 7.76 - alt. 1,109 m - Car park in the hamlet of Villeneuve

Notes

No water sources on this route.
Standard hiking equipment.

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

(3) Molière orientation table showing the surrounding peaks.
Charande: viewpoint overlooking Grenoble.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 11 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
chupika
chupika

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This hike was very interesting despite disappointing weather that prevented us from seeing the magnificent panorama of the ridges. We'll be back.

Machine-translated

sempervivum
sempervivum
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike done on foot in 20 cm of fresh snow without any problems as the trail is easy going throughout (except for the last part in a valley, where there were a few deer). The trail is not very busy, either on the way up (which is a bit long) or on the way down. However, there were many hikers on the ridge trail with its magnificent views, even though the car parks were closed due to snow. An original route that can also be done on snowshoes.

Machine-translated

JPhR
JPhR

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The departure car park is not quite in the right place; that is the only error detected.

Machine-translated

François AN
François AN

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

The advantage of this route lies in the ascent and descent routes, which are cool in the forest and ultimately not very busy. But it's a bit of a shame to have made the whole climb only to end up at a crowded car park. The Molière orientation table is accessible by car, which is why it is so busy. Before taking the descent path, you can push on to the Pas de l'Ours to go down to the Molière lodge for a drink (only 700 m from the Pas de l'Ours). It is therefore a mixed route between calm and busy, which can be done in 4 hours at a leisurely pace, preferably in the morning.

Machine-translated

francine88
francine88

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike despite the long climb and a difficult descent over rocky terrain. Best done in good weather as it gets cold quickly at the top and fog rolls in very quickly. Thank you for this beautiful route.

Machine-translated

L'ours du Vercors
L'ours du Vercors

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Shady in the morning, which is great when it's hot.
Beautiful view of the ridge.

Machine-translated

eve.basty
eve.basty

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A perfect route to cool off during this heatwave! Most of the walk is shaded as it takes place in the woods.
Very pretty views at the top!

Machine-translated

Poulet38
Poulet38

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Good hike, and very interesting route, but the climb and then descent are a bit tough.

Machine-translated

mamiFFF
mamiFFF

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

MAGNIFICENT views of Chartreuse, Belledonne, etc. and even Mont Blanc!
A pleasant, mostly shaded walk... very enjoyable!

Machine-translated

MIDOL-MONNET
MIDOL-MONNET

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 05, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The view of Grenoble, which is normally splendid in good weather, was obscured by thick clouds...
Another charming aspect was that we were walking in the fog!

Machine-translated

FAUBERT
FAUBERT

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 02, 2014
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike, without difficulty, with great visibility as the sun was shining. Undoubtedly very pleasant to do in summer, the ascent and return are through the woods.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking From La Molière to Pas de Bellecombe

Visorando member
De la Molière au Pas de Bellecombe
↔6.78 km ↗+190 m ↘-184 m ◔2h 30 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Engins (Isère)
A short family walk offering excellent views for the effort. Best done on a day with good visibility. Please note: a hiker has informed us that in summer, at weekends, access to the plateau is restricted: you must take a shuttle bus (or a chairlift, which is quite far away).

Walking The Clapiers tour from La Molière

Visorando member
Le tour des Clapiers à partir de la Molière
↔8.22 km ↗+497 m ↘-491 m ◔3h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Engins (Isère)
In Vercors, discover sharp limestone pavements, wildlife and flora. Hike from La Molière towards the east via Le Sornin (medium mountain range).

Walking Crête de Charande

Visorando member
Crète de Charande
↔9.39 km ↗+658 m ↘-650 m ◔4h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Autrans (Isère)
A very easy route on the ridge separating the Autrans valley from that of Lans en Vercors.

Walking Route of the ridges and the Molière mountain pasture

Visorando member
Circuit des crêtes et de l'alpage de la Molière
↔14.98 km ↗+703 m ↘-694 m ◔6h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Autrans (Isère)
This hike offers numerous panoramic views of the Chartreuse, Belledonne and part of the Vercors, both along the ridge trail and the pleasant path that crosses the mountain pasture.

Walking From Pas de l'Ours to La Molière from Autrans

Visorando member
Du Pas de l'Ours à la Molière depuis Autrans
↔12.38 km ↗+719 m ↘-719 m ◔5h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Autrans (Isère)
From the hamlet of Le Truc at the north-eastern entrance to the village of Autrans, you can access La Molière mountain and discover the Isère valley and the city of Grenoble through a gap in the mountain. Higher up, you will see all the mountains surrounding Grenoble and its region. Don't look for the "pas" (step) of the bear as a paw print because, here as is often the case in the mountains, "pas" is a diminutive of "passage" (passage).

Walking From Geve to Pas de la Cle, Bec del'Orient, La Cheminee

Visorando member
From Geve to Pas de la Cle, Bec del'Orient, La Cheminee
↔10.17 km ↗+438 m ↘-431 m ◔4h 10 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Autrans (Isère)
A nice circular walk from the parking place at the Geve Plateau. There is a diversion to La Glaciere, which is a cave system, and a shorter diversion to Cabane 44, which was used by the resistance during WWII. The views from the ridge are great.

Walking La Buffe via the Pas de la Clé and the Grande Brèche

Visorando member
La Buffe par le Pas de la Clé et la Grande Brèche
↔11.19 km ↗+551 m ↘-545 m ◔4h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Autrans (Isère)
A wild hike starting from the Gève plateau in the magnificent Vercors forest. The route along the northern ridge of the Vercors offers breathtaking views of the Isère valley, the Grenoble conurbation, the Voiron area and the Chartreuse mountains.

Walking Le Bec de l'Orient and Pas de la Clé from Gève

Visorando member
Le Bec de l'Orient et le Pas de la Clé depuis Gève
↔10.49 km ↗+432 m ↘-434 m ◔4h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Autrans (Isère)
A beautiful walk typical of northern Vercors, with a section along the ridge offering numerous views of the Isère plain from the edge of the impressive cliff. Beautiful passages through rugged karsts, beautiful mixed forests, with some fine specimens of trees. Two interesting sites commemorating the actions of the Vercors Maquis.

For more walks, use our search engine .

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