Park in the car park opposite the Sappey-en-Chartreuse Tourist Office.
(S/E) With your back to the car park, cross the road (D512) and head for the Le Sappey Église sign a little further to the left. Continue along the street towards Fort Saint-Eynard, pass the town hall and you will reach the La Charmette crossroads.
Red and whiteGR®9signposts
(1) Continue along the road, passing the cross-country ski centre car park on your right. Continue for a few metres, then pass the start of the snowshoe trails on your left and, just after the access to the cross-country ski trails (Les Combes), you will reach the La Croix du Rocher signpost.
(2) Take the path opposite that descends towards Fort Saint-Eynard. Go around a house and cross a stream. Go back up into the forest to find the Les Fontenettes signpost.
Continue straight ahead, ignoring a path on the left and following a path that branches off to the right. Walk alongside the adventure course and continue to a crossroads.
(3) Turn left until you reach the Téléski du Grand Sommard signpost. Turn left towards Fort de Saint-Eynard on a path. Pass the next two paths on your left and turn right to climb up the ski slope. Follow the edge of the woods, pass a path on your right and continue climbing. The path then zigzags up the ski slope and veers to the right. Cross the ski lift and 100 metres further on, turn left and follow the path uphill.
Another 100 metres further up, leave the path and follow a trail on the left (incorrect route). Return to the path, cross it and continue straight ahead until you reach the Pré du Plat marker.
Unofficial red markings
(4) Follow the trail to the left that leads to the ridges, offering beautiful views of the Belledonne Massif at times, but be careful of the cliffs. Reach the Pas de la Branche.
(5) Leave a small track that descends to the left and the Pas de la Branche trail, continue straight ahead on the trail. Reach a large open space which is the highest point of these ridges (1489m).
(6) Continue on the same path, which will take you through a series of small ascents and descents in areas that are sometimes quite wild. Reach a path (cairn) with the Dent de Crolles on the right and Chamechaude on the left.
Red and white markings for theGR®9
(7) Turn left onto the path that climbs up to the Emeindras de Dessus marker. Continue straight on towards Habert de Chamechaude and arrive at the Emeindras de Dessus chalets. Join the marker below the chalets.
(8) Leave the path on the left and continue straight ahead towards Habert de Chamechaude.
(9) Pass the Col de l'Emeindras and continue straight ahead on a very steep section. The path becomes easier when it turns south-east and joins the Habert de Chamechaude signpost above the chalet.
(10) Turn left and descend towards the chalet in the direction of La Charmette. Pass the chalet and follow the path, which crosses the forest tracks several times, until you reach a T-junction.
(11) Follow the track to the right to quickly reach a crossroads. Continue straight downhill, join a path coming from the left then one coming from the right and continue to the Pied de Velouse signpost.
(12) Continue straight downhill (south-west) along a sunken path, pass the Montjalat le Haut and Le Bruchet signposts and continue towards Charmette.
At Jaillières (fountain on the left), leave the road that branches off to the right and continue straight ahead on the path, which will widen. Further down, you will come to the tarmac road and the Charmette signpost.
(1) Turn right and follow the path you took on the way up to return to the car park (S/E).
a very beautiful route with views all along the way. There are always a few people at the pass. The rest of the route remains magical.