Les Marches walks

A lovely little walk through the Savoyard vineyards in the commune of Les Marches. It is possible to add other itineraries to this description, as there are so many paths and trails. The proposed route takes in the typical landscapes of the Abymes vineyards, formed by the collapse of the Granier in 1248.

At the foot of the largest cliff in the French Alps, autumn hike from the village of Saint-André to Lac Noir. From Les Atrus (village of Bellecombette) to Lac Noir, then from Lac Noir to the village of Lachat, the route follows a section of the Sentier des HuguenotsGR®965trail.

A very pretty circular for a long walk among the vineyards of Chignin. Very pleasant in the foothills of Les Bauges. A beautiful getaway among medieval towers and cellars, with magnificent views of the Chambéry valley and the Belledonne mountain range. It is even more beautiful in the middle of autumn, just after the grape harvest.

This circuit runs along the foothills of the Chartreuse mountains at the foot of Mont Granier. Discover the vineyards, a pretty waterfall and views of the Belledonne and Bauges mountains. A few information boards add to the interest of this easy walk. Yellow and occasional white and red markings forthe GR® 965.

A charming circular route in the hills above Chapareillan, facing Mont Blanc, between vineyards and forests, from village to village. This route, in the direction described, offers a long, gentle climb and ends with an hour-long descent, the first part of which is sustained without being very steep. A third of the route is on quiet tarmac roads, so 1 km of what I would call a tarmacGR®. Please note: several hikers suggest doing the route in the opposite direction to climb the steepest part, especially if the ground is wet. In this case, a map and GPS are recommended as the description loses its usefulness.

In December, a good idea for a sunny walk is to go hiking in the vineyards. The walk described below is just one of many possible routes through the Chignin vineyards. There are endless variations possible.

A pleasant walk through the woods, with no particular difficulties and very well signposted. It takes you to the small Lac Noir lake, dominated by the majestic Mont Granier, then along an educational trail to discover the work of the men who, during the Second World War, produced charcoal for gas generators.

A very beautiful loop, much less frequented than the classic Mont Granier route, starting from the beautiful church of Bellecombe and particularly pleasant in summer. After the Porte de l'Alpette, the hike runs along almost the entire cliff face of the mountain, passing through the magnificent "gardens" of the upper Alpette du Granier and returning to the Pas de la Porte pass overlooking the Grésivaudan valley.

An easy hike that skirts around Lac de la Thuile. Mont Rochefort offers a beautiful view of the village and its lake. Panoramic views of Belledonne, Les Bauges, etc.

A pleasant, uncrowded walk from the village of La Thuile. The modest summit of Mont Rochefort offers one of the best views of the lake. Local yellow-green markings and directional signs.

The village's main attraction in the summer is, of course, the small Lac de la Thuile lake. For hikers, the other attraction is the Roche du Guet, a pretty viewpoint equipped with two orientation tables.

A short hike that takes you through a few hamlets and offers unobstructed views of the Belledonnes and Chartreuse mountains.

A route for everyone that will take you to a remote hamlet and its castle steeped in history, then along the shores of Lake Sainte Hélène.

Discover this magnificent route on the outskirts of Chambéry. Passing by the Ternèse stream (canyon) and the Trou de l'Enfer site where the Leysse river has carved its way through, this hike offers a complete change of scenery in a wild environment.

A somewhat challenging hike for the start of the season, but well worth the effort...

This circular loop can be completed in almost any season, even in half a day, allowing you to enjoy beautiful views, discover fossils and, when in season, a renowned site for lady's slipper orchids.

A very beautiful hike, not very long but with a steep section. Magnificent view of Mont Blanc just before the summit and of the entire Chartreuse range from the summit. The route is very well signposted throughout. Ascent time indicated on the signs: 1 hour 35 minutes (it took us a little longer as we had a 2½-year-old girl who walked part of the way) Time for the descent: 1 hour 10 minutes.

Admittedly, this route from Curienne is not the shortest way to reach the Chapel of Mont Saint-Michel! However, it offers the opportunity to (re)discover the very pleasant Chemin de la Paraie, the stele and farm of the Maquisards, the motte castrale of La Bognette, and superb views of Chambéry and the surrounding mountains. Although technically easy and with little elevation gain, this hike is classified as "moderate" due to its length.

This hike is less popular than the nearby Pointe de la Galoppaz, an iconic peak in the Chambéry region. However, it is just as interesting thanks to the variety of landscapes it crosses (forests, meadows, groves, rocks, etc.) and the superb panorama of the surrounding mountains (Mont Blanc, Belledonne, Beaufortain, Bauges, Chartreuse), the Chambéry cluse and Lake Thuile.

A short hike that starts in the vineyard and climbs gently through sunny undergrowth. The chapel is a modest oratory on an old path once used by monks between Aillons and Lourdens.

The Mont Saint-Michel Chapel, which is clearly visible from the Chambéry basin, is often the destination for a Sunday afternoon walk starting from Montmerlet above Curienne. There is only a hundred metres or so of elevation gain. The trail is very well marked.

A lovely walk with magnificent views of all the surrounding mountain ranges: Charteuse, Vercors, Belledonne, Vanoise and Mont Blanc.

Coche or Cochette means a passage. The ancestral passage between the villages of Montagnole and Saint-Baldoph is marked by a solid, massive stone cross. Information panels along the way. Panoramic views at the summit and on the descent along the ridge.

This is a beautiful hike with stunning views of the Chartreuse, the Chambéry valley as far as Lac du Bourget, Les Bauges, Belledonne and even Mont Blanc on a clear day.

A family hike with a variety of attractions: flora, slate quarry, chapel and other points of interest. Beautiful view of the Val Gelon on the way down. Directional signs on the ground complement this description. In addition, Lac Saint-Clair is a pleasant place to relax before or after the hike.

A beautiful walk along the Leysse gorges and through the old vineyards of Saint-Jean-d'Arvey. The trail, while not particularly difficult, can be a little steep and slippery. It offers superb views of the Leysse and the cliffs of Mont Peney.

Visit the historic centre of Chambéry, passing by the Château des Ducs de Savoie, the Town Hall, Saint-François de Salles Cathedral, the Museum of Fine Arts... and charming little pedestrian passages. A very pleasant route.

This is a pleasant route to walk at any time of year, particularly in late autumn as it enjoys plenty of sunshine. The route of the Himalayan footbridge at Trou de l'Enfer allows you to discover the curious meanders of the Leysse.

A walk to revisit the classics near Chambéry.

Very pretty hike in the foothills of Granier. At the summit, there is a large plateau ideal for picnics, with views of the surrounding peaks and Mont Blanc in good weather. An easy family walk, done with a 3½-year-old girl who is used to walking, as it is quite steep.

From the small hamlet of La Plagne, summit of Le Pinet (1,867m), beautiful view to the west, then summit of La Croix de l'Alpe (1,821m) via the Chalets de l'Alpe.

Le Pinet is a viewpoint overlooking Les Entremonts. Less frequented than its neighbour, Le Granier, it is just as much a part of the Hauts de Chartreuse Nature Reserve and its access via the normal route is well suited to families, with a few variations possible.

A beautiful loop in the northern Chartreuse with magnificent 360° views of the Alps.

This short hike leads to the Col de l'Alpe via the path used by cows going up and down from the mountain pasture.

A classic destination in the Bauges Regional Nature Park, the Pointe de la Galoppaz offers a sweeping panorama of the Bauges and all the mountain ranges of the Northern Alps. This spot is very popular with gliders, paragliders and birds of prey.

This circular hike runs along the slopes and ridge of La Galoppaz (pronounced Galoppe) to reach the summit with its magnificent 360° panorama.

This hike is quite physically demanding in the first part. The section along the Doria is really very pleasant. At the summit, you can enjoy a beautiful panorama of Belledonne and Chartreuse. The fairly long descent is not particularly difficult.

A short walk above the town to meet distant artists. Panorama of the valley and the Chartreuse massif opposite.

Take a stroll along the Cozon torrent and enjoy a refreshing break in this lively corner of the Chartreuse. Cultural visits and relaxation will round off the day.

A magnificent route around Entremont-le-Vieux with splendid panoramic views of the Chartreuse massif, this moderately difficult hike will be a delight for landscape lovers and photographers. This hike is also available at tourist offices, offered by Chartreuse Tourisme

A lovely hike with beautiful views and scenery, quite varied, a little bit of tarmac but not much, with good signposting. Doable almost all year round, except in muddy conditions after rain, of course. At the Pont du Diable, you will cross the Dauphiné-Savoie border, with its pretty, colourful boundary stone. By whom?

A varied hike that takes you to the Croix de Nivolet from an unusual angle.

An easy summit offering a panoramic view of the Massif des Bauges.

Peri-urban circuit to quickly escape the city. Views of Chartreuse and Bauges.

A pleasant walk in the Hauts de Chartreuse nature reserve. Lost in the mountain pastures, the old boundary markers between Savoie and Dauphiné still look beautiful.

Please note that this exposed route is not suitable for people who are prone to vertigo and have no experience of aerial crossings and climbing steps. It should not be attempted in wet weather due to the risk of slipping.This circular hike crosses the very aerial sangles of Fouda Blanc and Le Pinet, which, at over 3 km, is the longest in the Chartreuse. The Fouda Blanc sangle is slightly less exposed and busier than the Pinet. The latter is narrower, often grassy, slippery in wet weather, and has a few unstable earthy passages that must be crossed with caution. Access to this crossing is via the Varvats trail at Pas de l'Échelle. At the end of the ridges, you reach the summit of Pinet, also known as Truc, then the ridge trail joins Pas de Fouda Blanc, which you descend before crossing the Grotte à l'Échelle. The descent down a scree slope and then through the woods takes you back to the return path.GPX track required.

A lovely with snowshoes, with a beautiful view of the Alpine peaks at its height. Note that this hike can be done in all seasons.

Here is the guidebook for the longest ledge in Chartreuse and, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful. It is a loop circuit that forms a figure 8. The west, slightly north-west orientation of this ledge leads me to recommend that you set off at the end of the morning and in this direction so that you can enjoy the most beautiful landscapes at the end of the afternoon. A much more complete description can be found in Pascal Sombardier's book "Les Randonnées du Vertige" (Vertigo Hikes).

From the Cirque de Saint-Même and its waterfalls to the Hauts de Chartreuse plateaus via 3 Pas to the Croix de l'Alpe (1,821 m). Very beautiful view.

Short hike in the forest to discover the waterfalls of the Guiers Vif.

Hike to discover the sources of the Guiers Vif and the Crêtes du Grand Manti, among waterfalls, caves, cliffs and mountain pastures. Please note that this hike is vertiginous in some areas (Pas de la Mort) and is not recommended for people who are prone to vertigo or in wet weather.

Une superbe boucle où l'on côtoie, cascades, tunnel naturel, grotte, pas d'escalade, vire aérienne, alpage avec pour couronner le tout, au long du parcours, de très beaux points de vue. Attention, ce parcours exposé n'est pas adapté aux personnes sujettes au vertige et n'ayant pas l'expérience de traversée aérienne et de pas d'escalade. A éviter impérativement par temps humide en raison des risques de glissade.