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Suggested starting point: the Carrefour Market mini-market car park, a small car park near the entrance to the Air Liquide factory. However, you can also start from Sassenage town centre: in this case, begin by walking up Rue du Vercors.
(S/E) With your back to the supermarket, take the path that runs alongside the stream and the Air Liquide factory for about 300 metres, heading north-west. The path turns left to join Chemin de Moirons, which you should follow to the left until you reach the D1532 road from Sassenage to Veurey. Cross it carefully and take Rue des Engenières opposite. At this crossroads, there is a green sign indicating "Les Batteries, 2km". 100m further on, leave Rue des Engenières on your left and take Chemin des Gingeolles on your right. Green sign indicating "Les Batteries".
(1) At the end of the tarmac road, go straight up the Sentier des Gingeolles, crossing the chain blocking the path. Wooden stake with a yellow arrow on a white background.
When climbing, keep your children close to you on the last third of the path as it runs close to the cliff.
At the top of the path, continue to the right on a carriageway.
(2) 30 metres further on, a viewpoint with an orientation table describes the Chartreuse Massif. After this "geographical" break, continue for 300 metres. You will come to a signpost marked "Le Cruy, 400 metres above sea level" opposite a working quarry. Modernity is eating away at the mountain. Turn left onto the same track.
(3) Turn right and go up the road, looking for the signpost for "les Batteries", hidden on your left. You will arrive at a flat area called "la prairie" (the meadow), and for good reason, as there is an impressive one there! It is being farmed, so do not walk on it; stay on the path. After this flat area, look for the signpost on the left in a gap in the hedge, which is well hidden (ironically!). The sign says "Les Batteries - 5 min, 0.18 km". Turn left off the carriageway and cross the meadow on a faint path heading west-southwest to arrive 100 m away in another copse clinging to the hillside. Climb the 48 slightly steep steps and then descend another 5 steps. You will then arrive at the batteries: there are clearly visible fortifications, and you are right in the middle of them! Unfortunately, the basements of this structure are not open to visitors.
(4) There is a beautiful view of the valley from the top of this fortification, which explains its strategic location. That was our "French history" break.
Retrace your steps for about 300 metres (go down the steps and cross the meadow again), returning to the carriage road.
Turn right and follow the yellow signs for "Pont Charvet - la cimenterie 1.5 km". Go back down the road and look for the fork just before the place called "Le Cruy", above the quarry. You will see a sign (slightly hidden!) for "Pont Charvet - La cimenterie".
(3) Turn right and follow the path. There are fortifications on the left and right of the path. Then, on your left, you will see a meadow with a view of Grenoble. You will return to the woods and, 300 metres further on, you will come to a driveway, passing through a barrier or chain. Go down this driveway on the left and, 200 metres further on, you will pass behind the former clay pigeon shooting range. Continue to follow the path, which widens.
800 m after the shooting range, just after passing the barrier blocking the road to cars, turn right onto a path for about 100 m (yellow signs for "Pont Charvet - Cimenterie"). You will arrive at the old cement factory.
(5) Cross the Villard-de-Lans road (D531). Take care when crossing, as traffic can be quite heavy. Take Chemin du Petit Bois opposite to reach the Hauts de Sassenage neighbourhood.
(6) Continue left along the beginning of Rue des Chênes, then right along a narrow cobbled lane, Rue du Clapier, which leads to a grassy area. Leave this area via the south-east, passing through the children's playground. The path continues under the fir trees and ends at Rue des Parcs, at the entrance to a school. Further down, join Chemin du Petit Bois.
(7) Turn left onto Chemin du Petit Bois. At the bottom of Chemin du Petit Bois, make a zigzag right-left turn and turn right onto Rue du Vieux Château for 150 metres.
Detour: go up the path to the gate of Château de Beaurevoir, 50 m higher up. It is private and cannot be seen clearly from the closed gate to the park, except for the neo-Disney-style towers!
(8) Go down Chemin des Côtes on the left (be careful, the edges become steep even though the path is wide), signposted "Sassenage, Château de Sassenage, Les Cuves".
Turn right at the sign for "les Cuves" to walk around the Furon (3/4 of an hour with photo breaks): there are a few tricky steps at the beginning, then climb up the left bank to the entrance to Les Cuves.
(9) Cross the Furon and descend to the left, on the right bank: signposts for "les Cuves" will take you back to the village centre via the Chemin des Cuves. Turn left, cross the bridge and enjoy the beautiful view. Go up the Route du Vercors, which runs alongside the castle park wall. A little further up, you will find a fountain on your right.
(10) Continue straight ahead and go up Route du Vercors to the north (keep the castle park wall on your right) then turn right along the park via Rue du Plaçage. On these two streets, you will pass typical village houses and then the entrance to the 18th-century castle with its pretty façade.
Leave the two streets on your left and, with your back to the château, go up the tree-lined Allée du Château on your left towards the north-east (there are some beautiful outbuildings in the meadow on your right).
Cross the D1532 and continue along the left bank of the Furon on a tarmac path. Cross the second footbridge to the right bank. You will see the Parc de l'Ovalie (landscaped pond and children's playground) in front of you.
Turn left just after crossing the footbridge. The shaded path follows the Furon river along its dyke, veering to the left and avoiding the football stadium. Do not cross the low concrete footbridge on the right, but continue along the path and cross back over to the left bank at the third covered footbridge.
(11) Then go up Rue du 19 Mars 1962 on the left and then Rue des Grands Champs on the right, where you will find the Carrefour Market mini-market and the car park at the starting point (S/E).
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