Roche Rousse

A lovely walk offering views of the entire Sappey-en-Chartreuse valley and the surrounding mountains.

Details

1687705
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.48 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 633 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 633 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,634 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,001 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Jacobine car park in Sappey-en-Chartreuse.

(S/E) At the top of the car park, take the street on the left towards La Charmette. Once you have passed the sign, take the path that climbs to the right to the hamlet of Jaillères.
Continue straight ahead on a tarmac section until you reach the dirt track. Follow the main track which leads directly to Habert de Chamechaude.

(1) Ignore the paths on the right and continue along the path on the left until you reach the Pré-Boiteux spring.

(2) Leave the main path and take the path on the left. Continue to the Belvédère de Roche Rousse viewpoint.
Be careful at the end, as caution is advised.

(3) Retrace your steps for about 30 metres and take the path on the left. Continue along it until you reach the Chamechaude ski lift.

(4) Turn onto the path on the left about ten metres further on. Continue along it until the next intersection. Turn left onto theGRP® du Tour de Chartreuse.

(5) Keep right on theGRP® and pass in front of the water tanks. You will arrive at an intersection with a tarmac road.

(6) Continue straight ahead on the dirt track and leave theGRP® on your right. Continue to the first houses. You will arrive at Chemin du Crêt. Follow this track downhill to Route du Col de Porte.

(7) Cross at the pedestrian crossing, taking care as cars can travel fast despite the 30 km/h speed limit. Take the street opposite. At the next intersection, go straight ahead onto the dirt track in front of you. When you reach the street, turn right, then left at the crossroads onto Chemin de l'Oie. At the end of the track, turn right towards the village centre. After the church, take the first street on the left. At the end of this street, you will find the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,001 m - Jacobine car park
  2. 1 : km 2.99 - alt. 1,559 m - Habert de Chamechaude
  3. 2 : km 3.91 - alt. 1,634 m - Pré-Boiteux spring
  4. 3 : km 4.45 - alt. 1,565 m - Roche Rousse viewpoint
  5. 4 : km 5.69 - alt. 1,436 m - Chamechaude ski lift
  6. 5 : km 7.75 - alt. 1,172 m - Water reservoirs
  7. 6 : km 8.05 - alt. 1,124 m - Tarmac path
  8. 7 : km 8.58 - alt. 1,071 m - Route du Col de Porte
  9. S/E : km 9.48 - alt. 1,001 m - Jacobine car park

Notes

Habert de Chamechaude refuge available from October to May.
Water: several streams along the route (Croze, Pré-boiteux, Ruisset). Flow varies depending on the season.

Worth a visit

Enjoy a break in the Habert de Chamechaude mountain pastures to admire the landscape at the foot of the highest peak in Chartreuse.
(Between 1 and 2) Beautiful views of Belledonne.
(3) Viewpoint over the entire Sappey-en-Chartreuse valley, Belledonne, Trièves, Vercors and Néron.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Scotty38
Scotty38

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk, mostly in the woods, so quite nice in warm weather. No particular difficulties in August, so it took us an hour less than expected (3½ hours' walking). Two lovely viewpoints, one section of the route a little less well signposted (the return from the viewpoint), with only a few red markings, but with the route description, no problem.

Machine-translated

barracuda
barracuda

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very good route for one member of our group to get back into hiking. Stunning scenery, a trail winding through the forest, guaranteed coolness in hot weather. Magnificent views of Habert de Chamechaude, Belledonne, Taillefer, Dent de Crolles, and Roche Rousse le Sappey as I had never seen it before, with the Combe Froide spring on the descent adding a touch of poetry...

Machine-translated

Denis Mascré
Denis Mascré

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, very interesting in summer, as it is mainly in the woods. 80% of the route is on paths. The climb is a little steep. Beautiful views at Habert and Roche Rousse, preferably without fog so you can see the surrounding peaks. I didn't enjoy the descent as much, as the rain in the previous days had turned the path into mud with ruts left by forestry machinery.

Machine-translated

Mu38
Mu38

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with beautiful views at Habert and the Roche Rousse viewpoint.
The route is through the forest, making it ideal in hot weather.

Machine-translated

savate38
savate38

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

WARNING!!!! I found a difference in altitude of +/- 700m and 11.5km
The only busy section is between the Cabane of the Hollowed-out Tree Trunk serving as Drinking Trough and the Col de Porte, as this is also the route up and down from Chamechaude.

Machine-translated

ocarina0656
ocarina0656

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk on a clear day, even in warm weather, as almost the entire route is through the forest. I'll keep this idea in mind for a snowshoe hike.

Machine-translated

mumumolletdacier
mumumolletdacier

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

be careful, there is still snow at this time of year

Machine-translated

juljul83
juljul83

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thank you for this hike, which was very beautiful, quite challenging at the start (direct climb into the forest) and then gentle (flat and gradual descent). Beautiful views at Habert and the Roche Rousse viewpoint. Thank you!

Machine-translated

Gast38
Gast38

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, but you need to choose a day when there is no fog in the valley, otherwise the view is much less interesting.

Not difficult.

Machine-translated

yssappey
yssappey

Thank you for your comment. Fifty centimetres of snow fell two weeks ago (even though everything had melted) and there is still snow on the shaded areas.

Machine-translated

jpd38
jpd38

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Beautiful hike, but half of the route was covered in snow. The weather is deceptive at the moment, there is still a lot of snow in the mountains. Everything went well.
JP

Machine-translated

Deuxpattes
Deuxpattes

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 07, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : Not used / Not applicable

Interest of the route: marked "not used" because the view from the lookout point was completely obscured by fog that day.

Otherwise, it was a lovely, enjoyable hike that we didn't find difficult.

Thank you for this post.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

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.