The Belles Ombres and Fouda Blanc route via the Grotte de l’Ours

Please read the warning and practical information carefully; this hike requires preparation.

(S/E) From the starting point (see practical information), head south-east along the wide, vehicle-accessible track that passes between the houses. The track steepens rapidly. You’ll reach a flat area on a ridge from where a path branches off to the left. The entrance to this path is sometimes blocked by a cord.

(1) Take this steep, straight path which climbs north-north-east along the ridge. Watch out for calf cramps (make sure you stay hydrated). The path is soon marked by small cairns and blue markers. It crosses various less steep paths, but you must always stay on the ridge and follow the steepest line of ascent.

Shortly before a clearing, the path splits into two; the two branches then rejoin in the gully, from where you can see the cirque and the Saint-Même waterfalls to the north. Walk up through the clearing for 30 metres to rejoin the significantly less steep path, which now veers south-east into the forest. At the first point where the path opens out onto a large scree slope, take the left-hand path, which winds its way up the steep scree; a few cairns and the occasional blue and red markings indicate the route.

At around 1,650 m, the path comes to a small ledge which it climbs (remember to look behind you) to reach a cave suitable for bivouacking (see practical information) and join the lower ridge of the Fouda Blanc.
Take this path to the left (north-north-east) and follow it beneath the rocky overhangs. After a short stretch through woodland, you’ll reach the foot of a short climbing section marked with blue signs (see photo).

(2) Climb the short section using very good handholds (3c), then follow the winding path which generally ascends eastwards through the steep scree, interspersed with small rocky ledges. Ignore all the slings that cross the path horizontally.
You’ll arrive below a larger ledge in which the Trou de la Saignerie cave has been carved out.

(3) Enter the cave and take the unsecured ladder (see photo) which allows you to cross the ledge, then continue climbing the winding path as you emerge from the cave.
You’ll cross the Fouda Blanc sling; a blue mark on the rock indicates where to continue, still heading east. You’ll reach a very short rocky chimney marked with a blue dot.

(4) Climb through the chimney. The passage is easy but narrow and cannot accommodate large rucksacks. Just above the chimney, the path runs horizontally northwards before turning south again after a steep section, which can be crossed via a sturdy tree stump. The path emerges onto the Pinet plateau after a short rocky gorge (see location photo; the cairn is visible from inside the gorge), at the end of which you must climb a few steps.

Head down to the east below the cairn to follow a cairn-marked path that heads south-east before beginning a wide circular path to the east to go round a small hill. When the path turns south again, leave it in the opposite direction, off-trail to the north-east, heading towards Mont Blanc, which dominates the distant horizon. Continue on level ground along the hillside in this direction until you reach a large circular depression containing the massive arch of the Pinet sinkhole (see photo).

(5) After visiting the doline and the arch, set off again northwards, very slightly north-east, across vast areas of sharp limestone pavement. Stay on the level sections of these sharp limestone pavements (if the slope becomes steeper, head back up), heading towards the summit of Mont Granier (see this other reference photo).

At the western (upstream) edge of the sharp limestone pavement, a drinking trough marks the spot where you should veer north-east towards some pine trees and a limestone ledge surrounding a small cirque, at the centre of which stands a tiny shepherd’s hut.

(6) Descend to the hut and cross the cirque to the east to join the path that leads down to the north-east. A hairpin bend takes the path westwards, allowing you to descend over slabs and rocks and emerge onto green meadows.

Follow the valley floor down towards the north-east, keeping to the right-hand side of the depressions in the terrain. As soon as it is possible to turn right without having to climb a slope, head due east to reach the Trou de la Ragne, where the^GR®9passes through.

(7) Cross the^{GR® trail}, taking care of the traffic (the ‘right-of-way’ rule does not apply), and head back up the opposite side to follow the edge of the basin north-eastwards, where the^{GR® trail} and the ruins of Les Haberts de Barraux are located. Head slightly uphill to the north-east to go round (to the east) a grassy ridge, then head due south along the bottom of the valley, which is lined with conifers on the left (east).

As this valley narrows, a barely marked path (the grass is simply flattened there) branches off to the left (east); go over a few sheep fence posts. Continue along this path, which often fades away, and when you reach the edge of denser vegetation, head due south to cross through a few trees and emerge into the meadows of the Croix de l’Alpe ridge (which is out of sight). Head eastwards up through the grass until you reach the north-south track leading to the Col de l’Alpe. Take the southern variant of this track, which runs closest to the woodland on your left.

Keep the forest on your left as you turn eastwards and approach the edge of the ‘Labyrinthe de l’Alpe’. A gap in the rocks leading down there allows you to turn left (north) and reach its arch in about twenty metres after passing through a rocky gateway.

(8) This arch is usually blocked by snow until July. Continue eastwards for 50 metres and enter a wide gorge clearly visible on the right (south). Follow this gorge westwards to reach the second arch, which is also blocked by snowfields.

(9) It is only upon reaching it that you realise what appears to be a cave is in fact an arch (see photo). Retrace your steps to exit the labyrinth via the east and walk a few steps along the very busy Col de l’Alpe path. Pass a few trees and, on a flat section, take the first clearing on the left, heading due north. A very short, easy descent takes you down to a sheep fence, after which you follow the path – sometimes overgrown with stinging nettles (long trousers are advisable!) – which runs northwards along the foot of the cliff. The path veers north-west to enter the small cirque below the Col de Belles Ombres.

(10) Once directly below the pass, turn east to descend along the thalweg path. This path enters a short stretch through the forest and is rather poorly marked (do not veer due south onto what appears to be the path, but instead step onto a small sharp limestone pavement and rejoin the path on the other side). Leave the woodland via a narrow pass heading east, and at the first opportunity, take the path running level off to the north-east across slopes that quickly become steep.

Continue along this path, which is the lower Belles Ombres trail. Vandals have recently marked it with fluorescent orange paint. After about one kilometre, a limestone rock shaped like a dromedary is visible below on the right (east), see this photo (see the caption for this photo for other, more recent photos).

(11) After visiting the camel-shaped rock, continue along the path, which passes through several cirques before coming within sight of the limestone peak known as the Griffes de l’Ours (see this photo and this one). Ignore the orange markings and the rope, which appears to indicate a route leading upwards to the left. The rope is in poor condition and the route is, moreover, treacherous.

Carry on to the small pass on the ridge, to the west of the Griffes. Behind this pass, a path to the right (south-east) leads to the comfortable summit of the Griffes.

(12) From the Griffes de l’Ours, return to the ridge and follow it northwards. Whilst crossing a deciduous gully, note a path rising to the left, but ignore it for now and continue to the next cirque. On the left, the hideous orange markings indicate the direction of the cave, which overlooks the path by two hairpin bends. This beautiful cave has two windows; see the photo.
Note: on the way down from the cave, it is possible to continue along the ridge path to the next promontory, where there is a tiny arch, but it is impossible to go any further. The path leading up above the cave is a good spot for taking photos but does not lead anywhere either.

(13) Turn back from the cave to follow the ridge in the opposite direction (south) and return to the path through the deciduous woodland spotted on the way there.

(12). Take this path, which climbs steeply (use your ice axe if the ground is slippery), to quickly reach a large cirque of cliffs, beneath the upper Belles Ombres traverse, near a cylindrical drinking trough. Head for the scree on the right and make your way onto the upper Belles Ombres traverse.

Turn right (north) onto this and follow it through magnificent cirques of cliffs (see this view or this one) to the usual exit point of the traverse, marked with yellow and blue dots.

(14) Rather than exiting and returning via the wooded ridge, returning via the path is more spectacular and allows you to see what you missed on the way up. So retrace your steps along the upper path and follow it south-west, passing above the Griffes de l’Ours (turn round). Red markings appear on the rocks, along with a huge fluorescent orange smear left by the vandals mentioned earlier. Just past the shoulder where two valleys meet, the red markings indicate you should climb up to the right towards the cliffs. An orange arrow topped with an ‘A’ points in the same direction, towards a rope in poor condition which is best ignored. Climb up the gully, which is half grass and half scree, and emerge 4 metres higher onto a path ascending south-west along a rocky outcrop (marked with a red line and arrow, then a double fluorescent orange arrow on this outcrop). Do not take this path straight away, but instead head up through scree to the north-west towards what soon becomes apparent as the beautiful Belles Ombres arch.

(15) Pass underthe arch before retracing your steps and rejoining the path you left a short while earlier. Follow this path (red dots and lines) up to the ridge and the summit of the Rochers de Belles Ombres.

Take the ridge path running along the cliff face to the south-south-west. As you emerge from a narrow passage flanked by small cliffs to the west (on your right), a clearing in the trees allows you to leave the ridge path and descend off-trail towards the west. At the foot of the clearing, you must cross the forest for about 200 m before reaching the valley you had ascended on the way there. Cross this valley to climb up the grassy shoulder to the west, then retrace your steps from the outward journey to reach the Trou de la Ragne.

(7) Cross the^GR® again, still following the outbound route, and head up to the shepherd’s hut.

(6) Step onto the sharp limestone pavement bordering it to the west, and cross it heading due west. Once on the grass, head for a solitary tree where numerous cattle tracks converge.

(16) From this junction, take the track heading north-west (the one of the alternative routes that goes furthest west), to reach a tree line marking the end of a limestone valley. Climb up this limestone canyon heading due west, admiring the superb limestone ‘mushrooms’ and ‘tables’ lining it on both sides.

At the upper edge of the canyon, feel free to zigzag your way through to spend as long as possible amongst these beautiful formations, and finally emerge to the west onto the ridge path heading north towards the summit of Le Pinet.

Continue northwards in this way until you reach the summit, marked by a cross. From the summit, the view of Le Granier is truly spectacular.

(17) At the summit, opposite the Granier, look out for a yellow dot and a blue dot on the ground, bordering the drop-off: this is the start of the Fouda Blanc via ferrata. Descend towards these dots and follow the well-marked and signposted path which runs along the summit cliff, heading south-southeast. After a pine tree, a blue arrow on the cliff indicates that you must descend and head back in the opposite direction. The path heads north-north-west and passes beneath the summit of Le Pinet once more, climbing slightly, before turning onto the slope and descending to the track on the steep grassy slopes, which is the upper section of the Fouda Blanc route.

Follow this trail generally southwards, taking great care: whilst there are no technical difficulties, fatigue can set in, and even a small mistake could lead to a fatal fall.

The trail crosses the ascent route between points 3 and 4 (don’t forget to pick up your sleeping bag if you’ve spent the night at the Balme). It then becomes more comfortable and continues southwards through increasingly spectacular cliffs until it reaches the corner of the Roche de Fitta, where it turns east. It then heads east-northeast, passing beneath rocky ledges, to join the^GR® 9 below the Pas de l’Échelle (it is possible to climb up onto the plateau a few metres further on).

(18) Descend along the^GR® to the south-west, and after a wide circular loop to the left, join the Pratcel valley to reach the meadow of the same name, where there is a ‘tamed’ spring.

(19) Ignore the^GR® which branches off to the left (signpost) and continue along the valley floor to the south-west towards Saint-Même. The path zigzags over slippery rocks between metal cables installed to protect the cows from falling as they make their way up to the mountain pastures.

Ignore all the paths branching off to the left and follow the wide, motorable track which winds endlessly north-westwards back to the starting point at Les Varvats (S/E).

Warning: this hike is particularly long and difficult compared to typical hikes. The walking time exceeds 7 hours, and it is best to allow 11 hours, taking into account stops and photo breaks. The distance covered is 25 km and the total elevation gain exceeds 2, 400 m, resulting in an average gradient of nearly 20 per cent. The terrain is also challenging, with more than half the route following poorly marked paths or off-trail, right on the edge of the precipice. To tackle this type of route in a single day, you need a strong sense of direction, a good ability to read the terrain and use contour lines to minimise fatigue, or a very user-friendly GPS device that allows you to follow the route easily whilst enjoying the scenery. For less experienced hikers, it’s best to plan to camp overnight (see below).

?️ Park at the Varvats car park, N 45.412601° / E 5.886394°. By clicking on this Waze link, you can enter these coordinates directly into your favourite sat-nav app. There is sometimes a small fountain where you can fill your water bottle, but this is not always available.

? Water is scarce, as is often the case in the Chartreuse; make sure you carry enough with you. There is an intermittent fountain at the starting point, a sheep trough between (5) and (6), and a spring at the Pratcel meadow at (19).

? Most of the walk takes place within the Hauts de Chartreuse Nature Reserve, where dogs are not permitted. In any case, the terrain isn’t suitable for them (steep gradients, no climbing).

?‍♀️ This walk is classified as ‘extremely difficult’, mainly due to the significant elevation gain and the distance. However, even if the walk is split over two days, the sections between (1) and (2) require some climbing (grade 3c) and, above all, the via ferrata sections are exposed, particularly the one at Fouda Blanc between (17) and (18): whilst there are no technical difficulties, the slightest lapse in concentration could lead to a fall that would almost certainly be fatal.

? The trails are situated on very steep slopes with clay soil: even the slightest rainfall renders them impassable. You must not attempt them within 24 hours of rainfall.

? The hike is long but well suited to camping:

1. a shelter situated on a ledge at the top of the scree switchbacks leading to the lower ridge of the Fouda Blanc — before the (2) — allows you to camp sheltered by the rock and set off at around 6 or 7 am. In this case, you can leave your sleeping bag on the upper Fouda Blanc ridge, between (3) and (4), to collect it on the way down.
2. The Col de Belles Ombres is preceded by superb flat meadows on the Alpe (west) side. After (10), head up to the pass to set up camp and admire the sunset over Belledonne. The next day, hide the bivouac to walk round the Belles Ombres ridges; back on the ridge after L’Arche (15), stay on the summit path to return to the Col de Belles Ombres and collect your sleeping bag and other kit. Then take the path heading due west which joins the ascent route. Follow this back to the Trou de la Ragne (7) before climbing up to (6) and continuing past the solitary tree at (16).

? Standard hiking kit is sufficient. A few sections through the forest make trousers more comfortable than shorts, and all the alternative routes require them. As always, an ice axe is more useful than walking poles on steep clay slopes such as those leading up from the Grotte de l’Ours (13) or the ascent to the Arche de Belles Ombres (15). If you undertake this hike before mid-May, a head torch will be useful and will also allow you to explore the depths of the Grotte de l’Ours. ? Please note: the passage through the short chimney (4) is very narrow and cannot accommodate a bulky rucksack.

⏰ The length of the hike means you’ll need to set off early in the morning, typically at 5 am from Les Varvats. From late May onwards, it’s light enough that you won’t need a head torch, and this remains the case until early August. Setting off later increases the risk of thunderstorms. Of course, camping allows you to adjust your schedule.

Please note that until July, the Labyrinth around the arches (8) and (9) is covered in snowfields, even in years of extreme heat, and it can be difficult to pass under the arches

? The IBP statistics for the route give a difficulty rating of 194HKG, a distance of 25.45 km, a total elevation gain of 2,453 m, a walking time of 7:16:59 and an average speed of 3.51 km/h.

? Navigation is made easier by the landmarks of Mont Granier (see the sharp limestone pavement) and the Col de Belles Ombres, which help you set a bearing. However, you need to be able to maintain these bearings whilst making use of the contour lines or navigating through the forest. As the information on the IGN topographic map is inaccurate on the limestone plateau of the Alpe and near the Col de Belles Ombres, a GPS device — or, of course, the Visorando app — is recommended to compensate for any lack of a sense of direction.

The full route is available on VisuGPX.

? Alpine wildlife is, of course, abundant, with numerous chamois on the slopes of the Belles Ombres ridges. Vultures and marmots are also easy to spot. Ibex are rarer, having only been reintroduced in 2010, but it is possible to catch a glimpse of them – see this young ibex.

? The views from the ‘sangles’ are magnificent. See this interactive photo taken at the exit of the path leading up from the lower to the upper ‘sangle’ of Belles Ombres, or the one taken at the exit of the chimney (4) leading up to the Roches de Fouda Blanc.

? There are numerous possible variations. During an initial reconnaissance, I extended the outing by covering the entire Belles Ombres ridge (see this description beyond (9), which corresponds to (14) here) and emerging at the magnificent Pré de l’Alpette, then ascending to Le Pinet via the standard route, where you can see a fine chimney in the cliffs bordering the path, at around 1,700 m. This adds approximately 3 km and 200 m of elevation gain.

You can also set off from Pré Orcel on the Grésivaudan side of the massif for a significantly shorter and slightly less spectacular route. In this case, climb to the Col de Belles Ombres (10), then follow the route to Le Pinet (17). When the Fouda Blanc trail crosses the ascent between (3) and (4) (blue dots and arrow), head up onto the ridge via the chimney (4) to complete the circular route.

? A few terms:

• a ‘balme’ or ‘baume’ is a cave or a recess in the rock at the foot of a cliff where it is easy to shelter from the rain;
• a cairn is a small pile of stones placed by walkers to mark the route; remember to maintain it and add stones each time you pass by;
• a doline is a type of underground collapse common in karst (limestone) terrain, forming a circular depression on the surface;
• a lapiaz or lapies is a surface erosion pattern in limestone, caused by water running over gently sloping rocks …
• a ‘sangle’ (masculine noun) is a level path on a steep slope.

Le Pinet takes its name from the pine trees that grow on its slopes; ‘Le Truc’, its alternative name, means a hillock or mound.