Sangle des Belles Ombres and Porte de l'Alpette

Date of your route : Jul 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Carried out today, the descent into the forest was difficult and exhausting from point 6 to point 8, but feasible.

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Date of your route : Aug 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike. Unfortunately, some of the directions are difficult to follow. At point 2, you must not climb over the fence, but instead head back down a few metres to find the marked rock on the right (this isn’t visible when you’re going up). The view from the straps is magnificent, and the section between points 5 and 6 isn’t as difficult to navigate as it seems. On the other hand, the walk through the forest is very tedious and adds nothing of interest to this hike. After crossing the mountain pasture, we decided to top up our water supplies at the water point near the refuge, then rejoin the hiking trail via the GR. The climb across the mountain pastures between points 8 and 9, with no visibility of the cross to guide us, makes this section more difficult.
The description of ‘difficult’ is not inaccurate.

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Date of your route : Jun 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We only did the round trip along the path so as not to make the day too challenging, and in keeping with our fitness levels...
A 3.3 km climb up a stony track to reach Pré Orcel. From there, a climb of about 350 m to reach the start of the path at the foot of the cliffs. If you don’t suffer from vertigo, there’s no difficulty in walking this path.
Magnificent setting and views. The Isère Valley, the Alps... Jagged, colourful cliffs. Lots of paragliders flying overhead.
Brilliant!!

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Good evening,

thanks for the feedback!
The route through the forest is indeed really only for those who enjoy adventurous terrain.

Unfortunately, the return route along the ridge (6) that you suggest requires going back almost as far as (3), which considerably lengthens the hike. A more direct option that avoids the forest is to follow the entire Sangle route as described in this hike, but the difficulty increases slightly.
As for the various arches of Les Belles Ombres, I have indicated their location and how to reach them in this very long hike linking the Fouda Blanc and Les Belles Ombres trails at the stages (8) and (14).

Happy hiking – jr

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Date of your route : Jul 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
Route completed this weekend.
Thanks for the description and the route map, which were very helpful.
Like others, I think the section through the woods after point 6 is really unpleasant, even borderline dangerous (it’s easy to twist or even break an ankle in the woods with its sharp limestone pavements and holes often hidden beneath the vegetation).
It took us (the two of us) ages to get through it, and we’re actually keen walkers.

Having looked at the slopes on the way back, I think we wouldn’t waste any time returning (in six) via the well-marked track towards the Col des Belles Ombres and then heading right (west) down the alpine slopes as soon as we really leave the forest and see the plateau, before heading north back to the Porte de l’Alpette. It adds a bit to the distance but probably not much to the time for a route along the ridge, and it’s much safer.

Otherwise, a very beautiful hike; no one on the upper ridge apart from an eagle and two young ibex...

The next day, heading back up to the Croix de l’Alpe, I set off again towards the summit at 1,843m along the ridge trail to find the Arche des Belles Ombres. It wasn’t easy to find the entrance to the chamois track leading there, involving a few rather exposed steps. Fortunately, I bumped into Pierre, who had marked the route with red dots some twenty years ago and who was kind enough to accompany me there... thanks to him, without whom I surely wouldn’t have found it!
A lovely encounter with this local resident who knows the area like the back of his hand.

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Thank you for the information, and good luck to your business and your staff: it’s a difficult time, but not an insurmountable one

It’s true that, thinking about it, even 12 hours is a bit short if you want to take the time to enjoy the scenery. I’ve tried to think of ways to shorten the route, but there are so many points of interest that it would be a shame to miss out on any of them. For the ‘Foudra Blanc’ section, we could head in the opposite direction to what’s described, but it’s still a shame to miss out on the ladder. However, be careful on this hike: the GPS track is incorrect in the circular section before point 6; if you follow it strictly, you risk falling onto 3–4-metre ledges as there are scree slopes (I’ve noted this in the comments).

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You’re lucky to be able to get out this weekend (I’m stuck trying to keep my business and its staff afloat following the Covid restrictions)!

For the Crête des Crocs this weekend, I reckon you’ll have little or no snow on the east face; as the western slopes are less steep, an ice axe will probably suffice – no need for crampons. Be careful between the point (3) and (4) – the path is barely visible. The descent from the point (13) is essentially on sight; just head west then north and stay in open terrain until you reach the rocky ridge that descends towards the Fontaine du Berger. If this presents any difficulty, go round it from below.

As for your suggestion to combine the Fouda Blanc with the Rochers de l’Alpe and the Belles Ombres, I think it’s a brilliant idea; I’ll try to do it, but it’s likely to be more than 12 hours’ walking at a steady pace. Along the way, there are limestone mushrooms, several karstic caves, etc. I’ve never combined these routes, but it’s undoubtedly spectacular. In principle, I’d aim for the IGN contour line 1799 after the point (4) on the Fouda Blanc hike, then the 1679 line (incidentally, there’s a very beautiful sheepfold nestled in the rock), then descend the GR to contour line 1638, followed by a climb on sight along the forest edge towards the Col de Belles Ombres (there is a section off the trail and out of the forest described in the Sangle des Belles Ombres hike). Then, you do indeed followthe entire Belles Ombres route between (8) and (12), but after the last point, instead of strictly following the edge of the forest on your left, you head back down to the Cabane de l’Alpette and from there follow the normal signposted route up to Le Pinet.

I’ll make a note of that in my book of future routes – thanks for the idea!

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The Alpette meadow really is lovely; it would be a shame to miss it

As for the full route, I’m not sure I’ll ever do it: a 10-hour 45-minute hike plus 3–4 hours’ drive (as I have to cross Grenoble )… that’s going to be too much for me (I’m not a fan of getting up early).
However, I do plan to do the Sangle again next year, but starting from Saint Pierre d’Entremont (that way, I avoid going through Grenoble and save 1½–2 hours on my drive... I’d rather walk than drive).

I was thinking of doing it like this:
1- Follow the hike https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-le-p... up to point 4.
2- Head to the Croix de l'Alpe (which path should I take?)
3- Follow the route https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-pas-..., points: 8-9-10-11-12
4- Cross the Pré de l'Alpette (not necessarily the whole thing... at least the most interesting part)
5- Join point 5 of the hike https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-le-p... (which path?) to finish it normally

That would make a lovely circular pattern (two hikes for the price of one )

And if you’re up for posting the hike online, I’d love to see it
In your opinion, how long should we allow for this circular route at a moderate pace? Less than 9 hours?

Anyway, thanks for your input; tomorrow I’m off to do your hike https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-peti... ... though I’m a bit unsure – will there still be snow (I hope not)? Which website should I check to find out?

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Hello Mimizen, and thank you for your constructive comments!
Indeed, at this time of year, snow from the western slopes of the Chartreuse ridge overlooking the Grésivaudan is still present and dangerously conceals the sharp limestone pavement.

I can confirm that if you turn north-east too early before point 3, you risk ending up on the route leading to the Griffes de l’Ours (it’s magnificent); it is possible to scramble upwards afterwards to get back onto the ‘Sangle des Belles Ombres’, but it’s rather awkward.

The reason I did not extend the hike between point (6) and (8) along the ridge, as is possible by following the entire ridge (a hike I also authored), is the difference in difficulty: although the terrain described here is chaotic and awkward, it poses no danger other than the infamous sharp limestone pavement.

On the other hand, the route between point (6) and the Porte de l’Alpe, as described in the full route, is extremely difficult, both in terms of finding the route and the exit onto the plateau, and I didn’t want to make it too challenging. However, I will mention this option in the alternatives, noting also that the terrain between (6) and (8) is rather awkward.
If you do this full route, please do leave a comment so I can improve the descriptions!

Another alternative I’d like to mention is to turn back by reaching the ridge at (6) and following it south-south-west to reach the Col des Belles Ombres. It’s also cluttered with low trees, with poor visibility, but it shortens the circular route at the expense of the section through the very beautiful meadows (see your photo) of the Alpette.

Happy hiking!

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Date of your route : May 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A hike with stunning scenery!!!
The GPS track is accurate: thank goodness, because without it I’d probably have got lost, especially when you reach point 3 – if you follow the visible path, you tend to veer right too early (perhaps it joins up later?). It seems impossible to me to complete the route relying solely on a description (GPS is essential for me).
On the other hand, I didn’t enjoy the section through the forest between points 6 and 8 at all: you’re in the middle of primeval forest where you have to make your way through the undergrowth and moss-covered sharp limestone pavements (so it’s easy to hurt yourself on a section which, for me, isn’t particularly interesting). What’s more, at this time of year (mid-May 2019), there was still snow in places in this forest that couldn’t be avoided. In theory, you can avoid this forest by continuing to follow the path (see this route: https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-pas-...): I therefore recommend taking that route... unless anyone sees a point in going through the forest anyway? What is it?
Otherwise, as for the rest of the route, I didn’t find anything difficult (for an adult, I should point out… and one who isn’t prone to vertigo).

Thank you for this discovery

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Thank you for this review; the hike is indeed challenging, mainly because of the difficulty in finding the route.

Are there any improvements that could be made to the description to make it more accurate? Or should I change the rating to TD rather than D?

Thanks in advance, - jr

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Date of your route : Oct 15, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The off-trail section is challenging

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