Tour of the Grande Chartreuse Monastery

This walk through the woods is very pleasant in warm weather, with a beautiful view from the belvedere over the Grande Chartreuse Monastery and the surrounding peaks.
The difference in altitude, the sometimes narrow path, the balcony-like terrain and the untimely opening of forestry tracks make the return journey difficult.
Please read the recommendations carefully at (6).

Details

2228593
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.44 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 626 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 621 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,385 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 848 m

Photos

Description of the walk

La Correrie car park.

(S/E) Take the tarmac road that climbs northwards towards the monastery.

(1) Leave the large entrance to the monastery on your right and continue along the road that passes in front of two buildings, the taller of which has a wooden shingle roof (wooden roofing). Continue along the dirt track after the tarmac road.

(2) Take the path going up to the right. The path becomes a trail before reaching Bourdoire.

(3) Return a few metres along a forest road, take the first path on the left and then the first on the right. Signpost for "La Correrie".
The path winds around before joining theGRP® Tour de Grande Chartreuse.

(4) Follow the yellow-red GRP® markings to the right. Narrow path, like a balcony, crossed by several streams on the right. Below the path, make a round trip to the viewpoint overlooking the monastery.
There is a beautiful view of the northern and western mountains.

(5) Continue to follow the yellow-red markings

(6) Please note that forestry tracks have been opened from this point onwards.
Some hikers have had serious problems on this hike, see review dated 02/06/2023, between (6) and (7) when following the wrong path. The route has been manually readjusted to try to resolve the problem.
Look out for theGRP® or Trail 4 markings (small white labels).
The path ascending to the left is only marked on its upper section.
Then, on the final descent, turn right twice onto the embankment created by the logging road.
The yellow-red markings are visible. The GPS track is random, with reception extremely disrupted by the forest and the orientation of the slope.
Return via the top of the Musée de la Correrie buildings to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 855 m - Correrie car park
  2. 1 : km 1.65 - alt. 959 m - Entrance to the > - Couvent de la Grande Chartreuse
  3. 2 : km 3.13 - alt. 1,145 m - Chapel fork
  4. 3 : km 3.74 - alt. 1,254 m - Bourdoire
  5. 4 : km 4.5 - alt. 1,380 m - GRP Tour de Grande Chartreuse junction
  6. 5 : km 5.37 - alt. 1,228 m - Belvedere
  7. 6 : km 6.76 - alt. 1,092 m - Farm track
  8. S/E : km 8.44 - alt. 856 m - Correrie car park

Notes

Alternative route:
(2) A detour to the Chapels of Saint-Bruno and Notre-Dame de Casalibus is possible, and you can rejoin the path leading uphill via a path that opens up from the first building.

Numerous springs whose water is not monitored.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4 / 5
Based on 16 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
3.9 / 5
Okomani
Okomani

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk in the cool woods. Be aware that there is no magnificent view at the top because there is no top! At one point, there is an opening onto the monastery. Very pretty. It's very nice to be able to stop and buy some souvenirs at the museum.

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pascalou380
pascalou380

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

There was snow from 1,200 metres upwards, but it was still possible to walk in shoes. The second part had quite a few sloping sections, but the snow was crusty and stable, so there were no problems. At point 6, the markings are very clear and there is no confusion; just follow the trial 4 markings. The markings are impeccable throughout. Don't miss the viewpoint over the monastery.

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Marc13!
Marc13!

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A circular through the woods with very few viewpoints. Be careful not to miss the viewpoint overlooking the monastery at point 5, as it is slightly off the path, below. It would be a shame to miss it, as it is pretty much the only real point of interest on this walk.

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Ogre
Ogre
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Route done in the direction indicated. Three adults. A few questions at two forks quickly resolved with the map. Large fallen trees easily crossed. You can also walk around them on the right. There are three viewpoints, two of which offer a beautiful view of the monastery. Bring binoculars for more details on the buildings still undergoing renovation. In this period of unpredictable weather, the undergrowth was very damp and the paths were sometimes muddy despite a fairly sunny day. A very pleasant hike. It can be done in the opposite direction, starting from the small car park above the large one at La Correrie.

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Gianni69
Gianni69

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I have often done this route, but always in the opposite direction to the one indicated: you start with a section that can be difficult (according to reports) and finish with a "stroll" near the monastery, which seems more comfortable to me. We didn't encounter any difficulties on the path between the start (La Correrie) and point 6, apart from a few fallen trees, but they didn't block the way. When travelling north to south, at one point you may be tempted to continue along a fairly wide, flat path, when in fact you need to turn left onto a narrow trail. There are no signs at this point. By doing the route in the opposite direction, you avoid this risk.

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grandin
grandin ★

While awaiting a response from the author, I have corrected his GPS track to make it coincide with the marked trail, further east.
Kind regards

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Pierre Cochat
Pierre Cochat

In any case, something must be done to prevent this from happening again.
Thank you for your comments.

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grandin
grandin ★

Here is what the author says about this potion

"Please note that logging roads have been opened from this point onwards.
Look out for the GRP® or Trail 4 markings (small white labels).
The path climbs to the left and is only marked on its upper section.
Then, on the final descent, turn right twice onto the embankment created by the logging road.
The yellow-red markings are visible. The GPS track is unreliable, with reception extremely disrupted by the forest and the orientation of the slope."

The GPS track is therefore not really reliable. I will ask the author to correct it manually.

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Pierre Cochat
Pierre Cochat

I'm not sure about that because, according to your app, we were definitely on the marked trail. We realised that, in trying to 'find our way out', we had left your trail behind, but we did so consciously because it was leading nowhere and the trail had completely disappeared.

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grandin
grandin ★

It is possible that you took the wrong path and followed a path called "old dead-end path" visible on the OSMRando map.

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Pierre Cochat
Pierre Cochat
grandin
grandin ★

Hello
Can you put this trace on your Visorando page so that I can check with the author to see if we can get around it?

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Pierre Cochat
Pierre Cochat

Yes, me...
Thank you for your feedback, and I confirm that it could have been disastrous...

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grandin
grandin ★

Pierre Cochat
We are sorry for this experience, which could have been disastrous.
Did any of you record the route you took?

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Pierre Cochat
Pierre Cochat

Overall rating : 1 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

The first part of the route, up to the viewpoint overlooking the Grande Chartreuse monastery, is pleasant. Then, the path disappears insidiously as you are already well into a very steep forest where turning back is as dangerous as the descent. Two of the three walkers took a serious fall and, injured and in a technical impasse, aware of the major danger, we had to call for help. A helicopter rescue was necessary, and the rescuers were not surprised. A death had occurred shortly before at the same spot.
We believe it is essential to either remove this hiking route or to stop it at the viewpoint.
Until then, we had only had positive experiences with Visorando...
Kind regards.

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