{"id":591,"date":"2014-08-18T11:59:56","date_gmt":"2014-08-18T09:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/wordpress\/?p=591"},"modified":"2019-05-07T11:43:55","modified_gmt":"2019-05-07T09:43:55","slug":"chartreuse-traverse-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mountainpassions.com\/winter\/winter-activities\/chartreuse-traverse-winter\/","title":{"rendered":"Traverse of the Chartreuse"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Where is the Chartreuse?<\/h2>\n

The Massif de la Chartreuse<\/strong> is located in South-Eastern France between the city of Grenoble<\/strong> in the south and the Lac du Bourget<\/strong>, between Chamb\u00e9ry<\/strong> and Aix-les-Bains<\/strong>, to the north. The eastern edge of the range is delimited by the River Is\u00e8re<\/strong>. To the south, between Grenoble<\/strong> and Voiron<\/strong>, the river flows through a gap which marks the southern limit of the massif. The Chartreuse has more than 1300km of marked footpaths<\/strong>, ranging from gentle strolls to the long-distance paths of the Tour de Chartreuse<\/strong> and the Traverse de la Chartreuse<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\nThe Chartreuse saves its secrets for those who want to distance themselves from the madding crowd. Along the way you’ll find silence, time for contemplation, moments for reflection plus a healthy breath of pure, fresh air.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Deep snow in the Chartreuse is no problem with snowshoes.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\"snow-shoeing
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A pause to take in the scenery.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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About the Chartreuse<\/h2>\n
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A Natural Regional Park<\/h3>\n

The Chartreuse was classed as a Natural Regional Park<\/strong> in 1995 and covers an area of 76,700 hectares<\/strong>, overlapping the departments of Is\u00e8re<\/strong> and Savoie<\/strong>. The highest point is the summit of the Chamechaud (2082m)<\/strong>. \u201cLes Hauts de Chartreuse<\/strong>\u201d (the \u201cHigh Chartreuse\u201d) are characterised by cliff-fringed mountains whose lower slopes are covered by extensive forests. They are home to roe deer, red deer, wild boar, mouflons and chamois<\/strong>. Ibex were re-introduced in 2010, and at the time of writing there are around 30 individuals, mainly in the Le Granier<\/strong> area. Above all it is a nature reserve, with restrictions in place to protect the flora, fauna and natural environment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Geology & History<\/h3>\n

The Chartreuse is a predominantly limestone massif<\/strong> which forms part of the French Prealps<\/strong>. During the formation of the Alps, starting around 30 million years ago, the rocky layers were folded and raised up. Erosion left only the bottom of the fold, in the form of a long gutter (perched syncline), oriented North-South. The Chartreuse is characterised by steep limestone cliffs, high plateaux and deep, wooded valleys<\/strong>. The massif is also something of a \u2018gruy\u00e8re\u2019 with extensive cave systems<\/strong>; over 250km have so far been discovered. In 1988 the bones of cave bears<\/strong> (Ursus Spelaeus) were discovered in a cave at la Balme-\u00e0-Collomb<\/strong>, part of Le Granier.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Chartreuse is celebrated for…<\/h3>\n

The Chartreuse is world-famous for the liqueur of the same name originally produced by the Monastery of the Grande Chartreuse<\/strong>. The monks are from the Carthusian Order which was founded by St Bruno in 1084. The \u2018green\u2019 Chartreuse is strong – 55% – and is composed of alcohol, sugar and a close-guarded secret combination of 130 plant<\/strong> and flower extracts! It is typically drunk as a \u2018digestif\u2019. In 2014 this liqueur will have celebrated 250 years of existence. It\u2019s not possible to visit the monastery itself, but at La Correrie<\/strong>, at the entrance to the valley, there’s a museum<\/strong> open to the public.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Monastery of the Grande Chartreuse.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Traverse<\/h2>\n
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Day 1: Sarcenas to the Col de Porte<\/h3>\n

The traverse is probably best done South – North, leaving a vehicle in Chamb\u00e9ry<\/strong> (the start can be reached easily from Grenoble <\/strong>by taxi). The longest day\u2019s walking is around 7 hours, with other stages typically being in the 5 \u2013 6 hour range. The itinerary described gives six days of walking.<\/p>\n

Leaving from Sarcenas<\/strong>, walking through snow-covered fields, allows you to take a path which leads up through forest to a ridge running between La Pinea<\/strong> and Montfromage<\/strong> (1662m). A loop back down brings you to the Col de Porte<\/strong> (1326m), and the possibility of overnight accommodation<\/strong> in the shadow of the Chamechaud<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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