Chartreuse Regional Nature Park

Overview of the park

Spanning Isère and Savoie, this is one of the great and beautiful parks of the Alps. Activities include hiking, canyoning, caving, and skiing.

Key facts

• Tourist interest: ★★★ (recommended).

• Features:

• Location: between Chambéry (to the north), Voiron (to the west) and Grenoble (to the south).

• Opening period: open year-round.

• Area: 767 km² spread across around sixty municipalities.

• Altitude:

• Website: https://chartreuse-tourisme.com/

Environment

Landscape

Wildlife and flora

Precautions

What to see

What to do

All activities offered in the nature park can be supervised by providers if needed or desired. Similarly, renting specific equipment is generally possible on-site.

Hiking

Chartreuse offers 1,300 kilometers of marked trails for great day hikes as well as multi-day treks. For long-distance routes, the Chartreuse Traverse between Grenoble and Chambéry is the "must-do," taking 3 to 7 days. Like many parks, it offers paper or digital guides dedicated to possible hikes. (see details).

Beyond "classic" hiking, the park allows (or organizes) other types of walking, such as "hiking with your dog," "on horseback," "with a donkey," "wilderness survival and immersion," "geocaching," "photo hikes," as well as "Nordic walking" and "trail running."

Cycling

Bike, e-bike, mountain bike, BMX: for all tastes, preferences, and skill levels. Chartreuse Park offers a wide choice of marked roads/trails to explore solo or in a guided group. (see details).

Canyoning

Several sites in Chartreuse Park are ideal for canyoning. (see details).

Caving

There are around ten more or less developed sites in and around the park, open to amateur and experienced cavers. (see details).

Fishing

The park has several hundred kilometers of waterways and small lakes where fishing is possible in season, with or without a permit. (see details).

Aerial sports

You can explore the park by paragliding, hang gliding, or even hot-air balloon, with options for trial flights. (see details).

Winter sports

Chartreuse has 8 downhill ski resorts, 6 Nordic ski sites, numerous snowshoe trails, and a ski touring area. (see details).

Climate and weather

Transport

Getting there

Getting around

Accommodation

Food

Nearby

Some interesting places to see around the park:

Aix-les-Bains ★
On the shores of Lake Bourget, Aix-les-Bains is one of France’s leading spa towns. It still boasts a significant architectural heritage from the "Belle Époque" era and attracts many tourists thanks to its location between lake and mountains.

Chambéry ★
Despite damage during the Second World War, the capital of Savoie still has some interesting buildings in its colourful centre.

Grenoble ★
At the foot of the mountains, the prefecture of Isère offers an old urban centre to explore. But it is also, and above all, a great base for discovering the surrounding mountain ranges (Vercors, Chartreuse, and Belledonne).

Les Sept Laux ★★
This is a grouping of ski resorts in the Belledonne massif on the outskirts of Grenoble.

Écrins National Park ★★★★
Straddling the Hautes-Alpes and Isère departments, this stunning park boasts numerous high peaks and glaciers. It is home to populations of chamois, ibex, and occasionally wolves. Naturally, skiing, mountaineering, and hiking are popular activities here.

Regional Nature Park of the Bauges Massif ★★
Straddling Savoie and Haute Savoie, this park primarily offers a "cultural" appeal with a distinct rural heritage.

Vercors Regional Nature Park ★★★★
Straddling the Drôme and Isère departments, the Vercors massif is a major tourist destination renowned for its landscapes, alpine flora and fauna, and especially the outdoor sports you can enjoy there (hiking, cross-country skiing, caving, climbing, canyoning).

Further reading