Chartreuse Mountains

For other uses, see Chartreuse.

Charmant Som and Chamechaude in the Chartreuse Mountains.

DEM of the Chartreuse massif.

The Chartreuse Mountains (French: massif de la Chartreuse, French: [ʃaʁ.tʁøːz]) is a mountain range in eastern France, stretching to the north from the city of Grenoble to the Lac du Bourget. It is the southernmost range in the Jura Mountains and belongs to the French Prealps.

One of the larger cities in the Chartreuse Mountains is Voiron (Isère).

The monastic Carthusian Order takes its name from these mountians, where its first hermitage was founded in 1084. Also derived from the mountain range's name is that of the alcoholic cordial Chartreuse produced by the monks since the 1740s, and of the chartreuse colour.

Summits

Summits in the Chartreuse include:

• Chamechaude, 2,082 metres (6,831 ft)
• Dent de Crolles, 2,062 metres (6,765 ft)
• Les Lances de Malissard 2,045 metres (6,709 ft)
• Grand Som, 2,026 metres (6,647 ft)
• Dôme de Bellefont 1,975 metres (6,480 ft)
• Piton de Bellefont 1,958 metres (6,424 ft)
• Mont Granier, 1,933 metres (6,342 ft)
• La Grande Sure, 1,920 metres (6,299 ft)
• Le Charmant Som 1,867 metres (6,125 ft)
• Le Sommet du Pinet ou le Truc 1,867 metres (6,125 ft)
• Les Rochers de Chalves 1,845 metres (6,053 ft)
• Rocher de Lorzier 1,838 metres (6,030 ft)
• Dent de l'Ours 1,820 metres (5,971 ft)
• Le Petit Som 1,772 metres (5,814 ft)
• La Pinéa 1,771 metres (5,810 ft)
• Le Mont Outheran 1,673 metres (5,489 ft)
• Les Grands Crêts 1,489 metres (4,885 ft)
• L'Écoutoux 1,406 metres (4,613 ft)
• Dent du Chat, 1,390 metres (4,560 ft)
• Le mont Saint-Eynard 1,358 metres (4,455 ft)
• Le Néron 1,298 metres (4,259 ft)

Panorama of the Grésivaudan Valley and the Chartreuse Mountains from Les Sept Laux.

Geology

The lithology is dominated by limestone, and several hundred kilometres of cave passages lie beneath the hills, including the world-famous 60 km long Dent de Crolles system.

The Double Arch, at 32 metres (105 ft) the longest span in the Alps.

Ski resorts include

• Le Désert d'Entremont, where the use of snowshoes has been particularly developed
• Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse
• Col de Porte 1,326 metres (4,350 ft)
• Le Sappey-en-Chartreuse
• La Ruchère (cross-country skiing)
• Saint-Hilaire-du-Touvet

Miscellaneous

The Chartreuse Mountains gave their name to:

• The monastery of the Grande Chartreuse, head of the Carthusian order
• The Chartreuse liquor, manufactured under the monks' supervision.
• The color chartreuse, with the greenish hue of the Chartreuse liqueur.

External links

• Chartreuse: A Walking Guide
• A Wiki-Walks guide to some less well known hiking routes in the Chartreuse

Coordinates: 45°21′N 5°50′E / 45.35°N 5.833°E / 45.35; 5.833