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Chartreuse

(sited between Chamberry + Grenoble right of motorway A41)

Walkings Stroud-Rambling-Club (SRC)

10. - 17. Juni 2009

Meeting point Hertz car dealer Airport Geneva -

French - Sector - Wednesday 10. June 2009 12:00

25 walking friends from Stroud got their ordered cars, two went with me and the walking week started with the drive over Annecy - Chamberry and direct through the middle of Chartreuse to “Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse” (=„St-Pierre” - ca. 960 m). On the journey and the whole next week, perfect weather, wonderful countryside, especially on „Col de Granier” we got the first impression.

As the stonewall brake ….., Historiography tells from 5000 killed, as a giant stone dropped out anno 1248 a mountain avalanche was caused and went 7 km down in direction of Chamberry, some little towns were destroyed and left is a bare spot, vertical north side of Granier.

 After arrival we moved into the rooms in the recommended Hotel du Nord and Victoria.

 Punctually at 19:15, we went on the place beside the town hall as all needed information.

Also we got the next day’s targets, where the two groups, carefully guided by Tessa and Trevor Wood, had to go.

 Our target stands in the evening light clear in front of us.

Time for dinner which will be taken

in a nearby restaurant, after a long travel-day.

„Le Charmant Som” (1867 m), the first target needed from the 11 walkers a lot. 100 m down and 1000 m up  and became a free view on the summit. Before we went on a steep descent with big steps, we stopped at the „Chalets de Charmant Som“.

The descent took us a while, everybody was glad, when we reached after 100 m going up,

the bar of Hotel Victoria, where the 8¾ hour walk ended happily.

 Friday, in terms of the town twinning (Jumelage) Stroud - St-Ismier - near Grenoble.

 Meeting with the walking-friends from St-Ismier.

After mixing the car navigators, we went through „Isère” valley up to a parking-area „Foyarde de Fond“ in the „Belledone“ mountains. At the winter time it is a ski area with many cross-country ski-tracks.

From here through the forest and willows up to the first viewpoints. From Vercors, over Grenoble, Chartreuse swept into view, far behind Mt. Blanc and on the right „Les Ecrins“.

After a short way down, we reached a fine picnic place. It is always wonderful, what besides delicious food is hidden in the rucksacks?

With the second part of the tour, the Jumelage-hikers from St-Ismier brought us up to the “Le Grand Rocher”. View the same as before, meanwhile we were nearly 500 m higher.

Descent, car ride, drinking break, today also 25°C

Private shower, clothes change, car ride to the acceptance at the theatre-hall from St-Ismier.

In sunset light, gifts have been given with the adequate speeches and then we have been invited for a grand buffet.

A festive day !

A friendly thank you, to the managing team and the walking friends from St-Ismier.

On the way home through Grenoble , they showed us the right crossing, back into Chartreuse.

„Chamchaude“ (2082 m) a formidable mountain overtop „St-Pierre“ with 1300 m. A car ride to „Col de Porte“ shortened our rise. We found at least a fixed rope to come up to the summit.

Also Mt. Blanc view included, but no mountain in the surrounding area, in the centre of the south Chartreuse with the abrupt, steep rock-flanks. For someone for whom 760 m was insufficient, they got the chance to go up to „La Pinea“ 1771 m. The leading guide was followed only by a few. But the daily output was then with 1105 Hm proper.

A large part of the group was guided by Tessa from „Col de Porte” through the forest, ranges and flowering meadows to „St-Pierre“.

 The Sunday walk, lunch place included, brought us to the mountain „La Scia” (1791m). We have seen

a 6-seat-chair-lift with hooks for the Mountain-bike transportation.

A mountain-bike-down-hill training was to admire.

Round 125 bikers where under way on different tough tracks.

After leaving the summit, we went through steep hillsides down to „St-Pierre“.

 The days went less, but the „Grand Som“ was standing above our holiday town „St-Pierre“.

 That should be changed, a five head group was taken to the walking-parking-site (850 m) at the „Mussée de la Grand Chatreuse“ or „La Correrie“. So the others then had all the cars they needed. From here we rose through the forest to splendid view points, far above, the „Convent de la Grand Chartreuse“.

 The monks came from Cologne and founded with St. Bruno 1084 the Carthusian fraternity - „the Silent Fraternity” - today they work from their monastery world wide (in Europe, America, Asia).

Trivial known is the Chartreuse Liqueur. It has a high alcohol level. Good will be the green, bouncing Chartreuse with 55 % the lowest one has 40 % the highest 71%, we were convinced.

All are made out of wine alcohol and the extract, out of 130 herbs.

1605 a nobleman gave the recipe to the monks as a gift, but not until 1755 a Carthusian monk Jérôme Maubec, he was apothecary, developed a manufacturing method. More is seen in internet „Wikipedia“ or parts of the film „The Great Silence“.

 Our way to „Col de Bovinant“ (1646 m) went up and down, so we had at the „Habert de Bovinant“ respectively on the „Col“ 1000 Hm behind us. On the range from the „Col“ we had nice sun shine for our break.

 The further way, up to the 2026 m high summit of the „Grand Som“ (or „monk-mountain“),

through rocks and small steep track, was a pleasure. Also we had here excellent view around. After we had made all the photos with our five cameras, we undertake, in the rocks with steel rope assured, steep descent in direction of „Col de Cucheron“. On a junction, we went right, directly in direction to „St-Pierre“.

 The first Glass-Beer-Shop” (Bar - Hotel Beauregard) had only three 0.5 ltr glasses, enough for the boys, the ladies don’t drink beer, so it was ok with lemonade glasses.

 The last walking showed us the mountains in clouds, in the valleys we had fogbanks. The chosen target was changed, after a 3,5 km car ride to „Perquelin“, we hiked to the „Source Guiers“. The spring water came out of a cave and went in cascades down to the valley.

All was wet and slippery, so we dispensed to go on the steel rope insured way into the cave.

Now down to a junction, where we found  with the map, the way up to „Col de la Sauces“ and from thence, arduous way to „Cabane de Bellefont“ (1620 m), here we met the ‘wide-walking-path’ GR9.

The closed „Cabane” is in summer a base for the shepherds.

The scheduled summit was in the clouds, so we decided to follow GR9 in south-west direction.

temporarily with using also the hands, we reached,

in front of a steel rope insured descent, the highest point on our tour with approx. 1800 m.

We went amazed through a fog-swath, she came out of the stone wall besides the way. The map showed us marked with a star „Trou du Glaz Grotte“. This cave beside the way, 2 m in and many metres into the mountain „Dent des Grolles“, was all covered with blank-ice, which came out in the warm weather as cooling fog-swath.

 Now passed on GR9 another photogenic steel rope insured chimney, at the end with a bridge with keen insight.

After 3 h from the „Cabane“ we reached „Col des Ayes“, the last target of a terrific walking week. The descent down to „Perquelin“, went, as often in the last days, above sludgy ways.

During dinner, with guests from St-Ismier, the Host indulged us with a rustic farewell dinner from the hot stone.

Mrs. Chairman spoke thank to Tessa for her perfect organisation, and also to Trevor and Tessa Wood for the safe guiding. I joined in, on that, and said thank you to both.

 The way back started exact 6:30 in the morning. Meeting point Hertz car dealer Air port Geneva - French Sector

- 17. June ’09 10:30, was for no one a problem.

If the plane started on time, so I was behind Bern in direction Pfullingen.

Gnom

PS: Revised by C. R. Cross