Rioupéroux à la Croix de Chamrousse
Quite a walk, this climb to the Chamrousse cross from Rioupéroux! No less than 1765m of elevation gain for 17 km, enough to delight the most seasoned hikers and trail runners!
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Departure: La Salinière in Rioupéroux
Elevation: 1730 m
Duration one way: 8h30
Distance one way: 17.4 km
Level: very difficult
MAP:
IGN map: TOP 25 – 3335 OT Grenoble Chamrousse Belledonne
ROUTE
Cross the bridge spanning the Romanche, go back up for about 50 meters, the road towards La Salinière, and turn right onto the marked path leading to the Arselle plateau (signs – 551m alt.).
The trail starts off very steeply, reaches the foot of a huge electricity pylon and enters a dense forest.
The climb of this very well-marked path is always very steep.
At an altitude of 700m, it joins a solid footbridge which allows the crossing of the ravine where the Arselle stream flows.
The rest is characterized by a climb through the woods which is always very steep and therefore physical, and this on many bends which allow the elevation gain to be reduced relatively quickly.
Continue along the path which takes two cabled passages and which goes up along a small ledge located in a clear and more rocky section.
Here, the view plunges impressively and from more than 1000 meters high over the Romanche valley.
It is then easy to spot the village of Rioupéroux and the hamlet of La Salinière.
Continue the climb, the slope of which suddenly eases, and finally reaches the wooded area of the southern entrance to the Arselle plateau.
Cross the Arselle plateau towards the East, dotted with thousands of daffodils in spring, to find yourself on the GR 549.
The cross-country trail becomes a pleasant little forest trail (North-East).
After about 1 hour of walking the path leads to Lake Achard (1917m).
Continue the climb on the right of the lake towards the Col de l’Infernet (2050m).
Continue across to reach the bottom of the valley below the Col de la Botte.
Go up this valley with a few climbs/descents, then go up the final slope via switchbacks to reach the Col des Trois Fontaines, where the alpine ski slopes go down to Lacs Robert.
Take a left to go back up along the track leading to
the summit plateau of the Croix de Chamrousse.
TO SEE ON THE COURSE:
-the peaks of the south of Belledonne
-the Great Spear ofAllemond,
- Grandes Rousses massif, with the Bayle peak and the Etendard peak.
TO KNOW :
The Salinière -> Plateau de l'Arselle section is a vertical km (3km out of 1000 of d+) with sometimes slopes of more than 30% and is part of the route of the Grenoble ultra trail UT4M
Departure: La Salinière in Rioupéroux
Elevation: 1730 m
Duration one way: 8h30
Distance one way: 17.4 km
Level: very difficult
MAP:
IGN map: TOP 25 – 3335 OT Grenoble Chamrousse Belledonne
ROUTE
Cross the bridge spanning the Romanche, go back up for about 50 meters, the road towards La Salinière, and turn right onto the marked path leading to the Arselle plateau (signs – 551m alt.).
The trail starts off very steeply, reaches the foot of a huge electricity pylon and enters a dense forest.
The climb of this very well-marked path is always very steep.
At an altitude of 700m, it joins a solid footbridge which allows the crossing of the ravine where the Arselle stream flows.
The rest is characterized by a climb through the woods which is always very steep and therefore physical, and this on many bends which allow the elevation gain to be reduced relatively quickly.
Continue along the path which takes two cabled passages and which goes up along a small ledge located in a clear and more rocky section.
Here, the view plunges impressively and from more than 1000 meters high over the Romanche valley.
It is then easy to spot the village of Rioupéroux and the hamlet of La Salinière.
Continue the climb, the slope of which suddenly eases, and finally reaches the wooded area of the southern entrance to the Arselle plateau.
Cross the Arselle plateau towards the East, dotted with thousands of daffodils in spring, to find yourself on the GR 549.
The cross-country trail becomes a pleasant little forest trail (North-East).
After about 1 hour of walking the path leads to Lake Achard (1917m).
Continue the climb on the right of the lake towards the Col de l’Infernet (2050m).
Continue across to reach the bottom of the valley below the Col de la Botte.
Go up this valley with a few climbs/descents, then go up the final slope via switchbacks to reach the Col des Trois Fontaines, where the alpine ski slopes go down to Lacs Robert.
Take a left to go back up along the track leading to
the summit plateau of the Croix de Chamrousse.
TO SEE ON THE COURSE:
-the peaks of the south of Belledonne
-the Great Spear ofAllemond,
- Grandes Rousses massif, with the Bayle peak and the Etendard peak.
TO KNOW :
The Salinière -> Plateau de l'Arselle section is a vertical km (3km out of 1000 of d+) with sometimes slopes of more than 30% and is part of the route of the Grenoble ultra trail UT4M
