Grand Veymont, Vercors

Before I forget exact names of mountains which we hiked last year, I will try to post at least their photos. So here is a hike to Grand Veymont at Vercors last summer - a very beautiful mountain with a nice view to Mount Aiguille and surroundings.

Mont Aiguille

A view to the central part of Vercors.

This long ridge stretches all way down to Grenoble. (It looks pretty impressive from the air when one arrives by an airplane and flies over Grenoble to Lyon - see here my previous photo).

My favorite hike at Chartreuse mountains - le Grand Som

Peak Grand Som is located almost in the center of Chartreuse massif, just above the famous Grande Chartreuse monastery (since 1084). The monastery lives thanks to profits coming from sales of Chartreuse liqueur. As I understood from one of my colleagues buildings of the monastery were destroyed by snow avalanches several times during its existence.

The hike starts just after a passage along the walls of the monastery.

 

After a long forest-part, one finds himself at one of the most scenic parts of the massif (in my opinion). As soon as you get to high elevation, you may see 360 degree view of Chartreuse while standing almost in the middle of this mountain system. We really liked it!

At the back: Petit Som (1722 m a.s.l.)

Approaching Grand Som - a lot of sheep's dung!

View onto the Grande Chartreuse monastery from Grand Som peak (2026 m a.s.l).

 

 Petit Som

Way back goes again along the monastery...

A great Sunday-escape from Grenoble - just about an hour by bus!

Mont Granier, Chartreuse

Here is a small photo-report about last-year hike (October) to the Mont Granier at the northern part of the Chartreuse Mountains, not far from Chambery city.

Top of the Mont Granier - 1933 m a.s.l.

At the back (in the middle) there is Chamechaude mountain (2082 m a.s.l.) which also can be seen from our kitchen!

The mountain is famous among BASE-jumpers - it has one of the highest cliffs in France (about 900 m).

 

 

 

Entrance to the cave la Balme à Collomb - the mountain has more than 55 km of cave-tunnels ... In one of the caves of this system a few decades ago speleologists found thousands of skeletons of cave bears ...