At the beginning of 2020, I went on a hike below the southern tip of the Bauges mountains: Starting in Montmélian, I went up to Rocher de Montélian and visited the Christ d’Arbin nearby then walked on Chemin des Vignes (Vineyard Trail) until Chignin, visited the ruins of the medieval fortifications there and went up to Mont Ronjou at the end of the day.
I mentioned in my last post that last fall I visited Fort du Saint-Eynard in the Chartreuse mountains above Grenoble. It is a fortress built in the 19th century as defence against a potential Italian invasion. It is accessible by car but there are also multiple hiking trails to get there. It offers a great view on Grenoble and the surrounding mountains.
At the beginning of fall, I went on a hike to Mont Saint-Eynard, in the Chartreuse mountains above Grenoble.
Last summer, I went on a hike in the Belledonne mountains, near Grenoble: I walked the Belledonne-Chamrousse Lake Trail, a loop that passes by a few lakes above Chamrousse, on the way to Refuge de la Pra.
Montmélian is a small city in Savoie located below the southern tip of the Bauges mountains, next to the Isère river. In the middle ages, its location was considered strategic for Savoie, as it sat on the road between France and Italy and at the border with the Dauphiné. As a result, a fortress was built on the so-called Rocher de Montmélian (Rock of Montmélian) in the 11th century and was upgraded over the years. However, the Fort de Montmélian was finally destroyed by French troops in 1705. Nowadays, only a few scattered ruins remain and on the location of the former fort is a park with a good view on the plain below.
After getting down from La Bastille, I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around Grenoble. I then took the train back to Annecy.
Last summer, I went on a hike in the Chartreuse mountains next to Grenoble: I visited La Bastille, Mont Jalla and Mont Rachais. I used these directions as reference.
The Jardin des Dauphins is a park located in Grenoble, near the Isère river and below the Bastille fortress. It is composed of multiple levels of terraces that offer a good view on the city of Grenoble and the surrounding mountains.
Yesterday, I went on a day trip to Grenoble, where I actually used to live (in order to attend university).