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.
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.