Chartreuse Mountains



The Chartreuse Mountains (Massif de la Chartreuse ) are a mountain range in southeastern France, stretching from the city of Grenoble in the south to the Lac du Bourget in the north. They are part of the French Prealps, which continue as the Bauges to the north and the Vercors to the south.

Etymology
The name Chartreuse is derived from the village now known as Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse, earlier Catorissium, Cantourisa, Caturissium, and Chatrousse. It appears to be of Gaulish origin; and is perhaps related to the name of the Caturiges tribe.

Geography
The mountain range rises between Grenoble (south), Chambéry (north), Voiron and Saint-Laurent-du-Pont (west) and Grésivaudan (Isère valley, east)

Main summits
Summits of the Chartreuse Mountains include:
 * Chamechaude, 2082 m
 * Dent de Crolles, 2062 m
 * Les Lances de Malissard 2045 m
 * Grand Som, 2026 m
 * Dôme de Bellefont 1975 m
 * Piton de Bellefont 1958 m
 * Mont Granier, 1933 m
 * La Grande Sure, 1920 m
 * Le Charmant Som 1867 m
 * Sommet du Pinet ou le Truc 1867 m
 * Rochers de Chalves 1845 m
 * Rocher de Lorzier 1838 m
 * Dent de l'Ours 1820 m
 * Scia 1791 m
 * Petit Som 1772 m
 * Pinéa 1771 m
 * Mont Outheran 1673 m
 * Grands Crêts 1489 m
 * Pointe de la Gorgeat 1486 m
 * Écoutoux 1406 m
 * mont Saint-Eynard 1358 m
 * Néron 1298 m
 * Rachais 1050 m

Main passes
Passes of the Chartreuse Mountains include :

With road

 * Col de la Charmette
 * Col de la Cluse
 * Col du Coq
 * Col du Cucheron
 * Col du Granier
 * Col de Porte
 * Col de Palaquit
 * Col de Vence
 * Col de la Placette

Without road

 * Col de l'Alpe
 * Col de l'Alpette
 * Col des Ayes
 * Col de Charmille
 * Col des Émeindras
 * Col de la Faîta
 * Col de Bellefond
 * Col de Léchaud
 * Col de la Ruchère
 * Col de la Sure
 * Col de la Grande Vache
 * Col de la Petite Vache
 * Col du Baure

Main canyons
Canyons of the Chartreuse Mountains include :
 * Gorges du Guiers Vif
 * Gorges du Guiers Mort
 * Gorges du Ténaison
 * Gorges de la Vence
 * Gorge du Manival
 * Gorges de l'Echaillon
 * Gorges du Cozon Rau

Main plateaux
Plateaux of the Chartreuse Mountains include :
 * Plateau des Petites Roches
 * Plateau du Grand-Ratz

Main Caves
The main caves in the Chartreuse include : 69.6 km long, 655 m deep.
 * Réseau de la Dent de Crolles - about 60 km long, 690 m deep.
 * Système du Granier, 55.7 km long, 635 m deep.
 * Réseau de malissard, 18.2 km long, 415 m deep.
 * Système Pinet-Brouillard, 11.2 km long, 507 m deep.



Geology
The lithology is dominated by limestone, and several hundred kilometres of cave passages lie beneath the hills, including the world-famous 60 km long Dent de Crolles system.



Winter sports resorts
Chartreuse winter sports resorts include :
 * Le Désert d'Entremont, where the use of snowshoes has been particularly developed
 * Granier en Chartreuse
 * Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse and Le Planolet
 * Saint-Hugues-de-Chartreuse
 * Col de Porte 1326 m
 * Le Sappey-en-Chartreuse
 * La Ruchère (cross-country skiing)
 * Saint-Hilaire-du-Touvet
 * Col de Marcieu
 * Col du Coq

Environment

 * The Parc Naturel Régional de la Chartreuse was founded in May 1995.
 * The Réserve Naturelle des Hauts de Chartreuse was founded in 1997. It includes seven Isère townships and four Savoie townships.

Miscellaneous
The Chartreuse Mountains gave their name to the monastery of the Grande Chartreuse, the monastic Carthusian Order takes its name from these mountains, where its first hermitage was founded in 1084. Also derived from the mountain range's name is that of the alcoholic cordial Chartreuse produced by the monks since the 1740s, and of the chartreuse colour, greenish hue of the Chartreuse liqueur, named after the drink.