Chartreuse Mountains

The Charmant Som and Chamechaude from the Col de la Grande Vache
Map of the Chartreuse massif.

The Chartreuse Mountains (French: massif de la Chartreuse, French: [ʃaʁ.tʁøːz]) is a mountain range in southeastern France, stretching from the city of Grenoble south to the Lac du Bourget north. It is the southernmost range in the Jura Mountains and belongs to the French Prealps.

One of the larger cities in the Chartreuse Mountains is Voiron (Isère).

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, named after the drink.

Etymology

The name Chartreuse is derived from the village now known as Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse, earlier Catorissium, Cantourisa, Caturissium, and Chatrousse.[1] It appears to be of Gaulish origin;[2] and is perhaps related to the name of the Caturiges tribe.[3]

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, 2,082 metres (6,831 ft)
  • Dent de Crolles, 2,062 metres (6,765 ft)
  • Les Lances de Malissard 2,045 metres (6,709 ft)
  • Grand Som, 2,026 metres (6,647 ft)
  • Dôme de Bellefont 1,975 metres (6,480 ft)
  • Piton de Bellefont 1,958 metres (6,424 ft)
  • Mont Granier, 1,933 metres (6,342 ft)
  • La Grande Sure, 1,920 metres (6,299 ft)
  • Le Charmant Som 1,867 metres (6,125 ft)
  • Le Sommet du Pinet ou le Truc 1,867 metres (6,125 ft)
  • Les Rochers de Chalves 1,845 metres (6,053 ft)
  • Rocher de Lorzier 1,838 metres (6,030 ft)
  • Dent de l'Ours 1,820 metres (5,971 ft)
  • Le Petit Som 1,772 metres (5,814 ft)
  • La Pinéa 1,771 metres (5,810 ft)
  • Le Mont Outheran 1,673 metres (5,489 ft)
  • Les Grands Crêts 1,489 metres (4,885 ft)
  • L'Écoutoux 1,406 metres (4,613 ft)
  • Dent du Chat, 1,390 metres (4,560 ft)
  • Le mont Saint-Eynard 1,358 metres (4,455 ft)
  • Le Néron 1,298 metres (4,259 ft)
  • La Scia 1,791 metres (5,876 ft)
  • Le Rachais 1,050 metres (3,445 ft)

Main passes

Passes of the Chartreuse Mountains include :

With road

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 :

Main trays

Trays of the Chartreuse Mountains include :

  • Plateau des Petites Roches
  • Plateau du Grand-Ratz

Main karst areas

Karst areas of the Chartreuse include :

Panorama of the Grésivaudan Valley and the Chartreuse Mountains from Les Sept Laux.

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.

The Tour Percée Double Arch, at 32 metres (105 ft) the longest span in the Alps.

Winter sports resorts

Chartreuse winter sports resorts include :

Environment

Miscellaneous

The Chartreuse Mountains gave their name to:

References

  1. ↑ Oxford English Dictionary, 1st edition, 1888 s.v.
  2. ↑ Juan Luis García Alonso, Continental Celtic Word Formation: The Onomastic Data, p. 42
  3. ↑ Robert Ellis, A Treatise on Hannibal's Passage of the Alps, 1853, p. 174

Coordinates: 45°21′N 5°50′E / 45.350°N 5.833°E / 45.350; 5.833

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