The Chartreuse loop by motorcycle — road trip 143 km from Grenoble

Route map

Base map © IGN · Géoplateforme. Indicative route — check that the passes are open before you set off.

↓ Download the GPX track Book the bike for this road trip →

The route, step by step

The route in detailGrenoble, Col de Porte, Granier, Chambéry, back143 kmapprox. 3 h 23

Agence envie2rouler — Grenoble (Sassenage)start
Col de Porte+19 km
Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse+10 km
Col du Cucheron+5 km
Col du Granier+25 km
Chambéry+23 km
Les Échelles+23 km
Col de la Placette+19 km
Agence envie2rouler — Grenoble (Sassenage)+19 km

What to see on the way

The Grande Chartreuse museum at La Correrie (Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse): nine centuries of Carthusian history, two kilometres from the monastery and right beside the road.
Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse: the village at the heart of the massif, starting point for the Charmant Som and Dent de Crolles trails, with terraces on the way down from the Cucheron.
Chambéry, two hundred metres off the route: old town, castle of the Dukes of Savoy and the Elephant Fountain.
Les Échelles and the Voie Sarde: the old royal road of the Dukes of Savoy, cut into the cliff in the 17th century and still visible from the road.

Photo stops not to miss

Nine stops scouted along the 143 km loop, all reachable without leaving the road.

1

The Col de Porte, 1,326 mThe gap onto the Chartreuse ridges from the pass car park, the first real viewpoint of the day.

2

The Grande Chartreuse monasteryThe road passes within about a hundred metres of the monastery founded in 1084. It cannot be visited, but it photographs beautifully from the road, sitting in its wooded valley.

3

The hamlet of La CorrerieThe low museum buildings, two kilometres from the monastery, in a clearing. Easy framing from the road down to it.

4

The Cucheron descent to Saint-PierreFrom one of the left-hand hairpins, the village roofs with the Grand Som behind.

5

The Col du Cucheron, 1,140 mPasture and forest on both sides, shaded early in the day.

6

The Col du Granier, 1,134 mThe bike in the foreground and the north face of Mont Granier rising straight behind, the one that collapsed in 1248.

7

The Combe de Savoie from the GranierTurn round at the pass: the Apremont vineyards and the Isère valley running towards Chambéry.

8

ChambéryThe old town, the castle of the Dukes of Savoy and the Elephant Fountain, two hundred metres off the route.

9

The Voie Sarde at Les ÉchellesThe old royal road of the Dukes of Savoy, cut into the cliff in the 17th century, still visible from the road.

What you will see along the way

Seven passes in a single day

The Chartreuse rides like a fairground ride. Over 143 km the loop strings together the Col de Clémencières (620 m) on the way out of Grenoble, the Col de Palaquit (1,154 m), the Col de Porte (1,326 m, the high point of the day), the Col du Cucheron (1,140 m), the Col du Granier (1,134 m), the Col de Couz (636 m) and the Col de la Placette (594 m) on the way home. Forest bends, wide hairpins and good sightlines: the ideal massif for a first full day of riding in the Alps.

The Grande Chartreuse monastery, a hundred metres off the road

Between the Col de Porte and the Col du Cucheron the route passes within about a hundred metres of the monastery founded by Saint Bruno in 1084, cradle of the Carthusian order. It cannot be visited: the monks live in silence and solitude. The Grande Chartreuse museum, housed at La Correrie two kilometres away, tells nine centuries of monastic history and sits directly on the route.

The Grand Som at the end of the day, above the Saint-Hugues valley: the summit the community lives beneath. Photo: Chartreuse Tourisme

The Granier, the biggest cliff in the massif

To the north the road runs beneath Mont Granier and its huge wall, the one that collapsed in November 1248 in one of the largest historical landslides in Europe. From the pass the view drops onto the Combe de Savoie and the Apremont vineyards, then the descent opens onto Chambéry and its old town.

Home via Les Échelles and the Voie Sarde

The loop closes through Les Échelles, where the old royal road of the Dukes of Savoy was cut into the cliff in the 17th century, then climbs the Col de la Placette to drop back down to Voreppe and Grenoble. Not a single kilometre ridden twice, and no toll motorway.

The western side of the Chartreuse towards Saint-Étienne-de-Crossey — The western side, towards Saint-Étienne-de-Crossey: hills, meadows and the wall of the massif behind. Nothing like the eastern face. Photo: Chartreuse Tourisme

Good to know before you go

Best season: April to October. The Chartreuse passes stay low and are cleared most of the year, but snow can close Porte or Cucheron in mid-winter.
143 km: the day sits comfortably within the 200 km included on the first day of hire.
About 3 h 30 of actual riding, so a relaxed full day once stops are added.
Fill up before you climb: petrol stations become scarce inside the massif.
This is a busy regional nature park: livestock, walkers and many cyclists in the hairpins, especially at weekends.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Chartreuse tour suitable for an A2 licence?

Yes. Most of our Triumph and BMW fleet is available in A2 (restricted to 35 kW), and no section of this loop calls for particular experience. It is the route we recommend for a first day of mountain passes.

When is the best time to ride in the Chartreuse?

April to October. The high point is the Col de Porte at only 1,326 m, which makes the massif rideable very early in spring and late into autumn, unlike the high passes of the Oisans.

Can you visit the Grande Chartreuse monastery?

No, the monastery is closed to visitors: the Carthusians live there in silence. The Grande Chartreuse museum at La Correrie (2 km away) is open to the public and sits right beside the route.

How much time should I allow?

About 3 h 30 of riding for 143 km, so a full day including photo stops, lunch and a visit. Pick-up is at the agency in Grenoble (9am–6pm), or optional 24/7 self-service so you leave whenever suits you.