Rioupéroux à la Croix de Chamrousse

Quite a climb from Rioupéroux to the Chamrousse cross! No less than 1765m of ascent for 17 km, enough to delight even the most seasoned hikers and trail runners!

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Start: La Salinière, Rioupéroux
Ascent: 1730 m
Time one way: 8h30
One-way distance: 17.4 km
Level: very difficult

MAP:
IGN map: TOP 25 - 3335 OT Grenoble Chamrousse Belledonne

ITINERARY

Cross the bridge over the Romanche river, walk about 50 m up the road to Salinère, and fork right on the signposted path to the Arselle plateau (signs - 551m alt.).

The path starts very steeply, reaches the foot of a huge electricity pylon and enters a dense wood.
The ascent of this well-marked trail is always very steep.
At around 700m altitude, it joins a solid footbridge that crosses the ravine where the Arselle stream flows.

The rest of the route is characterized by a steep, physical ascent through the woods, over numerous switchbacks that allow the gradient to change relatively quickly.

Continue along the path, which takes in two cabled passages and climbs back up along a small ledge in an open, rockier section.

Here, at an approximate altitude of 1550m, the view plunges impressively into the Romanche valley from a height of over 1000m.

It's easy to spot the village of Rioupéroux and the hamlet of La Salinière.

Continuing upwards, the slope abruptly eases, finally reaching the wooded area at the southern entrance to the Arselle plateau.

Cross the Arselle plateau to the east, dotted with thousands of daffodils in spring, to find yourself on the GR 549.
The cross-country trail becomes a pleasant little forest path (north-east).

After about an hour's walk, the path leads to Lac Achard (1917m).
Continue uphill to the right of the lake towards the Col de l'Infernet (2050m).
Continue across to reach the bottom of the valley below Col de la Botte.
Climb up this valley with a few ascents/descents, then wind up the final slope to reach the Col des Trois Fontaines, where the downhill ski runs to Lacs Robert pass by.
Turn left to climb up the track leading to the summit
the Croix de Chamrousse plateau.

WHAT TO SEE ALONG THE WAY:
-the peaks of southern Belledonne
-the Grande Lance d'Allemond,
-Grandes Rousses massif, with Pic Bayle and Pic de l'Etendard.

WORTH KNOWING:
The Salinière -> Plateau de l'Arselle section is a vertical km (3km of 1000 d+) with occasional gradients of over 30%, and is part of the UT4M Grenoble ultra trail.