Mountain range in southeastern France
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 [masif d(ə) la ʃaʁtʁøz] ) 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 .[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)
Sommet du Pinet ou le Truc 1,867 metres (6,125 ft)
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)
Scia 1,791 metres (5,876 ft)
Petit Som 1,772 metres (5,814 ft)
Pinéa 1,771 metres (5,810 ft)
Mont Outheran 1,673 metres (5,489 ft)
Grands Crêts 1,489 metres (4,885 ft)
Pointe de la Gorgeat 1,486 metres (4,875 ft)
Écoutoux 1,406 metres (4,613 ft)
mont Saint-Eynard 1,358 metres (4,455 ft)
Néron 1,298 metres (4,259 ft)
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 plateaux
Plateaux of the Chartreuse Mountains include :
Plateau des Petites Roches
Plateau du Grand-Ratz
Main Caves
The main caves in the Chartreuse include :
Réseau de l'Alpe [fr ] , 69.6 kilometres (43.2 mi) long, 655 metres (2,149 ft) deep.[4]
Réseau de la Dent de Crolles - about 60 kilometres (37 mi) long, 690 metres (2,260 ft) deep.[5]
Système du Granier , 55.7 kilometres (34.6 mi) long, 635 metres (2,083 ft) deep.[6] [7]
Réseau de malissard , 18.2 kilometres (11.3 mi) long, 415 metres (1,362 ft) deep.[8]
Système Pinet-Brouillard , 11.2 kilometres (7.0 mi) long, 507 metres (1,663 ft) deep.[9] 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.[citation needed ]
The Tour Percée Double Arch, at 32 metres (105 ft) the longest span in the Alps.
Winter sports resorts
Chartreuse winter sports resorts include :
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.[citation needed ]
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.[citation needed ]