PART 1: Conquering the Chartreuse: Our roaming adventure as a duo

In the world of ultra running, roaming is an open door to the unknown and adventure. It’s an experience that goes way beyond just racing. Freedom and lightness combine to allow us to push our limits and discover new horizons.

For this 3rd roaming adventure, Axelle and I decided to embark on a whole new challenge: an XXL Chartreuse Tour over 2 days!

Thanks to the informed recommendations of our friend Joris Tripier Mondacin from Trail In France , we have planned an 80km and 6000 D+ route allowing us to explore the hidden treasures of this magnificent region.

In this article, we will share with you the highlights, challenges and preparation of this incredible trail running adventure.

 

Roaming or trail running in its starter-main course-dessert version!

There's something magical about embarking on a multi-day adventure. Going to explore an unknown region, on a route that is both technical and ambitious, awakens in us the feeling of being explorers of a new kind!

By interspersing the route with a night or two in a hostel/refuge/hotel, roaming also makes it possible to considerably increase the distances covered while remaining within a certain comfort of travel.

It immerses us in the adventure, makes the pleasure last and makes us see more!

And the strong contrasts between the effort of the day and the comfort of the inn undeniably contribute to the magic of this practice.

The Tour de la Chartreuse over 2 days

The route we have chosen is an interesting alternative to the “classic” crossing of the Chartreuse departing from Chambéry.

He transported us to the heart of wild and preserved nature. From the departure of Grenoble station to the majestic peaks and breathtaking landscapes, follow our route through the most emblematic points of interest in the region...

Day 1: Via the Dents de Crolles

The day before our roaming, the excitement was palpable. Between the rush of packing our bags, checking the route and settling the last logistical details, we chose to spend the night in Grenoble to start our adventure in a peaceful way. After a hearty breakfast, we headed to Grenoble train station, the starting point of our journey.

The initial climb took us to Fort de la Bastille, overlooking the city. Through the remains and the tourists, you have to climb 200 meters in altitude to finally pass the arrival of the funicular and “leave” Grenoble. The Fort of Saint Eynard, like a rearguard of the Bastille, also marked our path. Below, we pass through the Col de Vence, the last water point before the long ascent of 1800 D+ which leads to the summit of the Dents de Crolles.

We missed the excellent Brevardière inn at the Col du Coq that internet users recommended to us in hindsight. It should be noted that this part located between the Col de Vence and the Col du Coq is clearly not the most interesting of the route: In the undergrowth and composed of an endless succession of small raises (over nearly 13km), we We welcomed the view of the Dents de Crolles at the Col du Coq with great enthusiasm!

Rocky and aerial ascent, with chain passages, it was undeniably the most sumptuous part of this first day!

Passing the Dents de Crolles, we found ourselves in a wild and preserved environment, evoking the landscape of Parmelan with its topography and its immense stone slabs crisscrossed with crevasses.

After a good 6 hours out, the storm gradually invited itself to the party, forcing us to deal with showers and the distant rumble of thunder until our arrival in Saint Pierre de Chartreuse, marking the end of this first day.

We had planned to stay at the Ateliers du Cucheron, located 3km further along the route. Our hosts kindly agreed to pick us up directly from Saint Pierre de Chartreuse, thus sparing us these last three kilometers, an uninteresting stretch of road.

This long day on the trails was punctuated by landscapes as diverse as they were varied as well as capricious weather. But far from discouraging us, and dry under our BlackShell, this weather brought us its share of strange and magical atmospheres which gave the adventure all its spice. We savored every bit of it.

Night in a guest house: Les Ateliers du Cucheron

Located on the route, right at the start of the Grand Som ascent, the hosts kindly agreed to pick us up at Saint Pierre de Chartreuse (which saved us 3km of road, a portion obviously very interesting especially after 40km in The paws !).

We shared an excellent meal with the other customers (a couple including a Youtuber cabinetmaker) and changed the world 3 times.

In these exchanges around a meal, we find the pleasure of travel and the openness to the world that it brings. It's a little golden side of these roaming adventures that makes us appreciate this format so much.

Day 2: Le Grand Som, La Grande Chartreuse and Le Charmant Som.

After a short but invigorating night at Ateliers du Cucheron, we were ready for a new day of discoveries and adventures. The second day promised to immerse us in the heart of grandiose landscapes and places steeped in history.

Our first stop was the Grand Som, an imposing peak which offered a breathtaking panoramic view, with a breathtaking view of the Grande Chartreuse monastery below. The ascent is just as spectacular as the Dents de Crolles, with a little gas here and there. In any case, it is a natural spectacle not to be missed!

After admiring this wonder of nature, we continued our journey by taking the Pas du Loup, a narrow passage between the cliffs.

Our next destination was imbued with spirituality: the Monastery of the Grande Chartreuse. Nestled in lush greenery, this thousand-year-old monastery is a place of meditation for around thirty monks. With a sober and austere architecture, the Carthusian monks who reside there have taken a vow of silence and manufacture the famous eponymous liqueur according to a secret recipe. A true journey through time and the mind.

Right next to the monastery is the Musée de la Grande Chartreuse. For the curious and connoisseurs, this museum offers a fascinating insight into the history and making of the famous liqueur (we didn't stop).

We then began an ascent towards the Charmant Som, a summit which well deserves its name, but which did not spare us with its long ascent through the particularly muddy and slippery undergrowth. At the top, we were rewarded with a breathtaking view of the surrounding massifs, including Cham Chaude (the only summit we were unable to do).

Too optimistic or too greedy (we will never know), our supplies had arrived dry, and a short stop was necessary at the Charmant Som inn, where we enjoyed their famous blueberry tart and each left with half a board of cheese which allowed us to last the remaining 3 hours.

The last climb to the Banettes refuge offered us an enchanting bucolic spectacle. The Alpine landscapes unfolded before us in all their splendor, with green meadows, refreshing waterfalls, legions of marmots and majestic peaks.

The final descent which offers a breathtaking view of Grenoble awaited us with its steep 1500 meters of altitude difference. A final test which took a toll on my quads after 70km of racing, but rewarded with the satisfaction of having completed this adventure!

Arriving in Saint Egrève, a tram allowed us to reach Grenoble station in around twenty minutes. Calm after the storm, we were back among the men in our adventurer uniform. And in the midst of passers-by, civilians, workers in a hurry or onlookers, we knew that no one around us could imagine the fabulous little adventure that we had just accomplished.

I think we were proud of it...

PART 2: The Art of Packing your bag for a 2-day roaming with a night in a hostel

All the pleasure of roaming lies in having a bag light enough to retain the sensations of trail running and yet have with you all the necessary equipment for several days of running. In this sense, packing your bag well is an important prerequisite for adventure.

To succeed in this roaming, our Sherpa bag plays a crucial role. Because with its 12L capacity, its lightness (lighter than the vast majority of 5L bags) and its support (patented system), we have the possibility of loading ourselves for 2-3 days without having the feeling of being cluttered of a hiking bag.

The container of the bag and our outfit also play a crucial role. Here is how we organized our equipment to have optimal sensations during this roaming:

• Clothing for the race: With 25°C predicted on the trails and stormy weather, we chose ultra-light and breathable clothing to overcome the heat. A 220 BPM t-shirt on top accompanied by a S herpa Race on the bottom. The latter is a valuable addition to the bag because it allows you to store an additional 500mL flask and a total of 1.2L of equipment thanks to its integrated storage belt.

• Clothing for the evening: Given that we had booked a hostel for the night and given the summer temperatures, we could afford to take fairly light clothes. For my part, I therefore preferred a 220 BPM Long Sleeve on top and 220 BPM shorts on the bottom (no need to take underwear, they have integrated briefs). For a total weight of 132g (XS outfit) and a volume of 350mL, their lightness and compactness were perfect for our needs.

• Equipment for the evening: A toothbrush whose handle we cut off and which we shared (a little hygiene flexibility that we allow ourselves given that we are a couple ;p). Since the last roaming, I have also carried an ultra compact and lightweight 10,000 mAh external charger from the Nitecore brand (150g), the connectors necessary to charge phone + watch as well as a socket compatible with the whole thing. This small external charger is, in my opinion, a must have when roaming where it is not guaranteed to have a possibility of charging in the evening. But it also provides additional security on the journey, especially when you navigate with your cell phone or watch, or when you need to take a lot of photos (this is my case ^^).

• Safety Equipment: We haven't neglected essential safety equipment. The essential pillar always remains our BlackShell waterproof jacket which, thanks to its 20k Schmerber waterproofing, allows us to effectively protect ourselves against the most hardcore bad weather. Not having planned to run at night, we favored an ultra light headlamp from the Beliight brand. A survival blanket for emergency situations. The NanoShell completes our bag. Made from water-repellent Everdry Merino, it is the most compact (500mL) and lightest warm jacket available (160g in M). It provides valuable additional comfort in the evening without taking up too much space in the bag. But it could also be a valuable addition to warmth on the trails if you ever have to spend the night outside.

To see the complete packaging of the bag, we invite you to watch the short video that we made as a permanent Story .

Conclusion :

We have carefully prepared our equipment for this duo trail running itinerary in the Chartreuse. Each item we chose was compact, lightweight and tailored to our specific needs. And thanks to our ultra-light and well-organized bag, we were able to fully enjoy every moment of this adventure.

For you too to experience this adventure, here is the GPX track of the route!

GPX track