View source for Chartreuse Mountains

{{Short description|Mountain range in southeastern France}}
{{Other uses|Chartreuse (disambiguation){{!}}Chartreuse}}
[[Image:Le Charmant Som et Chamechaude depuis le Col de la Grande Vache.JPG|right|thumb|260px|The [[Charmant Som]] and [[Chamechaude]] from the ''[[Col de la Grande Vache]]'']]
[[File:Carte du Massif de la Chartreuse.svg|right|thumb|260px|Map of the Chartreuse massif]]

The '''Chartreuse Mountains''' ({{langx|fr|Massif de la Chartreuse}} {{IPA|fr|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 Massif|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''.<ref>''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', 1st edition, 1888 [http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/28292 ''s.v.'']</ref> It appears to be of [[Gaulish language|Gaulish]] origin;<ref>Juan Luis García Alonso, ''Continental Celtic Word Formation: The Onomastic Data'', p. 42</ref> and is perhaps related to the name of the [[Caturiges]] tribe.<ref>Robert Ellis, ''A Treatise on Hannibal's Passage of the Alps'', 1853, [https://books.google.com/books?id=QzUBAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA174 p. 174]</ref>

==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]], {{convert|2082|m|ft|0}}
*[[Dent de Crolles]], {{convert|2062|m|ft|0}}
*[[Les Lances de Malissard]] {{convert|2045|m|ft|0}}
*[[Grand Som]], {{convert|2026|m|ft|0}}
*[[Dôme de Bellefont]] {{convert|1975|m|ft|0}}
*[[Piton de Bellefont]] {{convert|1958|m|ft|0}}
*[[Mont Granier]], {{convert|1933|m|ft|0}}
*[[Grande Sure|La Grande Sure]], {{convert|1920|m|ft|0}}
*[[Le Charmant Som]] {{convert|1867|m|ft|0}}
*[[Sommet du Pinet]] ou le Truc {{convert|1867|m|ft|0}}
*[[Rochers de Chalves]] {{convert|1845|m|ft|0}} 
*[[Rocher de Lorzier]] {{convert|1838|m|ft|0}} 
*[[Dent de l'Ours]] {{convert|1820|m|ft|0}} 
*[[Scia (mountain)|Scia]] {{convert|1791|m|ft|0}}
*[[Petit Som]] {{convert|1772|m|ft|0}} 
*[[Pinéa]] {{convert|1771|m|ft|0}} 
*[[Mont Outheran]] {{convert|1673|m|ft|0}} 
*[[Grands Crêts]] {{convert|1489|m|ft|0}}
*[[Pointe de la Gorgeat]] {{convert|1486|m|ft|0}}
*[[Écoutoux]] {{convert|1406|m|ft|0}} 
*[[mont Saint-Eynard]] {{convert|1358|m|ft|0}}
*[[Néron (mountain)|Néron]] {{convert|1298|m|ft|0}}
*[[Rachais]] {{convert|1050|m|ft|0}}

===Main passes===
Passes of the Chartreuse Mountains include :

====With road====
*[[Col de la Charmette]] 
*[[Col de la Cluse]] 
*[[Col du Coq]]
*[[Col du Cucheron]] 
*[[Col du Granier]] 
*[[Col de Porte]] 
*[[Col de Palaquit]] 
*Col de Vence 
*[[Col de la Placette]]

====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 :
* [[Gorges du Guiers Vif]]
* [[Gorges du Guiers Mort]]
* Gorges du Ténaison
* Gorges de la Vence
* [[Gorge du Manival]]
* Gorges de l'Echaillon
* Gorges du Cozon Rau

=== 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 :
*{{Interlanguage link|Réseau de l'Alpe|fr|lt=''Réseau de l'Alpe''}},<br /> {{convert|69.6|km|mi}} long, {{convert|655|m|ft}} deep.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Denis Bourgeois|language=fr|title=Savoie-Quelques nouvelles des fronts…|journal=Spelunca|date=2008|volume=111|pages=25–30|url=https://spelunca.ffspeleo.fr/200809_Spelunca_111.pdf|access-date=2018-05-30}}</ref>
* [[Dent de Crolles|Réseau de la Dent de Crolles]] - about {{convert|60|km|mi}} long, {{convert|690|m|ft}} deep.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gardner|first=John|date=20 August 2021|title=Réseau de la Dent de Crolles, Chartreuse|url=https://www.braemoor.co.uk/crolles/|url-status=live|access-date=25 November 2021|website=Réseau de la Dent de Crolles, Chartreuse|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125213356/https://www.braemoor.co.uk/crolles/ |archive-date=2021-11-25 }}</ref>
* Système du [[Mont Granier|Granier]], {{convert|55.7|km|mi}} long, {{convert|635|m|ft}} deep.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Denys Bourgeois|language=fr|title= échos des profondeurs France-Isère-Activités du Spéléo-club de Savoie au Mont Granier (Chartreuse nord)|journal=Spelunca |volume=83|date=2001|pages=5–6|issn=0991-0735|url=https://spelunca.ffspeleo.fr/200109_Spelunca_083.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|author=Jean-Louis Fantoli|title=gouffre des Myriades|url=https://www.grottocenter.org/html/file_Fr.php?lang=Fr&check_lang_auto=false&category=entry&id=23749|access-date=2018-05-18}}</ref>
* Réseau de [[Lances de Malissard|malissard]], {{convert|18.2|km|mi}} long, {{convert|415|m|ft}} deep.<ref>{{Cite web|language=fr|author=Bernard Loiseleur|title=Le massif du Seuil (Chartreuse, France): organisation des réseaux souterrains|url=http://www.persee.fr/doc/karst_0751-7688_1994_num_24_1_2338|journal=revue Karstologia|date=1994|volume=24|pages=13–28|access-date =2018-06-19}}</ref>
* Système [[Sommet du Pinet|Pinet-Brouillard]], {{convert|11.2|km|mi}} long, {{convert|507|m|ft}} deep.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Jean-Louis Fantoli|title=Gouffre du Brouillard|url=https://www.grottocenter.org/html/file_Fr.php?lang=Fr&check_lang_auto=false&category=entry&id=23746|access-date=2018-05-18}}</ref>

[[Image:Grésivaudan panorama bis.JPG|thumb|center|upright=3.2|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&nbsp;km long [[Dent de Crolles]] system.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

[[Image:Double-arch.jpg|thumb|190px|right|The [[Tour Percée]] Double Arch, at {{convert|32|m|ft|0}} the longest span in the Alps.]]
<!-- Photo courtesy of David George -->

==Winter sports resorts==
Chartreuse winter sports resorts include :
* [[Le Désert d'Entremont]], where the use of [[snowshoe]]s has been particularly developed
* [[Granier en Chartreuse]]
* [[Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse]] and [[Le Planolet]]
* [[Saint-Hugues-de-Chartreuse]]
* [[Col de Porte]] {{convert|1326|m|ft|0}}
* [[Le Sappey-en-Chartreuse]]
* [[La Ruchère]] ([[cross-country skiing]])
* [[Saint-Hilaire-du-Touvet]]
* [[Col de Marcieu]]
* [[Col du Coq]]

==Environment==
* The [[Parc Naturel Régional de la Chartreuse]] was founded in May 1995.
* The [[Réserve naturelle nationale des Hauts de Chartreuse|Réserve Naturelle des Hauts de Chartreuse]] was founded in 1997. It includes seven [[Isère]] townships and four [[Savoie]] townships.

==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|date=March 2022}} Also derived from the mountain range's name is that of the alcoholic [[cordial (medicine)|cordial]] [[Chartreuse (liqueur)|Chartreuse]] produced by the monks since the 1740s, and of the chartreuse colour, [[green]]ish [[hue]] of the Chartreuse liqueur, named after the drink.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

== See also ==

* [[Charmant Som]]
* [[Néron (Isère)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Chartreuse|Chartreuse Mountains}}
*[http://www.braemoor.co.uk/chartreuse/ Chartreuse: A Walking Guide]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090109072411/http://pistehors.com/hiking/wiki/Chartreuse/ A Wiki-Walks guide to some less well known hiking routes in the Chartreuse]

{{coord|45|21|N|5|50|E|display=title}}
{{Western Alps|state=collapsed}}{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Chartreuse Mountains| ]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of the Alps]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes]]
[[Category:Mountains of Isère]]
[[Category:Mountains of Savoie]]