Stroll under the watchful gaze of giant Mont Aiguille
Chichilianne
Stroll under the watchful gaze of giant Mont Aiguille
Difficulty
3h30
Duration13,6km
Distance+516m
Positive Elevation-513m
Negative ElevationCourse type
Network
Network
Network
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A hike through various hamlets that reflect the architectural riches of Trièves.
4 points of interest
Back to the past
Compare with what you can see today! 150 years ago, the forest was sparse and confined to very steep slopes.
Crops dominated the meadows, the plots of land showed a more complex field pattern and hedges were rare. The slopes of Mont Aiguille were bare or studded with rough moorland that hardly covered the large gashes caused by erosion.The Mont Aiguille, tectonic ans erosion
Mont Aiguille is really an isolated piece of the Vercors massif situated within the Trièves mountains! This can be largely explained by the tectonic history.
The Vercors is the result of compression of the earth’s crust due to closure of an ocean basin during Alpine mountain building over almost 40 million years. As a result, the rocks were folded and fractured, leading to anticlines, synclines and faults.
While anticlines are more easily attacked by erosion, synclines remain resistant for longer.Work to contain the torrent's energy
The torrent of Les Fraches runs in a debris flow channel which joins the Donnière stream.
The Mountain Land Restoration services carried out flood protection measures. The Allée Royale is a succession
of 23 small dams built between 1987 and 1992 to limit the scouring effect and break the energy of the torrent.An underwater channel?
Limestone is formed on the seabed through an accumulation of skeletons and shells of sea creatures. The limestone of Mont Aiguille was fashioned in a shallow sea in a tropical climate and close to the continent. This limestone is “stratified” like a millefeuille cake or a pile of plates, each sheet representing a period of sedimentation.
You can see this stratified limestone on the south-east face of Mont Aiguille in front of you. However, on the its upper section you can very clearly make out one level that cuts through the stratification at an angle. This is almost certainly an old underwater channel that created ravines in the sediment that was already there.
Once established, sedimentation was able to restart and plugged this channel.
Description
- From Chichilianne, head in the direction of Près des Oches followed by Le Châtel and Chevalanche.
- Carry on towards Pierre aux Corneilles and Les Crêtes. Now take the GTV on foot to Les Fontaines via Au Transformateur and Ruthière.
- Branch off to Richardière via the Pont de Donnière and continue until Fourchaux.
- You will begin the walk back via La Rimas, Les Frâches, Le Cros and Le Rapon to get to your starting point at Chichilianne.
- Departure : Chichilianne
- Arrival : Chichilianne
- Towns crossed : Chichilianne
Forecast
Altimetric profile
Sensitive areas
Along your trek, you will go through sensitive areas related to the presence of a specific species or environment. In these areas, an appropriate behaviour allows to contribute to their preservation. For detailed information, specific forms are accessible for each area.
Golden eagle
- Impacted practices:
- , ,
- Sensitivity periods:
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
- Contact:
Recommandations
Use the purpose-built throughways to cross fences; shut gates and barriers behind you.
Keeping to the signposted paths means you'll respect private property.
Keeping to the signposted paths means you'll respect private property.
Information desks
Le Village, 38930 Chichilianne
Transport
In Train :
Station à Clelles-Mens
In Bus :
With Cars Région, take line T95 towards Mens / Monestier-de-Clermont, and get off at La Poste de Monestier-de-Clermont; at the secondary school (collège), take line MON05 and descend at Chichilianne.
Station à Clelles-Mens
In Bus :
With Cars Région, take line T95 towards Mens / Monestier-de-Clermont, and get off at La Poste de Monestier-de-Clermont; at the secondary school (collège), take line MON05 and descend at Chichilianne.
Access and parking
From Monestier-de-Clermont, take the D1075 towards Clelles and then head for Chichilianne via the D7.
Parking :
Chichilianne
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