The most beautiful natural sites to discover Isère

3 natural lakes of glacial origins, including Lake Laffrey. With its 120 ha surface, this lake is the largest lake in Matheysin and the eighth natural lake of France. About twenty kilometers from Grenoble, 900 m above sea level, it is a paradise for windsurfing and drifting (motorboats are forbidden) is a popular tourist place, surrounded by campsites and equipped with a water base. It is also very popular with the Grenoblois, who are looking for a little freshness on the edge of the beach (unsupervised swimming).

Walk to the lake of Paladru or blue lake for its crystal clear waters. Shaped during the ice age by the powerful Rhone glacier, it is 6 km long and 1.2 km wide. It is the fifth largest natural lake in France and is located at an altitude of 500 m. Its water temperature is cool and ideal for swimming in the summer. It owes part of its fame to the important archaeological discoveries made on the site of Colletière. An exceptional and fragile space, the lake of Paladru offers a whole range of activities for relaxation and leisure. When natural and historical heritage are mixed, when you can refresh yourself and have fun, you must take advantage of it!

The natural and cultural heritage of the Chartreuse is particularly rich. Shared between Isère and Savoie, the Chartreuse Regional Nature Park, created in 1995, offers fantastic landscapes that are easy to discover. From the limestone mountains with their magnificent perched synclines to the cradle of the Carthusian order founded by Saint Bruno in the ^11th century, it's hard not to be fascinated by this massif. The Chartreuse is all about the water that sings in the many basins in each of the small villages scattered across the mountain, or the water that gushes in cascades and then rumbles in the ravines of the Guiers Mort and Guiers Vif. There are also beautiful forests and the scent of wood cut in sawmills. In fact, Chartreuse wood, used in construction, has been awarded the AOC label. It is produced from fir and spruce trees grown in the Chartreuse mountains. The Chartreuse Regional Nature Park is also home to a few morels lurking on the banks of a shady stream, a sabot-de-vénus lurking at the bend in a path or a black grouse chuckling as it flees the hustle and bustle of hikers. Chartreuse is not for eating: it's for savoring.

Bordered to the south by the cluse de Grenoble and to the north by the cluse de Chambéry, the Chartreuse appears like another limestone fortress. It offers hikers a number of peaks that exceed 2,000 m in altitude, the highest being Chamechaude at 2,082 meters. It is recognizable by its molar-like appearance, and is sometimes nicknamed "Gargantua's tooth". The Chartreuse also boasts a number of caves and galleries, popular with speleologists. In one of these caves, La Balme à Collomb, a little-known historical treasure has been discovered: a natural cave bear cemetery, over 20,000 years old! To date, 10% of the site has been excavated, and 12,000 bones or bone fragments have been found. The remaining areas have been left open to researchers. Of course, it's not possible to visit the original cave, but a reconstruction of the site provides a fascinating insight into the subterranean world where cave bears reigned supreme. It's hardly surprising that, with such an exceptional environment in terms of flora and fauna, the whole massif has the status of Regional Nature Park. This exceptional biodiversity is due in no small part to the great diversity of natural environments found in the massif. Its mountain forests, made up mainly of beech and spruce, are home to deer, chamois, lynx and owls, while its mountain meadows are home to numerous insects such as butterflies and beetles that thrive on the grasslands.

The Chartreuse, which Stendhal dubbed "the Emerald of the Alps", is a necklace whose every pearl must be admired. At its heart, the cirque de Saint-Même is one of the highest points in the Entremonts. The Cirque de Saint-Même is wild and unspoilt, offering a unique experience of nature, crowned by sheer rock faces and the sound of the wind running through the tall trees. Several hiking possibilities on site. At the heart of the cirque, right on the cliffs, the waters of the Guiers Vif escape from the bowels of the Earth and tumble down in a succession of great waterfalls. The most impressive of the passages leading over the cliffs to the upper plateaus is the Pas de la Mort, with its evocative name and long, overhanging ledge. It's the ideal place to hear the heartbeat of the Chartreuse! Another gem is the Grottes de Saint-Christophe (or Grottes des Échelles). These two caves, reached via a natural route, are home to thousand-year-old limestone rocks sculpted by water over time. The visit lasts an hour and a half. For the full experience, you can also try your hand at caving (from age 6) or acrospeleology (from age 12) in this unique setting.

And if you're looking for a bit of height, the Chartreuse also offers some breathtaking lookouts, such as the Sangles lookout overlooking the Guiers Mort gorges and the Grande Chartreuse monastery. But the most impressive viewpoint is undoubtedly at the end of the Petites Roches plateau, on the eastern face of the massif. This is a veritable balcony-belvedere, overlooking the Isère valley upstream from Grenoble by 800 m, and itself dominated by the cliffs of the Dent de Crolles and its northern extensions by 1,000 m. Today, the Plateau des Petites Roches is a world-famous venue for hang-gliding enthusiasts. Every September, the Coupe Icare brings the sport's greatest champions to Saint-Hilaire. It's another way of seeing the Alps, as you glide gently over them on the wings of the wind, like one of those majestic birds above the Chartreuse. The Chartreuse Regional Nature Park offers a wide range of sporting activities. In summer, take advantage of the many signposted trails to discover the richness of the forests, cliffs and reliefs on foot. In winter, put on your snowshoes or skis and head for the ski resort of Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse.

Discover the waterfall of the Alpe du Grand Serre, sometimes frozen, offering you a relaxing and calm area only 5 minutes walk in the heart of the resort.

Talking about planets in the middle of the woods is a laughable idea! It was, however, what was wanted by Gérard Rémillier, a guide by the National Forestry office, and let it be clear: it is a success! The wooded path is punctuated with questions and answers on the theme of the stars, game to which small as well as great will be happy between a look at the vegetation, and an ear by that to listen to the sound of the cloches of cows. In sum, if it takes an hour to survey the course, it is not unlikely that you will spend more time!

Tariff: free.

Duration: 1 h.

Difficulty: .

The Sivom Aménagement du Lac de Monteynard is one of the region's must-see tourist attractions. The Sivom offers a range of activities and attractions, including the Himalayan footbridges, the Monteynard-Avignonet dam and information areas. The Sivom is made up of elected municipal representatives from the 10 communes bordering the lake, with a president and vice-presidents. The current president is Laurent Maleval, and the three vice-presidents are Jean Michel Brugnera, Pierrick Bonenfant and Richard Passelande.

Grenoble is a city with many sensitive natural areas (ENS) to discover. The Isère department has created a network of almost 150 ENS, comprising 17 departmental ENS and 128 local sites, in order to preserve and enhance the region's biodiversity. These sites are home to exceptional flora and fauna, with 287 species of birds, 78 species of dragonflies and 87 species of mammals recorded. The ENS are remarkable places for discovering biodiversity, open to the public and respectful of the natural heritage. They also help to offset urbanization by preserving natural areas. Take advantage of these preserved natural areas to experience nature close to home in Grenoble.

Municipal authority of 1985. Beach open only to club members Les Amis d'Alpes and Sun.