Plateau des Petites Roches

Take a cliff on which you place a plateau with 3 villages (St Pancrasse, St Hilaire du Touvet and St Bernard du Touvet). Overlook the latter from a summit (the Dent de Crolles) that you extend with the Hauts de Chartreuse Nature Reserve and project an exceptional panorama across the Belledonne range, you will reach the Plateau des Petites Roches.

5, these are the paragliding areas
3, this is the number of villages

Parapente Chartreuse, Saint Hilaire Du Touvet

According to legend, it would be the famous giant Gargantua who formed the Plateau des Petites Roches by sitting on the mountain and taking the cliff for his back, during his crossing of the Alps.

At an altitude of 1,000 m, the plateau is a haven of peace which will satisfy all nature lovers: an emblematic and internationally known place for free flight (paragliding, hang-gliding, etc.), in particular thanks to the Coupe Icare which delights the eyes and hearts of spectators every year for over 45 years, the 3rd weekend of September.

Dent De Crolles Petites Roches (c)images Et Reves

The plateau will also delight all lovers of outdoor activities, summer and winter: hiking, climbing, caving, via-ferrata, cycling, downhill, hiking or Nordic skiing, snowshoes, sledding …

A must-see on the plateau (and in the valley since it connects the 2!), The St Hilaire du Touvet funicular. Over 1.5 km and 800m of vertical drop, its slope can reach an incline of 83% and makes it one of the steepest in Europe.
It was built to transport materials and workers during the construction of the Petites Roches sanatorium (which is no longer in operation today) and then the patients of the establishment. It is now used as a tourist attraction and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2O23.

The peculiarities of the Plateau des Petites Roches

Its geography: mountain balcony suspended between earth and sky.
Its exceptional panorama from Mont Blanc in the west to Mont Aiguille (Vercors) in the east via the Belledonne mountains.
Its culture of free flight

What we like

Its incredible panorama (especially the sunset)
Its funicular which connects the Grésivaudan valley across the cliff
Its play area: the resort that children recommend to their parents in summer and winter
Its 2 small ski resorts at very affordable prices!

Venir sur le

1 / Access via Touvet from the Grésivaudan Valley (8 km) by taking the D30 (Chambéry side).
Before leaving Touvet or if you are passing by, take the opportunity to visit the Château du Touvet (dating from the Middle Ages and inhabited for 500 years by the same family) or to stroll in its magnificent gardens with its staircase. Italian-style water unique in France. Going up to the plateau via the D30, you will be able to enjoy the view of Belledonne and the Grésivaudan Valley, but it has happened on the Plateau that you will have the best view!

2 / Access via St Nazaire les Eymes (8 km) by the D30, Grenoble side.
Going up through St Nazaire you can enjoy lovely views over the Grésivaudan valley. You will pass through the tunnels cut into the limestone rock of Chartreuse before arriving on the plateau (possibility of parking near the tunnels to admire the view). To see in St Nazaire les Eymes: the heritage trail, the Manival torrent (listed in the geological heritage inventory), the Craponoz and Pissarotte waterfalls.

3 / Are you looking for an unusual way to reach the Plateau des Petites Roches?
Take the St Hilaire du Touvet funicular, leaving from Lumbin, in the Grésivaudan Valley!

4 / Access via the Terrace from the Grésivaudan valley.
In summer, come and enjoy the La Terrasse leisure center with your family (Apidae file). Activities for young and old with: inflatable structures on the water, undergrowth for picnics, Elfy Park (apidae sheet), rowing, kayaking

5 / Access via St Pierre de Chartreuse (16 km) via the Col du Coq.
As the crow flies, there are 1 or 2 km but if you want to connect St Pierre de Chartreuse to the Plateau des Petites Roches and you don’t have wings, you will have to climb the Col du Coq, at the foot of the imposing Dent de Crolles. The good thing is that the road is worth the detour. It starts in the hamlet of St Hugues, continues in the forest on the edge of a stream (very cool and bucolic) then leads to the mountain pastures, a guaranteed altitude atmosphere! Be careful, this is a small road, not suitable for motorhomes or large vehicles and which has deformations in places. Please note: following a strong landslide in early 2018, the Col du Coq road is closed for an indefinite period. Access to the Plateau des Petites Roches is therefore via Sappey, Biviers, St Ismier and then return to the D30 from St Nazaire les Eymes (see above).