The high roads of Belledonne

The tour starts in Uriage, a spa resort which has preserved its charm of yesteryear with its grand hotel, casino, fine houses and 11th-century chateau.

Head towards St. Martin d'Uriage where the "route des balcons de Belledonne" starts after Pinet, giving magnificent views over the Grésivaudan Valley and the peaks of Belledonne and Chartreuse.

Soon you will come to La Combe de Lancey, a picturesque village which still has numerous traditional houses and communal bread ovens.

The 13th-century Château de Lancey now contains the museum of popular arts and traditions. A museum of hydropower describes how mountain streams were harnessed to provide power for the paper mills in the valley, which boomed in the 19th century under Aristide Bergès.

Keep on the same road to the Col des Mouilles, deep in a thick forest of firs and spruces, and on to the Col des Ayes, from where a road goes off to the resort of Les 7 Laux. The next village is Theys and its ancient chateau.

At the Col du Barrioz, a few kilometres further on, head towards Le Grand Rocher or the Crêt du Poulet. Here, a chalet serves walkers with refreshments as they admire the Dent du Pra, the Grande Lance de Domène, and the Belledonne chain.

Continue towards St. Pierre d'Allevard (with its 12th-century church) and Allevard, a spa and tourist resort which was visited by Nadar and Van Dongen.

Take a detour via the D252a; Pinsot lies at the start of one of the prettiest and most unspoilt valleys in the Alps, "the upper Bréda valley". The following villages of La Ferrière, Le Curtillard and Fond de France are starting points for numerous walks including the 7 Laux lakes and Combe Madame.

Return to Grenoble via Pontcharra.

Worth seeing :

The Lac du Crozet, accessible from Revel

The Sentier du Fer at Allevard, a path retracing the region's metallurgical industry

Worth tasting :

Crozets, pasta from Savoy made using buckwheat flour

Tomme de Belledonne cheese