Saint-Hilaire-de-Touvet to Cascades des Dioux

We had a friend visiting us from the US this weekend, and we entertained him with some easy hikes. First we took the funicular up to Saint-Hilaire-de Touvet on the Chartreuse range. It is claimed to be the steepest funicular in the Alps with the grade of 83%.

The funicular is popular among paragliders; there are two launch pads on the top.

Today there were not so many gliders as we saw day before when bicycling past.

It is quite chilly by the Cascades des Dioux.

When coming down on the funicular we had a bit better view than going up.

Coming to where we pass the upcoming tram. From here it looks like the rail after the pass is almost level but it is still about 50% or so.

Chamrousse 1750 to Lac Achard

The second hike took us to the Belledonne range and Lake Achard where we had already been last Summer when we escaped the heat to higher altitudes.

We started at 1750 meters and when reaching 1900 we encountered some snow, wet and melting.

Lac Achard was still covered in ice (and wet snow).

Then we contemplated whether to continue any further in the snow. We did indeed. It was bit of a balancing challenge, but we made it to the pass without falling and sliding down.

When reaching the pass, Col de l’Infernet (2050m), we met another decision point.

We figured there may be just too much snow on the way to Lacs Robert so we turned back to Lac Achard, and towards Chamrousse.

We had a wonderful weather this weekend, daytime temperatures reaching +25C in the valley during the daytime. The next week is going to be all rain and thunderstorms.