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Parc Naturel Régional de Chartreuse

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Limestone promontories, dense forests and a powerful liqueur are the signature features of this 767-sq-km regional park. The 1300km of marked walking trails are a major incentive to visit, but the namesake liqueur is an even bigger draw. The Caves de la Chartreuse introduce the history of monk-made Chartreuse liqueur (including tastings); 24km east is the Musée de la Grande Chartreuse, delving into the monks' secretive lives.

It’s simplest to have private transport to reach and explore the park.

Otherwise, Transisère (www.transisere.fr) runs irregular buses between Grenoble and St-Pierre-de-Chartreuse (line 7000, €5.60, 1¼ hours) and between Chambéry to Voiron (line 7010, €5.60, 1½ hours).

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Grenoble Museum.

    Musée de Grenoble

    14.82 MILES

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  • The Bastille Grenoble.

    Fort de la Bastille

    14.65 MILES

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  • The Cathedral of Saint Francois de Sales in Chambery.

    Cathédrale St-François de Sales

    12.43 MILES

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  • Entrance of the Dauphinois museum (Musee dauphinois) in Grenoble.

    Musée Dauphinois

    14.85 MILES

    This ever-evolving museum unleashes a century of regional history on visitors. Suits of armour are back-lit in brightly coloured rooms, 3-D family trees…

  • Château des Ducs de Savoie

    Château des Ducs de Savoie

    12.34 MILES

    Medieval walls, Gothic tracery, trompe l'oeil detailing…Chambéry's château has acquired a wealth of styles since its founding in the 11th century. Once…

  • Caves de la Chartreuse

    Caves de la Chartreuse

    11.35 MILES

    Comprising a museum, cellars, bar/tasting room and gift shop, the Chartreuse Cellars lead visitors through centuries of liqueur history. The distillation…

  • Musée des Troupes de Montagne

    Musée des Troupes de Montagne

    14.65 MILES

    Though the subject is niche, this museum exploring France's elite Alpine regiments, which date to 1888, is riveting. An audioguide (in French, English,…

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Nearby attractions

1. Musée de la Grande Chartreuse

3.76 MILES

Encircled by forest-draped cliffs, this intriguing museum explores the millennia-long history of the Grande Chartreuse monastery, 2km north. Thirty-odd…

2. Caves de la Chartreuse

11.35 MILES

Comprising a museum, cellars, bar/tasting room and gift shop, the Chartreuse Cellars lead visitors through centuries of liqueur history. The distillation…

3. Musée des Charmettes

11.79 MILES

Geneva-born philosopher, composer and writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a key figure of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, lived the happiest years…

4. Château des Ducs de Savoie

12.34 MILES

Medieval walls, Gothic tracery, trompe l'oeil detailing…Chambéry's château has acquired a wealth of styles since its founding in the 11th century. Once…

5. Cathédrale St-François de Sales

12.43 MILES

All is not as it seems inside Chambéry's 15th-century Franciscan cathedral, decorated with 6000 sq metres of trompe l’œil painting. The largest such…

6. Musée Savoisien

12.45 MILES

Due for a grand reopening in 2020, this museum housed in a Franciscan monastery was closed to undergo a massive renovation when we passed through. When it…

7. Hôtel de Cordon

12.46 MILES

This former hôtel particulier (historic private mansion) has interactive displays on local culture on its upper floor. It's also the starting point for…

8. Fontaine des Éléphants

12.54 MILES

With its four carved elephants, this 17.6m-high fountain looks like the model for an old Indian postage stamp. It was sculpted in 1838 in honour of…