Once again this winter, the Chartreuse offers several different ways of experiencing the mountains, with or without skis. Discover four of them: play, exploration, immersion and contemplation.
1. A life-size treasure hunt
With Chartreuse Gold, the massif becomes the setting for an open-air treasure hunt. Conceived by Baptiste Billon-Grand, a local boy with a passion for local history, this treasure hunt is based on a series of ten riddles combining observation, deciphering and travel on the ground. Some of the answers can be found behind a screen, while others require you to explore the massif and understand its landscapes, villages and stories.
Launched on 17 December, the adventure gradually leads to a buried chest, the discovery of which is rewarded with a gold ingot worth 1,000 euros. It's a fun, challenging and immersive way to explore the Chartreuse in a different way, on your own or as part of a team, combining reflection and walking on the ground. The game costs 18.90 euros.
2. Walk to listen better
Mountain guide and sound designer Simon Pochet offers a different way of exploring the Chartreuse. Here, hiking becomes a listening experience. His half-day and full-day outings invite you to slow down, observe and feel the landscape through silence, the sounds of the forest and the stories of the land.
Around the Grande Chartreuse monastery, in an area protected from noise, the walk becomes more attentive, almost meditative. Accessible from the age of six, these walks combine an educational, poetic and sensory approach, and are just as suitable for families as for groups of adults. It's a different way of reading the mountains, taking the time to listen to them. Outings start at 180 euros for a half-day group.
3. Spending the night out
From December to March, the experience offered by The Call of the Wild invites you to get away from it all for a night in the forest. From the village of Saint-Hugues, participants snowshoe to a bivouac nestling under the trees. The evening continues with a shared fondue, before a night in a tepee heated by a wood-burning stove.
Supervised by a qualified professional, the adventure includes orienteering workshops, learning about the natural environment and, depending on the conditions, building snow shelters or observing animal tracks. It's a micro-adventure for ten-year-olds and over, designed as a timeless interlude away from screens and noise, to reconnect with a form of alpine simplicity. The package costs 250 euros per person, including equipment and meals.
4. Explore the Chartreuse by bike
Snow permitting, you can also discover the Chartreuse on an electrically-assisted bike. With Cartusiana, outings adapt to the weather conditions to offer routes between Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse and Saint-Pierre-d'Entremont, alternating between roads and trails. The aim is not performance, but discovery.
Architectural heritage, medieval ruins, farms and craft breweries dot the route, punctuated by gourmet breaks featuring local produce. A gentle, accessible way to explore the Massif, even in winter, combining moderate effort, culture and the pleasure of the senses. Outings are offered every Wednesday during the holidays, from €40 per person.
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