Belledonne

The chain of Belledonne is a solid mass of the the French Alps located at the doors of Grenoble, mainly in Isere, the north-eastern slope being in Savoy. It culminates with 2.977m.

The inhabitants are called Belledonniens .

Geography

Situation

The solid mass is spread out over 60 km of length and 10 km broad.

It is composed of three principal links. South in north:

solid mass of Belledonne, strictly speaking
solid mass of the Seven Laux
solid mass of Allevard

It is bordered on its north-western slope by the Isere and is faced the solid masses of Chartreuse (broad valley of the Grésivaudan) and of the Bauges (Combe of Savoy). At the North-East, on opposite bank of the Arc (Maurienne), is located the Massif of Vanoise. In the east, it is separated by the Glandon torrent from the Massif of Arvan-Villards and in south-east by the Water of Olle of the Russet-red Grandes. To finish, at the southern end, on the other side of the Romanche (low valley of the Oisans), rises the Massif of Taillefer.

The snow-covered tops of Belledonne constitute the natural decoration of both plus big cities of the French Alps (Grenoble and Chambéry).

Principal tops

the Large Peak of Belledonne, culminating point, 2977 Mr.
the White Rock, 2927 Mr.
the Cross of Belledonne, 2926 Mr.
Michel Needle, culminating point of the Needles of Argentière, 2915 Mr.
the Badon Rock, 2912 Mr.
the Pyramid, 2912 Mr.
Gray Puy, 2908 Mr.
the Nozzle of Arguille, 2891 Mr.
the Needle of Olle, 2885 Mr.
the Rock of Arguille, 2885 Mr.
the Point of Comberousse, 2866 Mr.
the Large Lance of Allemond, 2842 Mr.
Charmet of the Needle, 2826 Mr.
the Point of the Door of Church, 2812 Mr.
the Peak of the Ash, 2807 Mr.
the Peak of Large Doménon, 2802 Mr.
Large Morétan, 2800 Mr.
the Large Lance of Domène, 2790 Mr.
the Large Mass grave of Allemont, 2777 Mr.
the Peak Couttet, 2764 Mr.
Large Crozet, 2762 Mr.
the Peak of Large Valloire, 2758 Mr.
the Saddle of Gray Puy, 2758 Mr.
the Rock of the Man, 2755 Mr.
Russet-red Rock, 2753 Mr.
the Peak Lamartine, 2752 Mr.
Large Lauzière, 2741 Mr.
the Summit of Sambuis, 2727 Mr.
the Peak of Open air, 2718 Mr.
Large Miceau, 2618 Mr.
the Large Mass grave of Allevard, 2561 Mr.
Large Mills, 2495 Mr.
the Large Colonist, 2394 Mr.

Principal glaciers

Glacier of Sitre
Glacier of Freydane (only true crevassé glacier)
Glacier of Asbestos
Glacier of the White Rock
Glacier of Combe Madam
Glacier of Argentière
Glacier of Arguille
Glacier of Gray Puy
Glacier of Gleyzin
Glacier of Claran

Principal collars

Genuine natural barrier, Belledonne is crossed by no road collar. The Not of the Stage coach , only true weak point of the chain, separating the solid mass from Belledonne itself of the solid mass of Sept-Laux, failed to be crossed by a road. Under the impulse of Joseph Paganon (1880-1937), many times minister, D528 was to connect Laval to the Rivier-with Allemont, but the project stopped with the dimension 1336 Grésivaudan side, whereas side valley of the Water of Olle nothing had been yet entrepris.
Very largely used before the appearance of the Automobile by the local populations to pass from one valley to the other, to even go in Maurienne by the Collar of Glandon, the Pas of the Stage coach would have been used by Hannibal at the time of its crossing of the Alps.

Collar of Pra, 2171 Mr.
Collar of Belledonne, 2785 Mr.
Collar of Freydanne, 2645 Mr.
Collar of the Iron Mine, 2400 Mr.
Breach of Split Rock, 2482 Mr.
Not of the Stage coach, 1989 Mr.
Collar of the Seven Laux, 2184 Mr.
Collar of the Cross, 2529 Mr.
Collar of Tepey, 2716 Mr.
Collar of Valloire, 2751 Mr.
Collar of Merlet, 2286 Mr.
Collar of Bourbière, 2352 Mr.
Collar of Frèche, 2183 Mr.
Collar of the Stone quarry, 2003 Mr.
Collar pole, 1984 Mr.
Collar of Black Rock, 2629 Mr.
Collar of Balmette, 2667 Mr.

Principal lakes

Lake Achard, 1917 Mr.
Robert Lakes, 1998 Mr.
Lake Longet, 2027 Mr.
Lake Merlat, 2044 Mr.
Lake of Crozet, 1974 Mr.
Lake of Small Doménon, 2380 Mr.
Lake of Large Doménon, 2385 Mr.
Lake of Sitre, 1952 Mr.
Lake Belledonne, 2163 Mr.
White Lake, 2161 Mr.
Lake Crop, 1906 Mr.
Seven Laux (seven lakes, although there is more)

Lac of Sagne, 2065 Mr.
Lac of the Horn, 2083 Mr.
Lake Jeplan, 2144 Mr.
Lake of the Lambskin, 2327 Mr.
Lake of Cos, 2182 Mr.
White Lake, 2248 Mr.
Lake Cottepens, 2128 Mr.
Square Lake, 2128 Mr.
Lake of the Mound, 2128 Mr.
Black Lake, 2091 Mr.

Lake of the Cross, 2415 Mr.
Lake of Insane, 2142 Mr.
White Lake, 2124 Mr.
Black Lake, 2268 Mr.
Lake of Balmettes, 2196 Mr.

Etymology

4 versions of the etymology of “Belledonne”:

While coming from the collar of Glandon (old Duchy of Savoy), the large peak resembles a mother with her child in the arms from where “Bleated Gave” (the beautiful woman).
Found in “Arvillard its localities, its legends”

“According to Rousset, this word would come from a pre-indo-European root: ball , which meant high rock and which would have evolved/moved in beautiful then beautiful . To explain which could be this beautiful ” one added gives . From where: Belledonnes = beautiful women.

Found in “Arvillard its localities, its legends”

G Tuaillon recalls that people of the country did not give names to the mountainous solid masses. Belledonne is initially the name of a small torrent. It is only with the XVIII° century that the name indicated the mountain. And in Celtic, the word gives means valley. From where Belledonnes = beautiful the vallées". However, according to the Dictionary of Pile of Thorey, there does not exist today torrent having the name of Belledonne.

Another assumption has course today, it acts of the bringing together with the plant Atropâ Belladona , called smart ladies!

Geology

The solid mass of Belledonne is a crystalline solid mass externe.
The Granite is present in certain zones (small valley of Bourbière), but one finds mainly Gneiss amphibolique.
The solid mass is very worked throughout the winter by successive gel and thaws (Gélifraction). In the bases of the solid mass, the Schiste is dominating.

The chain of Belledonne belongs to the alpine arc which gains altitude, at a rate of 1 cm per annum on average. It also moves towards south-east at a relatively high speed of several centimetres per annum. This last phenomenon appears by crumblings and relatively frequent landslides in the Vallée of Romanche.

Fauna

In addition to the traditional fauna of the Alps (Marmot, Chamois, Ibex, Grouse,…), the Loup has been also present for a few years, mainly in the solid mass of Allevard with horse between the Isere and the Savoy.

The ibex had completely disappeared from Belledonne. A score of individuals of Swiss origin (13 females and 7 males) were reintroduced in spring 1983 above the Barrage of Grand' Maison in the combe of the Ass. In spring 2002, the population rose with 900 heads distributed on the whole of the solid mass.

The bear was also present in the solid mass. But driven out, it disappeared from it completely in the years 1920. Certain toponyms still testify to this presence passed, as the cascade of Oursière above Uriage or the Plan of the Bear in the valley of Veyton.

Activities

In addition to the traditional pastoral activities still present, Belledonne knew a mining activity until recently; in some testify Toponyme S (collar of the Iron Mine). Turning mainly around the exploitation of iron (valley of Bréda), there were also mines of money under the Large Lance of Allemont, with the locality of Chalanches. The mines of Chalanches were worked of 1767 to 1890, initially clandestinely, then legally following many accidents. Etienne Favier, the winner of the Large Peak of Belledonne the August 16th 1859, worked there as foreman. This mining, large activity consuming wood, was principal the person in charge of the Déforestation of the solid mass.

Belledonne was also one of the cradles of the Hydro-electric power thanks to Aristide Bergès and with its paper mills with Combe-with-Lancey, or on the commune of Livet-and-Gavet.

Although near to great agglomerations, the solid mass of Belledonne knew to keep its wild side and lends itself very well the summer to the Randonnée and the winter with the Ski touring. Lastly, for some time, the collars of certain stations attract a new category of sportsmen: the chutes, which they are in roller, longskate, streetluge, buttboard…

Winter sports resorts

Chamrousse
the Collet of Allevard
7 laux
the Scandinavian space of the Collar of Barioz

Place of turning

The sumptuous decoration of the snow-covered peaks of Belledonne was used in several films:

Hussard on the roof, where the last scene is turned since the park of the castle of Montbonnot, vis-a-vis Belledonne;
the Rivers crimsons, whose several scenes have as a decoration the valley of Romanche, mainly in the old house of Charles Albert Keller to Livet-and-Gavet, between Belledonne and Taillefer;
Small Chartreuse, where the main character of the history makes excursions in Belledonne.

See too

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