Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse () is a commune in the Isère department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

. It is located in the Chartreuse Mountains, to the north of the city of

Grenoble lat, Gratianopolis , commune status = Prefecture and commune , image = Panorama grenoble.png , image size = , caption = From upper left: Panorama of the city, Grenoble’s cable cars, place Saint- ...

. The

Grande Chartreuse Grande Chartreuse () is the head monastery of the Carthusian religious order. It is located in the Chartreuse Mountains, north of the city of Grenoble, in the commune of Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse ( Isère), France. History Originally, the ...

, the head

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whic ...

of the

Carthusian The Carthusians, also known as the Order of Carthusians ( la, Ordo Cartusiensis), are a Latin enclosed religious order of the Catholic Church. The order was founded by Bruno of Cologne in 1084 and includes both monks and nuns. The order has ...

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

is located in Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse.

Geography

The town is located in the heart of the Chartreuse Mountains 25 kilometers north of

Etymology

The town was earlier known as ''Catorissium'', ''Cantourisa'', ''Caturissium'', and ''Chatrousse''. The name is of

Gaulish Gaulish was an ancient Celtic language spoken in parts of Continental Europe before and during the period of the Roman Empire. In the narrow sense, Gaulish was the language of the Celts of Gaul (now France, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Switzerl ...

origin;Juan Luis García Alonso, ''Continental Celtic Word Formation: The Onomastic Data'', p. 42 and is perhaps related to the name of the

Caturiges The Caturiges (Gaulish: ''Caturīges'', 'kings of combat') were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the upper Durance valley, around present-day towns of Chorges and Embrun, during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Name They are mentioned as ''Catur ...

tribe.Robert Ellis, ''A Treatise on Hannibal's Passage of the Alps'', 1853
p. 174
/ref>

History

The town is mentioned in the ''

Tabula Peutingeriana ' (Latin for "The Peutinger Map"), also referred to as Peutinger's Tabula or Peutinger Table, is an illustrated ' (ancient Roman road map) showing the layout of the '' cursus publicus'', the road network of the Roman Empire. The map is a 13th-ce ...

'' under the name ''Catorissium'', and in the ''

Ravenna Cosmography The ''Ravenna Cosmography'' ( la, Ravennatis Anonymi Cosmographia, "The Cosmography of the Unknown Ravennese") is a list of place-names covering the world from India to Ireland, compiled by an anonymous cleric in Ravenna around 700 AD. Tex ...

'' as ''Cantourisa''. When St. Bruno and his six companions settled near Chartrousse in June 1084 on the indication of Bishop

Hugues de Grenoble Hugues may refer to People: * Hugues de Payens (c. 1070–1136), French soldier * Hugues I de Lusignan (1194/95 –1218), French-descended ruler a.k.a. Hugh I of Cyprus * Hugues IV de Berzé (1150s–1220), French soldier * Hugues II de Lusigna ...

, they took the name of the nearby village, and Latinized it in ''Cartusia''.

Population

Media

* Local television :

France 3 Alpes France 3 Alpes is one France 3's regional broadcasting services to people in the Rhône-Alpes region. It was launched as ORTF Rhône-Alpes in 1968. It is headquartered in La Tronche. The service is also one of 2 services to be broadcast to people l ...

* Local radio stations:

Radio Couleur Chartreuse Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmi ...

Economy

Early twentieth century

Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse has lived of agriculture for a long time, like all mountain townships, and also of the wood trade, the forest being composed primarily of conifers. In the early twentieth century, tourism took an important place, including the construction of the 'Grand Som' high-end hotel that hosted famous guests including

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

of the United Kingdom for example. The village was rated weather resort in the 1930s and people came here to recharge, visit the monastery of the Grande Chartreuse (which was open to the public between 1903, date of the expulsion of the monks, until 1940 date of their return from

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

). It was also at St. Pierre that created first "Syndicat d'initiative" of France, now best known under the name "Office du Tourisme" (tourist information center); and thanks to an Alsatian called Leon Auscher, who had adopted this country that was so dear to him. Between the wars, many families in the village engage in the hotel, the number of travelers grows. During this period, the first

lift Lift or LIFT may refer to: Physical devices * Elevator, or lift, a device used for raising and lowering people or goods ** Paternoster lift, a type of lift using a continuous chain of cars which do not stop ** Patient lift, or Hoyer lift, mobile ...

was born, in the form of a sleigh pulled by a winch. Then the 1950s drove to the installation of the first teleported: the "télébenne".

Since 1970

The ski resort experienced the glory days of winter sports in the 1970s and after suffering "years without snow" in the 1980s and early 1990s, it is currently experiencing a second wind. While snow is sometimes random it doesn't allows higher seasons more than three months, but its strategic location near major urban centers (including

), the approximation of the neighboring station Planolet, the family atmosphere and affordable prices made that it experienced in 2005 and 2006 its largest turnover in terms of selling packages. Winter sports (mainly

alpine skiing Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel bindings, unlike other types of skiing ( cross-country, Telemark, or ski jumping), which use skis with free-heel bindings. Whether ...

but

Nordic skiing Nordic skiing encompasses the various types of skiing in which the toe of the ski boot is fixed to the binding in a manner that allows the heel to rise off the ski, unlike alpine skiing, where the boot is attached to the ski from toe to heel. Re ...

snowshoeing Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footwe ...

) relate to the heart of the township the massive 90 million euros per year and are make a work-life to a large number of Chartroussins. Crafts are not left out, and the village is home to masons, stonecutters, carpenters, and all corporations of the building ... Tourism remains one of the very solid players of the Chartreuse Massif and the township. Many visitors come to discover the Grande Chartreuse monastery founded by St. Bruno in 1084 and especially the Museum of the Grande Chartreuse at the Correrie dedicated to it: 60,000 visitors / year. The shops are also present: bakery, butchery, supermarket, pharmacy, newsagent, cheese, bars, hotels, restaurants, sports shops, salon.

Personalities

* The painter Arcabas realized paintings that are in the church of Saint-Hugues-de-Chartreuse, the second hamlet in the township. * Guy Lafond, son of the former mayor and brother of former motorcycle champion who is woodcarver ; *

Jacques Brel Jacques Romain Georges Brel (, ; 8 April 1929 – 9 October 1978) was a Belgian singer and actor who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following—initially in Belgium and France, l ...

lived in Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse. You can see his house on the edges of the ski slopes. In tribute to the great singer, a festival of French musicians called "Les rencontres Brel" (Brel meetings) takes place every summer in a large tent erected in the middle of the central square. * Paul Touvier was employed as a secretary by the monastery of the Grande Chartreuse in 1972 under the name of ''Paul Berthet'' (that was the name of his wife). It was under this name that the inhabitants of the village, including former resistant, knew him as well as Jacques Brel, whose he was the impresario. *

Raoul Billioti __NOTOC__ Raoul is a French variant of the male given name Ralph or Rudolph, and a cognate of Raul. Raoul may also refer to: Given name * Raoul Berger, American legal scholar * Raoul Bova, Italian actor * Radulphus Brito (Raoul le Breton, di ...

(1828-1882), MP for Vaucluse. *

Alain Longet Alain may refer to: People * Alain (given name), common given name, including list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Alain (surname) * "Alain", a pseudonym for cartoonist Daniel Brustlein * Alain, a standard author abbreviation u ...

, sculptor, Meilleur Ouvrier de France is linked to the town by his participation in the competition for three years on Wood challenge at St Pierre at Brel meetings. This artist has exhibited permanently in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

, the Grand Palais in Paris, and Elysee Palace. He is the creator and VIVARTS ARTMETAL .

Events

* Race ski mountaineering "The Cross Chamechaude "in early March; * Mountain trail, Le Grand Duc, race taking place the last weekend of June or first of July, sponsored by the company Raidlight located in the town; * The eco-festival of French songs "The Brel meeting" takes place every year in mid-July; * An international sculpture competition existed, it was in conjunction with the meetings Brel ; * A film festival of sculpture, Images sculpture exists since 2004 In 2006, in May and June,

Cornelia Konrads Cornelia may refer to: People *Cornelia (name), a feminine given name *Cornelia (gens), a Roman family Places *425 Cornelia, the asteroid ''Cornelia'', a main-belt asteroid ;Italy *Cornelia (Rome Metro), an underground station on Rome Metro *Via ...

, a German artist in residence, created a work in situ, near the river, in the village.; * In 2007, the sculptor Jean-Michel Moreau made an ephemeral work in sand, Fractal II, in the huge barn located inside the Grande Chartreuse museum. On the site of the event, you can watch a film about the realization of the sand sculpture . * "The battle of Eringer cows" takes place every year on the first Sunday of August. Farmers present their Eringer cows. They compete in a free and fair fights. After a fierce and natural fight, will be elected "Queen of Hérens de Chartreuse"; * In mid-September instead Heritage Days with a special program for youth at the Museum of the

Sports

Ski

The Saint Pierre de Chartreuse / Le Planolet ski resorts include : 35 km of slopes, 4 black, 9 red, 5 blue and 6 green. 14 lifts, 1 gondola, 3 chairlifts and 10 Lifts. The top of the resort is located at ''La Scia'' at 1791 m altitude. The bottom of the station is situated 900 m, this is a drop of almost 900 m. Depending on snow conditions, the resort features a snowpark (located on the old departure of the chairlift Battour), and various spots on the Scia ( Big Air in the first ledge and various bumps on the last run of the track). You can access the station in three places. St Pierre de Chartreuse village, Combe de l'ourse chairlift parking, or Le planolet. on weekdays outside of school holidays, often combe de l'ourse is closed.

Trail-Running

The area surrounding St Pierre de Chartreuse is becoming increasingly popular as a trail-running destination, with several marked trails of varying length and difficulty. The ultra-running race "Le Grand Duc" (named after the Eagle Owl which is the symbol of the Parc Régional Naturel de Chartreuse) starts and ends in the village with a route which varies each edition.

Sights

* The Musée de la Grande Chartreuse, just 2 km from the famous monastery founded by St. Bruno this unique site to better understand the mystery of the Carthusian Order, their 900-year history, lifestyle, cut off from the world and locked in the silence ... Resolutely modern, the museum housed in a former dependency of Carthusian monks, opens the door to their spiritual journey and invites you to discover the "Great Silence". * The church of Saint-Hugues-de-Chartreuse, St. Hugues, unique because it houses the Museum of contemporary sacred art which exposes 111 works by the painter Arcabas. * At the limits of the territory of the district on the west side, the forest house of the

Col de la Charmette In geomorphology, a col is the lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks.Whittow, John (1984). ''Dictionary of Physical Geography''. London: Penguin, 1984, p. 103. . It may also be called a gap. Particularly rugged and forbidding co ...

is a typical forest architecture of the nineteenth century The construction of this imposing building dates back to 1862. According to historical periods, the activity of the lodge was linked either to logging or tourism. The ''Office National des Fôrets'' (''National Forestry Office'') has decided to sell the building in 2010. A partnership was formed so that this place can continue to be open to the public.