The Réserve naturelle nationale des Hauts de Chartreuse (National nature reserve of the Hauts de Chartreuse) (RNN136) is a national nature reserve located in
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes () was an administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it is part of the new region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. It is located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the river Rhône a ...
in the
Chartreuse mountains
The Chartreuse Mountains ( ) are a mountain range in southeastern France, stretching from the city of Grenoble in the south to the Lac du Bourget in the north. They are part of the French Prealps, which continue as the Bauges to the north and ...
. Classified in 1997, it covers 4,450 hectares and forms a vast rocky tray bordered by cliffs which has mountain and subalpine environments.
Location
Situated at the east of the Chartreuse Mountains in Rhône-Alpes, the nature reserve stretches from
Mont Granier
Mont Granier (1,933m) is a limestone mountain located between the départements of Savoie and Isère in France. It lies in the Chartreuse Mountains range of the French Prealps between the towns of Chapareillan and Entremont-le-Vieux. Its east ...
north to the
Dent de Crolles
The Dent de Crolles () is a karstic mountain (2,062 m) of the Chartreuse Mountains range, north east of Grenoble, Isère, France. The mountain has a characteristic "tooth-like" profile; the French word ''dent'' means "tooth". ''de Crolles'' is d ...
south located at about 20 km.
The territory concerns 11 communes (''french townships'') of 2 departments. In Isère, Sainte-Marie-du-Mont,
Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse
Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse () is a commune in the Isère department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.
It is located in the Chartreuse Mountains, to the north of the city of Grenoble. The Grande Chartreuse, the head mo ...
Entremont-le-Vieux
Entremont-le-Vieux (; ) is a commune in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Southeastern France. In 2019, it had a population of 644.
Geography
Entremont-le-Vieux is a landlocked village close to many water streams and ...
.
The site forms a vast rocky tray in high elevation, bordered by high steep walls. It covers a total area of 4450 hectares, of which 3950 hectares in Isère and 500 ha in Savoie to an elevation situated between 900 m and 2062 m above sea level.