Mont Granier
| Mont Granier | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,933 m (6,342 ft) |
| Geography | |
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| |
| Region | FR |
| Parent range | Chartreuse Mountains |
Mont Granier is a limestone mountain located between the départements of Savoie and Isère in France. It lies in the Chartreuse Mountains range between the towns of Chapareillan and Entremont-le-Vieux. It has an altitude of 1933 metres above sea level. Its east face overlooks the valley of Grésivaudan and Combe de Savoie, and the north face overlooks Chambéry. At 900 meters, Mont Granier is among one of the highest cliffs in France.
Catastrophic 1248 Landslide
In the year 1248, between November 24-25, the face of the mountain broke off, causing a massive landslide that crushed many villages at the base & killed over a thousand people. This event created the sheer 700m north face of the mountain.
Five villages were completely destroyed by the avalanche:
- Cognin
- Vourey
- Saint-André
- Granier
- Saint-Pérange (also called Saint-Péran)
Two villages were partially destroyed:
- Myans
- Les Murs (Les Marches)
Activities
It is a popular spot for hiking, spelunking, rock climbing, and BASE jumping. There are many tunnels and caves inside the mountain that have been carved over time by water.
On November 13, 1988, spelunkers Pierre Guichebaron and Marc Papet discovered an extension to the Balme Collomb cave on the west side of the mountain at an altitude of 5,577 feet (1,700 meters) that contained the skeletons of over 1,000 cave bears that date between 24,000 and 45,000 years.
Around the base of Mont Granier are many vineyards that produce the Apremont and Abymes appellations. These wines are made from the white Jacquère grape, unknown outside Savoie.
The Col du Granier(1,134 m.) crosses the ridge to the north-west of the mountain.
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