How to drive the unpaved road to Le Moucherotte?
Le Moucherotte is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.863m (6,112ft) above sea level, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France.
Where is Le Moucherotte?
The peak is located in the Isère department, in the southeastern part of the country.
Why was Le Moucherotte famous?
There was a hotel built in 1959 just below the summit and a cable car providing access from Grenoble. Le Ermitage Hotel was popular for a time with the jet set including Roger Vadim and Brigitte Bardot. The hotel and lift were abandoned after the 1968 Grenoble Olympics. During the 1968 Winter Olympics, the ski jumping competition was held on a 90-metre springboard, which is still in place on the northern foothills of the Moucherotte. Following first financial difficulties and then vandalism, the hotel closed permanently in the mid-1970s. The hotel and the summit served as the setting for the filming of some scenes from the movie "La Bride sur le cou" (The Bride of the neck), with Brigitte Bardot. After a quarter of a century of the ruins of the hotel were finally demolished along with the cable car station in the summer of 2001.
Is the road to Le Moucherotte unpaved?
The road to the summit is totally unpaved, with loose rocks, in very bad condition, with a few parts almost washed out. It’s closed to private vehicles. A 4x4 vehicle with high clearance might get to the top.
How long is the road to Le Moucherotte?
Starting from Saint Nizier du Moucherotte, the ascent is 4.3 km long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 698 meters. The average gradient is 16.23%.
Is the road to Le Moucherotte open in winters?
Set high in the Vercors Natural Regional Park, the Moucherotte is the most northerly summit of the Vercors massif. It’s usually open year-round, though the summit receives snowfalls in winters.
Pic: Clément Poulain