{"id":60503,"date":"2018-07-30T20:16:46","date_gmt":"2018-07-30T18:16:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitcairn.com\/?p=60503"},"modified":"2020-02-14T07:35:45","modified_gmt":"2020-02-14T06:35:45","slug":"gr738","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.summitcairn.com\/en\/gr738\/","title":{"rendered":"GR738 – Crossing Belledonne"},"content":{"rendered":"
In France the “GR – Grandes Randonn\u00e9es” are some long hiking paths managed by the French Hiking Association. This are awesome paths to discover the French mountains, country or even seaside.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Follow me along this 8 days on this difficult hiking path wild and lonely, only 4h away from Paris.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_custom_heading]Belledonne and the GR738[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_separator][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column column_width_percent=”60″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]Belledonne extends from Chambery to Grenoble. The mountain range is 60km long and 10km wide. Its highest point is the “Grand Pic de Belledonne” at 2977m. It is one of the last mountain range not being a natural park but some projects are being leaded this way. Less know than the Ecrins, the Vanoise or the Vercors, Belledonne offers a large choice of interesting hikes in marvelous landscapes, all of this far from the crowd. It is easily reachable by car but also by train.<\/p>\n
Belledonne is a place of pastoralism so you will cross herds of sheep guarded by sherped dogs called Patou. The fauna is rich, you will meet Ibexes, mountains goats and the wolf is also there especially in the nord side.<\/p>\n
Patou : this dogs are raised to guard and protect the sheeps. This are defense dogs so they will not let anyone coming near the herd even a hiker. So beware approaching a herd because several people are bitten every years.<\/p>\n
How to behave meeting a Patou :<\/p>\n
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- Do not cross a herd of sheeps, always go around or pass it keeping your distance.<\/li>\n
- The Patou, when it spots you, will come running towards you and barking loudly to “mark” his territory. He will then smell you and evaluate the threat you represent. Talk to him gently, without shouting, stop the time he “scans” you or continue to walk quietly, have a calm attitude to put him in confidence. He will accompany you as you move away from the herd.<\/li>\n
- Do not run or be threatening of any kind. Do not brand a walking stick for example. Any action that can be interpreted by the dog as aggression could lead to aggressive behavior.<\/li>\n
- If you have a dog with you, do not take it in your arms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The trails that make up the GR738 are not from yesterday, they were known as the “Shepherds Trail” before, but the official status of GR dates from 2017 with an official opening in the summer of 2018. When I traveled the GR (July 2018), the section between the “Col de la Vache” and the “Br\u00e8che de la Roche Fendue” was not yet marked GR (but there is a markup consisting of a yellow line and \/ or blue points) but this should be finalized in 2018. With these 130km long and 10 000m of elevation gain, the GR738 is positioned as a long and\u00a0difficult mountain range crossing like the GR54<\/a> or the famous GR20. One of the specificities of the GR that marked me is the few village that we cross. If you want to go independently, you will have to provide food for almost the entire hike. If you do not want to carry heavy laods, it is also possible to go from shelter to shelter.<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t
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