Saint-Pierre-D'allevard: Hiking Trails and Mining History

Saint-Pierre d'Allevard combines circular trails, the landscape around the Bassin du Flumet, and traces of its mining and metallurgical history. For planning your trip, these destinations offer different highlights: a short route through forest ecosystems, a walk around the basin, or a longer hike to a hamlet in the Belledonne Massif. The routes vary in length, walking time, and difficulty, providing practical points of reference for planning your stay.

Hiking Trails by Distance and Walking Time

The Sentier découverte arboretum is a circular trail approximately 1.125 kilometers long. It takes between 40 minutes and 1 hour 15 minutes to walk. The trail is accessible to a wide audience, developed, and secured. Before setting out, check the local information about the route, walking time, and access.

The Bassin du Flumet can be circled on foot or by running along a 3.5-kilometer loop. Swimming and water sports are prohibited there. If you plan to walk around the water, follow the local authority’s guidance on access and safety at the site. Compared with the shorter arboretum loop, the route around the basin is longer; the two trails therefore offer different options for planning your outing.

The Bassin du Flumet and Its Natural Environment

The Bassin du Flumet is a continental ZNIEFF type 1 and a favored site for overwintering waterbirds. The species inventory includes, among others, the Red-crested Pochard and the Common Pochard. Sand Martins and European Siskins are also listed along the banks. The overwintering waterbirds and the other species found in the bankside areas represent different aspects of the basin’s natural environment.

Forest Trails and Traces of Ore Mining

The Sentier découverte arboretum passes through various forest ecosystems and reveals the remains of a major metallurgical site in the historic commune of Saint-Pierre d'Allevard. The trail also features the remains of the inclined haulage track used to transport ore from the mines to the furnaces. The same route thus brings together forest landscapes and the material history of local metallurgy.

The Chemin de Vaugraine is classified as a PDIPR route and runs at an altitude of approximately 1,300 meters. It passes through the forest and along scenic viewpoints in the mid-mountain area. Mining remains from the 17th to the 19th centuries include roasting furnaces, gallery entrances, and workers’ settlements. The route offers insight into the exploitation of the iron ore mines. Trail conditions may vary, so take this into account when planning.

Industrial History and Religious Heritage

The Four à griller des anciennes forges d'Allevard is the last surviving remnant of thirty years of industrial activity in Saint-Pierre d'Allevard. The roasting furnace was built around 1905 and is one of the few surviving examples of its type in France. It offers a tangible way to explore the history of metalworking through a specific structure.

The church of Saint-Pierre d'Allevard also brings together different periods: its foundations are very old, while the nave was rebuilt in the 19th century. Together with the mining remains and the roasting furnace, it offers another perspective on the town’s built heritage, without reducing all the evidence to the same period.

Hike to the Chapelle Saint-Christophe

The La Chapelle Saint Christophe route is a difficult hike: the circular trail is 8.4 kilometers long and takes about three hours. It starts at the church of Saint-Pierre d'Allevard and passes through the local heritage and landscapes of the Belledonne Massif. Compared with the arboretum loop, this is the longer option and is explicitly rated as difficult.

The route leads to the hamlet of La Chapelle Saint-Christophe, which offers a remarkable view of the Bassin du Flumet. Favorable weather is essential for access, and visibility of the basin also depends on the weather. Take the weather conditions into account when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Siccieu-Saint-Julien-Et-Carisieu, Fontaine, Bouvesse-Quirieu, Chapareillan, Morette, Frontonas, Mens, Villard-Reculas.

View the overview of the wider region: Isere.