Whether you admire it as you pass by, whether you contemplate it from a distance or look up at the foot of its imposing mass, you cannot ignore Mont Aiguille!
Learn about the history of this limestone monument, a pinnacle of stone that detached from the Vercors mountain range, and a preserved site rich in rare flora and fauna. Should you try to climb it? Or will you hike around it to appreciate the different facets of the “Mont Inaccessible”?
Where is Mont Aiguille located?
Mont Aiguille is located in the Trièves, in the commune of Chichilianne, south of Grenoble (in Isère (38), in the Auvergne Rhône Alpes region). It is considered one of the 7 wonders of the Dauphiné, and for some, it is known as the most beautiful mountain in the world!
Why is Mont Aiguille this shape?
Mont Aiguille is shaped like a tooth, a monumental, steep-sided block of limestone rock, which has broken away from the eastern cliff of the Vercors mountain range due to erosion. At the top it is practically flat, and is covered with a summit meadow, similar to the alpine pastures that can be seen throughout the Vercors Plateaux.
Hikes near this natural monument allow you to admire all its facets.
What is the altitude of Mont Aiguille?
Mont Aiguille reaches an altitude of 2087 metres. It is a little less than The Grand Veymont, another remarkable summit in the Trièves, and also the highest point of the Vercors mountain range (2341 meters), dominating the East Balcony.
Mont Aiguille, the birthplace of mountaineering
Mont Aiguille, formerly known as “Mont Inaccessible“, has a unique history. Its first ascent, on 26 June 1492, is considered to mark the birth of mountaineering! Antoine de Ville’s expedition, using ladders and pitons, was the first to set foot on the summit of the “fang”, which was later named “Aiguille-Fort”.
Some adventurers have tried to land there by plane, such as Henri Giraud, an outstanding aviator and chief pilot at the Aéro-Club du Dauphiné who in 1957 achieved the feat of landing on the summit meadow. He is the only one to have achieved this extraordinary stunt!
Is it possible to climb Mont Aiguille?
The ascent of Mont Aiguille is feasible and practicable via 30 routes. Some of them, such as the “normal route” (north-west face) are very accessible and allow our visitors, thanks to experienced guides, to practice mountaineering and return with unforgettable memories! Others (La Tour des Gémeaux, the routes on the south-east and south-west faces) are more difficult routes reserved for experienced climbers.
A panoramic view from the summit
From the summit of Mont Aiguille, you can admire :
- To the North, the Belledonne range, the Chartreuse summits and Mont Blanc ;
- to the East-South-East: the Trièves, the Ebron valley, the Dévoluy massif mountain range with the Grande Tête de l’Obiou and the Grand Ferrand, the foothills of the Matheysine and the Ecrins massif mountain range
- to the west, the cliffs of the Grand Veymont and the Grande Moucherolle.
Mont Aiguille, a preserved site to be protected!
Mont Aiguille is located in the Vercors Plateaux Nature Reserve. The fauna and flora are rare and protected. A large number of wild orchids, for example, can be found there. The summit meadow itself is an existing observation ground for scientists, as it constitutes an extreme environment that can be compared to an island context, due to its geological isolation.
Since the beginning of 2022, and following an increase in over-frequentation, the commune of Chichilianne has issued a ban on camping on the summit meadow of Mont Aiguille on the grounds of environmental and biodiversity preservation.
The Grand Veymont
The highest point of the Vercors massif at 2341m, the Grand Veymont offers a magnificent 360° view! It dominates the village of Gresse en Vercors, Mont Aiguille and the East balcony of the Vercors.
A challenging hike, the ascent of the Grand Veymont has many surprises in store, such as encounters with ibex, marmots and sometimes even vultures!
It has to be said that this is a very special hike through the Vercors Plateaux Nature Reserve, a vast protected area.
Is Mont Aiguille hollow?
In 2018, a report mentioned a strange discovery: supposedly cavers discovered a cavity in the Mont Aiguille, revealing that the “tooth” was hollow! A news item published on 1 April was in fact a well put together April Fool’s joke, even if Mont Aiguille does indeed have a few “cavities” spotted over the years by hardy climbers.
