©Hiking Orgeval|Alpigraphie / Kröll Matthias - Grand Chambéry Alpes Tourisme

Hiking tips Chambéry Mountains

Explore, respect
and enjoy the mountains

In the mountains, every step you take is an encounter. Behind a mountain pasture, a meadow or a forest, there is often a farmer, a forester, a stockbreeder… These landscapes are also places to live and work.

And like all good guests, we take good care of the house that welcomes us.

The panorama is not just a postcard: it’s a shared space where nature and people have lived together for generations. By respecting it, we preserve the magic that amazes us today… and that will continue to seduce us tomorrow.

Chambéry Mountains Two regional nature parks

The trails run through two exceptional areas: the Chartreuse Regional Nature Park and the Massif des Bauges Regional Nature Park.

In 2025, these two jewels are celebrating 30 years of commitment to a harmonious balance between conservation and everyday life.

Herds, forestry work, farm machinery… all scenes that are part of the mountain rhythm. These landscapes change with the seasons and activities. From one hike to the next, the area reveals new colours, new scents and new emotions.

The heart of the Bauges

Chartreuse Regional Nature Park

10 simple ways to walk responsibly

1Staying on the trails

Marked paths protect fragile vegetation and ensure that wildlife and work areas are not disturbed.

2Bring back all your rubbish

Even a banana peel takes weeks to disappear. A small dedicated bag avoids leaving the slightest trace of its passage.

3Preserving water

Springs, rivers and drinking troughs are precious for farm animals and wildlife alike. Keeping them clean means preserving life.

4Keeping your dog on a lead

A loose dog can frighten animals and disturb bird nests. With a lead, the walk remains pleasant for everyone.

5Bypassing herds

Passing in the middle can be dangerous, especially in the presence of a bull or a guard dog. The diversions is always safer... and sometimes prettier.

6Enjoying flora without picking it

To photograph is to gather with the eyes: a memory taken away without taking anything away from the landscape.

7Use the parking spaces provided

A well-parked vehicle leaves access free for tractors, hay lorries... and emergency services.

8Respecting the natural diet of animals

They thrive best on what nature has to offer. Observing them without interfering means preserving their well-being.

9Preserving footpaths

Maintaining them takes time, know-how and patience. Protecting them is a way of enhancing the value of this work.

10Set up your bivouac in agreement with the owner

Sleeping under the stars is magical... and even more so when there's nothing to betray your passing.

©Alpigraphie / Kröll Matthias - Grand Chambéry Alpes Tourisme

A night under the stars zero footprint

Bivouacs are intended to be ephemeral, discreet and invisible: tents set up at sunset, dismantled at sunrise.

Some areas prohibit bivouacs (nature reserves, etc.), while others allow them subject to certain conditions: it’s best to find out before you set off.

The fewer traces you leave behind, the more authentic nature will remain for future visitors. The idea is simple: stealthy passage, intact place.

As for fire, the rule is clear: no flames within 200 m of a forest without permission.

In dry periods, this is forbidden. And if there is a fire, it must be safe, supervised and fuelled solely by dead wood.

A small flame can heat up a meal… but it can also destroy a landscape. A stove is safer, quicker and has no impact on the environment.

Bivouac rules in the Bauges

The right attitudes Hiking dogs, herding dogs

Hiking with your dog

In some protected areas, a lead is not enough: dogs are banned to protect wildlife (Hauts de Chartreuse, Réserve nationale des Bauges).

In mountain pastures, during the summer grazing period (June to October), only shepherds’ working dogs are allowed.

A dog, even a playful one, can disturb the herds and trigger the reaction of a guard dog.

Sharing an outing with your four-legged friend is a pleasure, but also a responsibility. Adapting your itinerary according to local rules can save you a lot of trouble.