After leaving Australia on new year's eve, I managed to find a job at the University of Grenoble. Ideally placed between many different mountain ranges, it's the perfect bushwalking backyard. Although I must say, it's a lot different from Australia : too many tracks that go nowhere and can quickly make you lost, some vertiginous paths that'd be forbidden in Australia or would require cables, signs, and guardrails, and the fact that a "medium" walk is here around 800 m elevation gain while the hard ones can go as high as 1800 m. Oh and late spring can still mean 30 cm deep snow above 2500 m...
Here are a couple walks I've done during the last few weeks.
The first one is in the Chartreuse, famous for striking peaks, waterfalls, alpine meadows, snow, cheese and liquor. Le Pinet is an "easy" peak to start with. At 1867 m, it's not that high, but still offers great 360° views towards the snowy Belledonne range, the striking Granier, or the rest of the Chartreuse. The initial climb is brutal, with about 500 m elevation gain in a couple of kms, below towering cliffs, before reaching the idyllic col de l'Alpette. The next part was easy, although the snowfields made it dangerous at times, and the swifting sound of glider coming right above surprised me. The traditional summit cross was in sight, and the view at the top was superb. Again, no guardrails in most summits in France, so you better watch yourself.