Saint-Laurent-Du-Pont lies in the Chartreuse Regional Nature Park between Grenoble and Chambéry. The Guiers Mort flows through the town after emerging from the Guiers Gorge area of Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse. The river landscape, wetland and historic buildings give the town a range of distinct themes.

The Guiers and the marshland

A 12-kilometre stretch of the Guiers Mort runs from its source near Perquelin to the Fourvoirie site in Saint-Laurent-Du-Pont. It bears the “Site Rivières Sauvages” label. If the label’s current status is important to your plans, check it in advance. This helps you understand the designation in relation to the specific stretch of river, rather than applying it to the entire river.

The peat bogs of l’Herretang extend across Saint-Laurent-Du-Pont and Saint-Joseph-de-Rivière. They form the largest wetland in the Chartreuse Regional Nature Park. The discovery trail through the bogs introduces their history and includes an observation centre, Camargue horses and the area’s wildlife. The focus here is the marshland and its distinctive habitats.

Carthusian history and historic buildings

In Fourvoirie stands the former Chartreuse distillery, which has been protected as a Monument historique since 20 September 1993. The Carthusian fathers’ distillery retains a partly ruined building with eight stills, as well as vaulted cellars with groin vaults and square pillars. The buildings tell the story of the site’s former use; they do not indicate that it is a production facility today.

The Ferme de l’Echaillon, a farmhouse dating from the late 17th century, offers a different perspective on architectural history. Its timber frame, built around 1675, is considered representative of the Chartreuse Massif’s dispersed settlement architecture. The timber frame is the building’s load-bearing structure. The property also includes a 17th-century bread oven; it has been listed as a Monument historique since 2003.

Two 16th-century bridges lie on the historic route between Saint-Laurent-Du-Pont and the Grande Chartreuse monastery. The Pont de la Petite Vache is also known as the Ponceau des Agneaux and has been classified as a Monument historique since 1923. The Pont Pérant is also part of this route; it is 15 metres long and 14 metres high. The first bridge’s nickname and protected status provide useful context, while the dimensions give an idea of the second bridge’s scale.

Today’s Chapelle Notre Dame du Château was built in 1852 on the site of the old keep and former castle. The chapel offers a unique panorama of the hills of Miribel-Les-Échelles and the Guiers valley. The tourist office’s historic walking tour also includes it, among other stops. The Church of Saint Laurent makes its own architectural impression, with its size, neo-Gothic architecture and remarkable façade.

The Grotte des Eugles also belongs to the town’s history, reaching back to a much earlier period. The cave in Saint-Laurent-Du-Pont was used temporarily by people in the Middle Palaeolithic and lies at an altitude of 850 metres.

Trails with different focuses

The themed trail to Pic de l’Oeillette runs through the forest from Pont Saint Bruno to the peak. Around ten information panels explain Carthusian heritage along the way. The 13.2-kilometre “D’une distillerie à l’autre” walking loop starts in Saint-Laurent-Du-Pont and leads to the Fourvoirie distillery. Chartreuse liqueur was produced there from 1862 to 1935, with a break from 1903 to 1929. A notice dated 23 June 2026 reported that the loop was temporarily closed because of a significant water leak. Check access before planning your visit. The two routes differ in both subject and format: the forest trail presents Carthusian history through information panels, while the circular route leads to the former production site.

Discover more destinations: Fontaine, La Salette-Fallavaux, Chanas, Montagnieu, Roussillon En Isere, Chasse-Sur-Rhône, Jarrie, Les Adrets.

For the wider travel overview: Isere.