Croix de Belledonne, Mountain summit in Isère, France.

Croix de Belledonne is a mountain peak in the French Alps standing at 2,926 meters and represents the second highest accessible summit in the Belledonne range. The peak features steep terrain with alpine conditions and connects to a network of ridges and valleys below.

The first ascent is estimated to have taken place around 1850. On 23 February 1890, Maurice Allotte de La Fuÿe made the first winter ascent, on snowshoes. The gap between the Croix de Belledonne and the Central Peak is named Duhamel, after the alpinist Henry Duhamel.

The name comes from a cross raised on the summit, croix meaning cross in French. The photographs show bare rock and snow at the top, with no cross or inscription visible today. The gap between the Croix de Belledonne and the Central Peak is named after the alpinist Henry Duhamel.

The usual route leaves from the Pré Raymond parking area and climbs roughly 1,700 metres to the 2,926-metre summit, so plan a long day and carry water for the exposed scree slopes. Snow patches linger in shaded gullies and crevices into summer, and storms build quickly in the afternoon.

The 2,926-metre summit is lower than the Grand Pic de Belledonne, which rises to 2,977 metres and is the highest point of the range. The gap between the Croix de Belledonne and the Central Peak is named after the alpinist Henry Duhamel.