The Legend of the “Dent du Chat”

The legend of the Dent du Chat

The Chambéry audio-guided tour tells you one of the most famous Savoyard legends, that of the Dent du Chat, this fang-shaped mountain that dominates the Lac du Bourget and watches over the whole region.

The cat become a monster

The legend tells that a fisherman one day found a little black cat and brought it home. The animal began to grow excessively, taking on monstrous proportions and sowing terror in the region. The mountain that dominates the Lac du Bourget is said to have taken the shape of the tooth of this fabulous cat, leaving it forever its name. This popular tale illustrates the imagination and the oral traditions of the lands of Savoy.

What there is to see

From Chambéry and its surroundings, the jagged profile of the Dent du Chat is easily recognised on the ridge line that dominates the Lac du Bourget. An emblematic summit of the Épine massif, it offers hikers superb panoramas over the lake and the city. Its familiar silhouette accompanies all the walks in the region.

Practical information

The Dent du Chat is a summit of the Épine massif, dominating the Lac du Bourget, to the west of Chambéry. Its silhouette can be contemplated freely from the city and its surroundings. Its ascent is a matter of mountain hiking and requires good physical condition and suitable equipment.

Where does the name Dent du Chat come from?

From a Savoyard legend: a little black cat taken in by a fisherman is said to have become a monster, and the mountain to have taken the shape of its tooth.

Where is the Dent du Chat?

It is a summit of the Épine massif that dominates the Lac du Bourget, to the west of Chambéry, recognisable by its fang-shaped profile.