Three distinct regions depict this range poised at the junction of the Alps and the Jura. The lower valley and remnants of an alluvial forest, attempting to resist rampant urbanism, are home to cottage gardens and vineyards. The hillsides and plains of agricultural Chartreuse come next. Finally, villages and hamlets, deep in the forest that covers over half the area, lie in the centre of this unspoiled range. It has also been home to Carthusian monks since the 11C.