The name Chartreuse is derived from the village now known as Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse, earlier Catorissium, Cantourisa, Caturissium, and Chatrousse. It appears to be of Gaulish origin; and is perhaps related to the name of the Caturiges tribe. Cross-country skiing can be practised from the opening of the resort to early or mid-April.

Chartreuse is within the Chartreuse Mountains, stretching from the city of Grenoble in the south to the Lac du Bourget in the north. They are part of the French Prealps, which continue as the Bauges to the north and the Vercors to the south. The Chartreuse Mountains gave their name to the monastery of the Grande Chartreuse, the monastic Carthusian Order takes its name from these mountains, where its first hermitage was founded in 1084. Also derived from the mountain range's name is that of the alcoholic cordial Chartreuse produced by the monks since the 1740s, and of the chartreuse colour, greenish hue of the Chartreuse liqueur, named after the drink.

Parc Naturel Régional de la Chartreuse (Chartreuse Regional Nature Park) is a regional nature park located in the region Rhône-Alpes between Chambéry, Grenoble and Voiron, on the border of the departments of Isère and Savoie. It is based on the massif de la Chartreuse and covers an area of 76,700 hectares with a population of about 50,000. The park was established in 1995.

Chartreuse winter sports resorts include :

• Le Désert d'Entremont, where the use of snowshoes has been particularly developed
• Granier en Chartreuse
• Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse and Le Planolet
• Saint-Hugues-de-Chartreuse
• Col de Porte 1,326 metres (4,350 ft)
• Le Sappey-en-Chartreuse
• La Ruchère (cross-country skiing)
• Saint-Hilaire-du-Touvet
• Col de Marcieu
• Col du Coq

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