His ancestors were lords of the castle of Albon and counts (comites) in the Grésivaudan and Briançonnais.

Guigues's reign was marked by continual strife with Hugh of Châteauneuf, Bishop of Grenoble, over the suzerainty of certain church lands in the Grésivaudan.

Hugh accused the count of usurping the lands with the help of the Bishop Mallem and invented fantastic stories to back up his claim to the disputed estates.

Guigues returned the ecclesiastic land, while Hugh recognised the authority of the count in the vicinity of Grenoble.

[citation needed] In 1129, Guigues benefited further from the division of the Viennois between himself and Amadeus III of Savoy.