| Grenoble | ||
 | ||
Coat of arms and flag .svg/64px-Blason_ville_fr_Grenoble_(Isere).svg.png)  | ||
| State | France | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Rhône-Alpes | |
| Inhabitants | 532.746 (2007) | |
| Prefix tel | 33 476 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 38000, 38100 | |
Position
| ||
| Tourism site | ||
| Institutional website | ||
Grenoble is the capital of the department ofIsère in the area Rhône-Alpes.
To know
Ancient capital of Dauphiné, Grenoble is today a tourist center, as well as a prosperous city at the intersection of highways coming from Italy (Frejus tunnel) and from Geneva to Marseille.
Grenoble lies at the confluence of the Isère and Drac rivers, in the center of the French Alps
The city boasts numerous higher education institutions which attract a large number of students including non-French nationals.
The oldest of these institutes is the University of Grenoble, founded in the 14th century.
The student population contributes to giving the city a lively and international air.
In 1968 Grenoble hosted the 10th edition of winter olympic games and from that time it preserves numerous sports installations all concentrated in the Paul Mistral park.
How to orient yourself
Grenoble: full screen map.The old center of Grenoble extends on the southern bank of the Isère River. It hinges on the square of Sant'Andrea (Place Saint-André) dominated by the church of the same name and the former courthouse, once the seat of the parliament of the Dauphiné.
Most of the streets and squares of the old center constitute a pedestrian area. Place Grenette is popular with tourists thanks to the lure of cafes and restaurants with open terraces in the summer. Place aux Herbes is another pretty little square in the old town. Among the narrow streets of the old center it is worth mentioning Rue Felix Poulat which connects Place Grenette with Place Victor Hugo. It is a shopping street including Galeries Lafayette.
South of the old center is the modern one which has expanded since the end of the 19th century. There is the Perret Tower, a tower built in reinforced concrete in 1925 on the occasion of the International Exhibition of the Houille Blanche. Its function then was to illuminate the surrounding mountains. It is about eighty meters high and bears the name of its creators, the Perret brothers. Next to the tower is the entrance to the Paul Mistral park with the stadiums and sports facilities built for the Winter Olympic Games held in Grenoble in 1968.
On the northern bank of the Isère is the Fort de la Bastille which can be reached by the cable car that leaves from the Stéphane Jay riverside, near the Place Saint-André.
How to get
By plane
- 1 Grenoble airport (Aéroport International de Grenoble-Isère, IATA: GNB). Grenoble has an international airport where the low cost EasyJet and Ryanair operate with many flights from locations on the British Isles but none from Italian cities.
By car
Grenoble is 236 km away Turin passing through Bardonecchia (148 km)
On the train
From Turin, Milan with the EuroCity Artesia trains to the station of Challes Les Eaux (Chambéry) with a change of train to Grenoble. More information on the Trenitalia website.
By bus
Grenoble is also easily accessible by bus. Some companies like Baltour, OuiBus and Flixbus.
How to get around
What see
- Musée de Grenoble, 5 place Lavalette.
- Dauphinois Museum, 30 rue Maurice Gignoux.
- Center d'art Bastille.
- Collégiale Saint-André.
- .
Events and parties
What to do
Shopping
How to have fun
Shows
- Palais des sports. Numerous stars of pop and rock music have performed at the Palasport in Grenoble from Elton John to Bob Dylan and Snoop Dogg.
- Summum. Performance hall in the Alpexpo district where concerts are often held.
Night clubs
The streets of the old town and its squares bustle with life even after sunset. The favorite haunt of Grenoble students is the disco "Le Couche Tard", at nº 1 of Rue du Palais (tel 04 76 44 18 79).
Where to eat
Where stay
Moderate prices
- Hotel de l'Europe, 22 place Grenette, ☎ 33 0476 461694.
