Grenoble Attractions
Grenoble, the old capital of the Dauphiné, is beautifully situated in a basin in the Isère valley, surrounded by mountains rising to 3,000 m/9,900ft.
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Col du Galibier
(Dauphine)
Located near Grenoble, Col du Galibier is one of the highest mountain passes in France. A chair-lift ride, or a hike will take visitors to a height of 2,704 m from where there are great views across the Alps.
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Dauphiné Route Napoléon
(Dauphine)
The Route Napoléon is a scenic drive, taking tourists through mountains and past the lakes of Laffrey. Along the route are markers and plaques with information on the history of the area.
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Gap, France
(Near Grenoble)
Gap is a popular heath resort in a beautiful setting, backed by the Alps. It is located along the Route Napoléon.
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Museums
Grenoble has many interesting and important museums. Chief among these is the Musée des Beaux-Arts.
Palais de Justice
In Grenoble, the Palais de Justice (Law Courts; 15th-16th C), was originally the meeting-place of the Estates of the Dauphiné, with a beautiful Early Renaissance facade. The former Chambre de la Cour des Comptes has fine carved paneling (1521-1524).
Center of Contemporary Art
In the west of Grenoble, housed in an industrial building designed by Gustave Eiffel (1900), is the new Center of Contemporary Art, opened in 1986. It puts on periodic special exhibitions, and also has facilities for the training of young artists.
Fort de la Bastille
The best general view of Grenoble is to be had by taking the cableway from Quai Stéphane-Jay up to the Fort de la Bastille. This fort high up on the hill was a prison; now old motor cars and motor cycles are on display.
Under the east side of the hill crowned by the Fort de la Bastille is the church of St-Laurent (11th C, restored in 16th and 17th centuries), which is built over a lower church, a Merovingian crypt of the sixth-seventh C.
Under the east side of the hill crowned by the Fort de la Bastille is the church of St-Laurent (11th C, restored in 16th and 17th centuries), which is built over a lower church, a Merovingian crypt of the sixth-seventh C.
Notre-Dame
In the Place Notre-Dame in Grenoble, to the east of Place St-André, is the Cathedral of Notre-Dame (11th-15th C), with a beautiful interior. In the choir, on the right, is a tabernacle of 1455-1457, more than 14m/45ft high, robbed of its statues.
Parks and Gardens
Grenoble is well supplied with parks and gardens. On the far side of the Isère, below the Fort de la Bastille, are the Jardin des Dauphins (orientation table) and the Parc Guy-Pape, both with views of Fort Rabot, built on a rocky crag. In the southeast of the city is the Parc Paul-Mistral, in which are a number of modern buildings including the Olympic Stadium, built in 1967, which seats 70,000 spectators. There is another park on the banks of the Isère opposite the church of St-Laurent.
Place Grenette
The hub of Grenoble's life is the Place Grenette. To the north of this is the beautiful Jardin de la Ville, originally the gardens of the Château of the Duc de Lesdiguières (1543-1626); part of the Château has been preserved and the old town hall now houses the Musée Stendhal. The station for the cable railroad (télérifique) leading to the Bastille is to the found on the Quai Stephane Jay.
Sassenage Tunnels
This gigantic underground labyrinth is one of the Seven Wonders of Dauphiné. The caves are full of stalagmites, stalactites and numerous rooms full of fossils.
Hours
April 1 to October 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 |
July 1 to August 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 |
St André
On the east side of Place St-André in Grenoble is the church of St-André, built in 1220-1236 as the Dauphin's palace chapel, with a Gothic tower of 1298. In the north transept is a 17th C monument to the Chevalier Bayard, the knight sans peur et sans reproche.
Tour Perret
There are good views from the Tour Perret in Grenoble (86 m/282ft high; lift) in the Parc Paul- Mistral. 2km/1.5mi south of the park is the Olympic Stadium (1967), with seating for 70,000 spectators.
Grenoble Surroundings
Alpe d'Huez
Alpe d'Huez, lying southeast of Grenoble at an altitude of 1,860m/6,105ft, is both a summer and a winter resort, with ample scope for walking and climbing, summer skiing and sunny ski runs in winter. From the Dôme des Petites Rousses (2,813 m/9,229ft) and the Pic du Lac Blanc there are superb panoramic views.
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Vizille
The primary attraction in Vizille is the early 17th C Château of the Connétable de Lesdiguières.
Bourg d'Oisans
This little climatic resort of Bourg d'Oisans (alt. 720 m/2,360ft) in the valley of the Romanche is the chief place in the district of Oisans and an excellent base for excursions in the Dauphiné. It has interesting agricultural markets (butter, cheese, etc.). Near the town is the Cascade de la Sarennes.
Attractions in Other Popular Destinations
