Grenoble, a large town in southeast France, is stunningly situated at the confluence of the rivers Drac and Isere, nestled between the mountain ranges of the Vercors and Chartreuse Massifs.

The town dates back to Roman times. It joined France after being sold for a pittance by the impoverished Dauphin of Vienne in 1349. Now a major industrial centre, specialising in the chemical and electronics industries, the town is home to two Universities, the University of Grenoble, one of the oldest in Europe, and the science oriented Joseph Fourier University.

Often called the 'Capital of the Alps', Grenoble's breathtaking scenery and easy access to some of the best ski slopes in Europe made it an ideal venue for the 1968 Winter Olympic Games.

Grenoble has boasted some famous residents over the years. The novelist Stendhal was born here while the philosopher Rousseau, mathematician Joseph Fourier and film director Jean luc Goddard have all lived in the town at one time or another.

Attractions

The best way to get your bearings in Grenoble and appreciate its stunning scenery is to take a trip in Les Bulles Cable Car. Starting at the quayside the little bubble cars transport visitors to the Fort de la Bastille, a military base built in the 16th century and greatly expanded in the 19th. As well as touring the buildings the castle is surrounded by extensive parklands, running all the way back to the river and the old town.

The Musée de Grenoble in the Place de Lavalette has a collection of artworks dating from Roman times to the present day. It's collection of 20th Century works is particularly impressive, including pieces by Picasso, Chagall and Matisse.

One unusual collection of modern art can be found at the Basilique de Sacre Coeur. This rather dour 19th Century church has been invigorated by the addition of 25 huge, almost abstract paintings by contemporary artist Marie Israel.

As befits a Winter Olympics site there are plenty of opportunities for winter sports like skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing in the mountains around Grenoble. The city is surrounded by twenty 'ski stations', at 15min away by car Le Sappey-en-Chartreuse is the nearest.

If winter sports leave you cold you've no need to worry. Grenoble has some of the longest hours of sunlight anywhere in Europe and there are plenty of hot weather activities.

The Parc Paul Mistral is a bit out of the centre of town but it offers some very relaxing walks in carefully manicured gardens, dotted with modern statues. To the southwest lies the Vercors, one of France's most beautiful national parks, ideal for hiking and cycling. Not to be missed is the hamlet of Pont-en-Royens whose stone houses perch precariously over a narrow limestone gorge, carved out by the Bourne River.

From May to September the man-made Bois Francais Lake is a fantastic location for jet-skiing, windsurfing and swimming. Every summer the municipality transforms the Place de la Bifurk into the 'Plage de la Bifurk' as it creates an artificial beach where locals and tourists alike can enjoy a range of sports from football and volleyball to 'beachminton' and 'frisbeach'.

Shopping

Grenoble is rich territory for shopping. High-class shops and expensive boutiques are centred on the Place Sainte-Claire. There are large numbers of markets throughout Grenoble, specialising in food, drinks, antiques, books and a range of other goods. Different markets occur at different times throughout the year so it is best to check specifics with Tourist Information before travelling.

The second Sunday of every month sees the L'Esplanade Flea Market, a great chance to pick up a bargain or two.

Grenoble has an extensive antique district around the rue Bayard and the rue Voltaire in the old town. Shops range from lavish emporiums selling only the finest and oldest pieces to bric-a-brac shops selling heaps of curios in various states of repair.

Nightlife and Eating Out

With its large student population Grenoble is not short of nightlife. Place Grenette is a pedestrianised area full of clubs and late night bars.

The town has an impressive range of restaurants, centred particularly on the Place de Gordes. The proximity of the Italian border has a definite influence on the Dauphinoise cuisine of the region. There are plenty of old-style French eateries that serve delicacies like fondue, herring paté with whiskey and walnut salads. The walnuts of Grenoble are in a class of their own. They have been granted an appellation of controlled origin, giving them the same 'brand-protection' as Champagne.

There are several local wines of high quality. The soil in the area is particularly suited to producing white wines, especially lightly sparkling-wines and sweet desert wines.

Grenoble is a quaint French city nestled at the foot of the Alps, right where the Drac and Isère Rivers meet.

Located in the middle of the Charteuse, Vercors and Belledonne mountain ranges and nicknamed "capital of the Alps," Grenoble is home to 20 ski resorts and often a stage of the Tour de France. While the natural setting brings droves of winter sport fans, the city's rich educational options attract throngs of students and researchers. Grenoble's nine universities and 36 graduate schools educate more than 200,000 students, making it an educational hub.

Grenoble is a major scientific and research center, and houses the French National Center for Scientific Research as well as Joseph Fourier University, one of the leading science universities in France. The Grenoble Institute of Technology trains more than 1,000 engineers a year, and Minatec is a haven for innovation in micro- and nanotechnology.

The Institut d'études politiques de Grenoble is the Grenoble branch of the world-famous IEPs (Institutes of Political Studies): nine publicly owned universities in France, all focused on the field of political science. The Grenoble Ècole de Management is an internationally respected and globally ranked business school. The University of Grenoble was founded in 1339 by Pope Benedict XII.

History, architecture, and archaeology students can all appreciate La Bastille, an ancient series of fortifications perched high atop a mountainside overlooking the entire city. Construction on La Bastille started during the Middle Ages, but multiple additions have been made throughout the years. The structure is currently credited as being the most extensive example of 19th Century fortifications in France. For students who just want a great view of the city, La Bastille offers Les Bulles, orb-shaped cable-cars that run down from the top of the mountain and offer 360-degree views of the valley.

Language majors will have a terrific time in Grenoble, due to both its internationalism and decidedly French personality. While it receives a wealth of international tourists and scholars, it is not a busy metropolis like Paris. The city retains small-town French charm-perfect for students looking to absorb the culture and perfect the language.

The city also offers active nightlife options and hosts many cultural festivals, including the 38e Rugissants Festival (featuring music that bridges the traditional music of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East with more 'contemporary' styles), the Grenoble Jazz Festival, the European Theatre Festival, the Open Air Short Films Festival, and the Berlioz Festival. Exciting shopping districts, diverse restaurants, and a booming theater life offer students a variety of diversions from their studies. And while Grenoble possesses all of these decidedly modern amenities, it never forgets its historic roots (it was the site of the first action of the French Revolution).

With the beautiful Alps as its backdrop, Grenoble is a fascinating dichotomy - it's fresh but old, big but small, bustling but quaint. Study abroad students can't help but want to stay.

Grenoble, France
Xth WINTER GAMES

February 6 - 16, 1968

Mascot - Schuss

37 countries, 1158 athletes (211 women)

6 sports, 35 events

Opening - President Charles de Gaulle

Torch lit by - Alain Calmat (figure skating)

Candidates: Calgary, Lahti/Are (SWE), Lake Placid, Oslo, Sapporo

The great patron of this edition of the games was considered General Charles de Gaulle who wanted a great international event for France. In fact the Grenoble games can be considered the "Grandiose" Olympics. This was confirmed in the opening ceremony with 18 thousand persons, the Olympic flame transported from Athens by air, a shower of thousands of scented paper roses from three helicopters with 5 circles drawn in the sky by the smoke of the parachutists, the Olympic flags shot into the air by cannons. General de Gaulle personally read the oath.

For the first time since the end of World War II, East and West German athletes competed on separate teams. And the International Olympic Committee set a precedent by ordering the first drug and gender testing of Olympic athletes.

However the Alpine skiers aroused a heated controversy, being accused of breaking the rules of amateur status because of the very obvious advertising brands on their equipment which the IOC had not wanted to appear either during interviews or in photos. This warning was so blatantly disregarded that Avery Brundage himself refused to present the medals.

These were the Olympics of Jean-Claude Killy. Killy wowed his home crowd and repeated the achievement of Toni Sailer, sweeping the alpine events. In women's alpine, Canadian Nancy Greene won a gold in the giant slalom and a silver in the slalom.

In the nordic events, the Scandinavian countries were shocked twice. First Franco Nones, an Italian, became the first non-Scandinavian to win a cross-country skiing race when he claimed gold in the 30 km. Then Vladimir Beloussov became the first and only man from the Soviet Union to win a ski jumping event when he took gold in the 90-meter competition. Eugenio Monti -- the nine-time World Champion bobsledder -- finally won gold, sweeping the bobsledding events in his final Olympic attempt.

Peggy Fleming easily won gold in the ladies' figure skating competition, while in one of the biggest surprises of the Games, Austrian Emmerich Danzer -- the 1966 and 1967 world champion -- did not even medal. His countryman Wolfgang Schwarz claimed gold in men's figure skating.

The Soviet Union lost its dominance on the speed-skating track, with Norway picking up the slack. Norway regained its status as the top medal-winner with 14.

Airport

Grenoble's own airport, the Saint-Geoirs, is 45km to the north-west of the city. Flights arrive here from across Europe, including from London Stansted. Alternatively Grenoble is roughly one hour away from Lyon's Saint-Exupéry International Airport and ninety minutes from Geneva's Cointrin International Airport.

There are several vineyards surrounding Grenoble and local vineyard co-ops are often happy to sell direct to the public if you drop by.

One can't get within sight of the Chartreuse Mountains and not come home with a bottle of green or yellow Chartreuse. The eponymous herbal liqueurs have been produced by local monks since 1737.

Grenoble - Bastille

The Bastille is the name of a fortress dominating the city of Grenoble at the foot of the Alps by more the 250 meters. Is has been built on the mont Rachais, which is the most southern mountain of the massif de la Chartreuse. This strategic place has been chosen to control and defend the city and the surrounding valleys of the Isère and Drac rivers in the 19th century.

When walking up the endless stairs to the fortress you will fully understanding why the fortress was very difficult to attack in its position on top of the rock.

How to get there: 

Start straight off the city center, near the departure of the cable-car (the locals call them the "eggs"; you will notice why). There are a few parking lots along the Isère river.

Google maps: Here is the Google Map link to Grenoble, La Bastille. The track: The total length to the top is about 2.7km, or 5.4km if you run the same way down. The difference in altitude is roughly 300m, so be assured it will be "up the hill". The slope is partly very steep. It is mainly off-road, sometimes you have stairs to take.

Water point: I guess there is none on the way. However, you can take a rest when reaching the fortress, there is a drink seller there.

Good to know:

When reaching the top (if you reach it), you are rewarded by a splendid panorama on the city of Grenoble. You could also continue climbing on a track above the Bastille, but I didn’t explore this one. Maybe somebody here knows?

Grenoble

In 1968 Grenoble hosted the winter Olympics. At the time there was a telerifique, or cablecar that had been taking visitors up to the 400 metre, 16th century Fort de la Bastille since 1914. In 1976 the city redesigned the telerifique into the one-of-a-kind five-ball gondola we see today. When it goes up and down the mountain it casts a shadow like five peas in a row on the Isere riverside rowhouses below.

The University of Grenoble is the centre of French chemical, electronic and nuclear research. From the Bastille we can see a cyclotron – the size of a racetrack – a contained course for accelerating and colliding particles.

An Internet caf� at the city centre is tucked behind a series of pedestrian ways and a chic bar. It’s a gutted stone building stacked with computers – Rich convinces the owners to let him connect to their network with the laptop – an activity often shunned by proprietors out of fear of hacking and viruses.

The Musee de la Resistance houses three storeys of documentation relating to the French Resistance during World War II. Grenoble earned the nickname "Little Russia" by the German army, so afraid were they to tackle the Alps and fight the efficiently organized underground of nationalists who were sabotaging, hiding arms, forging papers and protecting Jews in the Vercors and Chartreuse up until the Liberation. Still, thousands of resisters were arrested and sent to concentration camps in Poland and Germany along with foreign Jews and dissident Italians and Germans who had flocked to the unoccupied, "free" Republic France under the Vichy government. The museum includes items eventually brought back from the camps by a few surviving, liberated prisoners: a tin cup stamped Buchenwald, a striped hat stained with dandelion sap, a felt triangle identity badge, a wooden chess piece.

The origin of the roses is unknown, there are a number of explanations offered :
- the roses allude to the Roman name of the town Gratianopolis, the town of Grace, which was founded by the Emperor Gratian, or from the idea that roses grew from grains nobles.
- the roses symbolise three martyrs: Saint Vincent, Saint Andr� and Saint Jean-Baptiste.
- the roses are the three powers in the city, the consuls, the Ddauphin or the mayor.
- the roses are said to date from 1447, when the future Louis XI came to Grenoble, where he stayed for nine years as dauphin. On his arrival the nobles of the city offered him a bouquet of dog roses

Science and engineering

Site of European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institut Laue-Langevin and European Molecular Biology Laboratory

Site of Minatec

Grenoble is now a major scientific center, especially in the fields of physics, computer science and applied mathematics: Joseph Fourier University (UJF) is one of the leading French scientific universities while the Grenoble Institute of Technology (INPG) trains more than 1,000 engineers every year in key technology disciplines. Many fundamental and applied scientific research laboratories are conjointly managed by Joseph Fourier University, Grenoble Institute of Technology and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). Numerous other scientific laboratories are managed independantly or in collaboration with the CNRS and the French National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Robot Technology (INRIA).

Other research centers in or near Grenoble include the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and one of the Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique (Nuclear Energy Commission)(CEA) main research facilities.

The recent development of Minatec, a centre for innovation in micro & nanotechnology only increases the position of Grenoble as one of the European scientific centers.

Most recently, the City hosted the Science On Stage 2 Event for science teachers from across Europe. This was a major event with many significant speakers and politicians there to discuss and develop ideas for enhancing the quality of science teaching throughout Europe, along with hundreds of Europe's most innovative science teachers. It was a lively event, with lots of noise, colour and excitement as teachers demonstrated the kind of stuff you wished your science teachers did when you were at school!

Eating in Grenoble is a pleasure, with a wide variety of restaurants catering to all budgets and tastes – a call ahead is recommended for most of the places noted below, especially in the evenings. For something quick and cheap, head for the strip of near identical pizzerias on the north bank of the river.

Interesting, atmospheric places to drink are also easy to find, with places Grenette, St-André and Notre-Dame full of café-bars. On Place Notre-Dame, try Bar 1900 or Le Glacier, which is also a popular patisserie, while on place St-André, Le Bagatel and Le Perroquet are particularly popular. Another good spot is Le Leyritz on place Vaucanson, a typical old-style French brasserie, its walls plastered with black-and-white photos of old movie stars. If you're looking for a local bohemian hangout, try the Café des Arts over the bridge at 36 rue St-Laurent, while on place Claveyson, you could also drop into Styx, a very popular and atmospheric little cocktail bar, in a nineteenth-century wine cellar. The popular gay establishment, Rutli, is west of the old town at 9 rue Étienne Marcel (daily 6pm-1am). Grenoble's student population keeps the nightlife hopping, with clubs like L'Arkange, 50 rue St-Laurent (Thurs–Sat 10pm–5am; closed Sept) and Le Vertigo, 18 Grand-Rue (Wed–Sat 10.30pm–5.30am), among the liveliest venues. Dotty Night, 56 rte de Lyon (Tues-Sun 11pm-5.30am) caters for a slightly older crowd.

The best way to start your stay is to take the téléférique (Jan–Feb Mon 11am–6.30pm, Tues–Sun 10.45am–6.30pm; March–May & Oct Mon 11am–7.25pm, Tues–Sat 9.15am–11.45pm, Sun 9.15am–7.25pm; June & Sept Mon 11am–11.45pm, Tues–Sat 9.15am–11.45pm, Sun 9.15am–7.25pm; July & Aug Mon 11am–12.15am, Tues–Sun 9.15am–12.15am; 5.50 return) from the riverside quai Stéphane-Jay to Fort de la Bastille on the steep slopes above the north bank of the Isère. The ride is hair-raising, as you're whisked steeply and swiftly into the air in a sort of transparent egg, which allows you to see very clearly how far you would fall in the event of an accident. If you don't like the sound of the cable car, you can climb the steep but pleasant footpath from the St-Laurent church.

Although the fort is of little interest, the view is fantastic. At your feet the Isère flows under the old bridges which join the St-Laurent quarter, colonized by Italian immigrants in the nineteenth century, to the nucleus of the medieval town, whose red roofs cluster tightly around the church of St-André. To the east, snowfields gleam in the gullies of the Belledonne massif (2978m). Southeast is Taillefer and south-southeast the dip where the Route Napoléon passes over the mountains to Sisteron and the Mediterranean – this is the road Napoléon took after his escape from Elba in March 1815 on his way to rally his forces for the campaign that led to his final defeat at Waterloo. To the west are the steep white cliffs of the Vercors massif; the highest peak, dominating the city, is Moucherotte (1901m). The jagged summits at your back are the outworks of the Chartreuse massif. Northeast on a clear day you can see the white peaks of Mont Blanc up the deep glacial valley of the Isère, known as La Grésivaudan. It was in this valley that the first French hydroelectric project went into action in 1869. For heading back into town, a path down through the public gardens offers an alternative to the cable car.

Upstream from the téléférique station is the sixteenth-century Palais de Justice (open to the public), with place St-André and the church of St-André behind. Built in the thirteenth century, the church once served as the palace chapel of the princes of Dauphiné, though it has been heavily restored since, and today is of little architectural interest. Meanwhile, the narrow streets leading towards places Grenette, Vaucanson and Verdun pass through the liveliest and most colourful quarter of the city. Life focuses on a chain of little squares – aux Herbes, Claveyson, de Gordes, Grenette and Notre-Dame – where people congregate at the numerous cafés and restaurants. The small produce market (Tues–Sun 6am–1pm) on place aux Herbes is a great place to stock up on inexpensive local produce.

Close to place St-André, in the former town hall at 1 rue Hector-Berlioz, in the corner of the Jardin de Ville gardens, is the Musée Stendhal (mid-July to mid-Sept Tues–Sat 9am–noon & 2–6pm; mid-Sept to mid-July Tues–Sat 2–6pm, closed all hols; free), with a couple of somnolent rooms containing family portraits and manuscripts associated with the author, who was born in Grenoble as Marie-Henri Beyle. You can also visit his grandfather's house, where he spent his childhood, at 20 Grand-Rue, just off place Grenette (same hours; free).

On the east side of the bustling place Notre-Dame, Grenoble's most interesting museum, L'Ancien Évêché (Mon & Wed–Sat 9am–6pm, Sun 10am–7pm; 3.20), housed in the old bishop's palace, offers a brisk tour through Grenoble's history from the Stone Age to the twentieth century. The remains of the Roman town walls and a fifth century baptistry are on show in the basement, while among the prized exhibits upstairs, are Neolithic jade jewellery, Bronze Age weapons and a wealth of Roman artefacts, including a colourful mosaic floor panel, decorated with a pair of parrots.

Nearby, on the riverbank at 5 place de Lavalette is the Musée de Grenoble, (July–Sep Mon & Wed–Sun 10am–6pm, Wed 10am–9pm; Oct–June Mon & Wed–Sun 11am–7pm, Wed 11am–10pm; 4), an enormous modern complex housing a gallery of mainly contemporary art. The building itself is impressive, but the collection is uneven, though many major schools of painting are represented, including a few works by Rubens and Canaletto. The best rooms are those of nineteenth- and twentieth-century artists (for example, Gauguin, Chagal and Matisse), but the contemporary section is marked by the mediocre work of local artists.

On the opposite bank of the Isère, the Musée Archéologique Église St-Laurent, on place St-Laurent (Mon & Wed–Sun 9am–noon & 2–6pm; 3.20; free entry Wed afternoon), gives a fascinating insight into the history of the city, as you descend through various stages of excavations in this former church, passing through an early Christian necropolis, an eighth-century crypt and a high medieval cloister. A few minutes to the west, lying up a steep cobbled path opposite the St-Laurent footbridge, the Musée Dauphinois, 30 rue Maurice-Gignoux (May-Oct Mon & Wed-Sun 10am-7pm; rest of year 10am-6pm 3.20), housed in the former convent of Ste-Marie-d'en-Haut, is largely devoted to the history, arts and crafts of the province of Dauphiné. There are exhibits on the lives of the rugged and self-sufficient mountain people, including mock-ups of the modest rustic homes that they shared with their animals during the seven-month long winters. There's also an exhibition illustrating the history of skiing, and, in the basement, a splendid Baroque chapel, with grey and gold wall paintings depicting episodes from the New Testament and scenes from the life of St-François-de-Sales, who founded the convent in the seventeenth century.

To the south of the old town, standing among the fine trees of the Jardin des Plantes is the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle (Mon–Fri 9.30am–noon & 1.30–5.30pm, Sat-Sun 2–6pm; 2.20). It has a marvellous collection, including all the Alpine birds of prey and an aquarium. Wedged between the park and the old town at 14 rue Hébert is the Musée de la Résistance et de la Déportation (July & Aug Mon & Wed-Sun 10am–7pm; Sept–June Mon & Wed–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat & Sun 10am–6pm; 3.20), with a touching exhibition of photographs and memorabilia from the brutal Nazi occupation of the Dauphiné.

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