Grenoble'''Grenoble''' is a medium size city (about the 10th or 12th in population for France) just near to the French Alps. The climate is quite cold in winter, there are some days of snow almost every year. Summers are known to be hot, as mountains surrounding the town stop any wind. The town is renowned for its scientific research centers and universities. A lot of foreign scientists and students live there (as to say, more than in other comparable towns in France). Grenoble is crossed by two rivers, the Drac and the Isère, and is surrounded by three mountain chains, Vercors, Chartreuse and Belledonne. ==Get in== ===Air=== There are two airports near Grenoble: * Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs regional airport, about 50 km far from Grenoble. (+33) 4 76 65 48 48 * [http://www.lyon.aeroport.fr/index.php?pageAlias=accueil&lngAlias=en Lyon International airport] is not so far, about 100 km (1 h in bus, car or train). [http://www.lyon.aeroport.fr/index.php?pageAlias=bus&lngAlias=en Buses] go hourly to Grenoble. 22 Eur one-way ticket. ===Car=== Just follow the highways from/to Geneva, Lyon, Chambéry, Valence. ===Train=== Several high speed trains (TGV) from [http://www.voyages-sncf.com/ SNCF] link '''Paris''' to Grenoble every day, for a three-hour trip of 640 km. Full price is about 70 Eur one-way ticket. If you need extra trains (in the late evening for example), consider changing at Lyon, but this will add up to one hour waiting at the station. Trains link hourly Lyon (Part-Dieu station) to Grenoble, from 5:30 am to midnight (5am to 10pm from Grenoble to Lyon). You will travel in [http://www.ter-sncf.com/UK/rhone-alpes/default.htm regional trains] (TER) for 1h30. Full price is 15 Eur. Don't be surprised, the train schedule sometimes include buses. The price is the same, the duration is the same, they start at the same station and arrive at the same point. ==Get around== ===Car=== Avoid rush hour on highways around the town or you are likely to lose one hour in traffic jam (between 7h-9h am and 5h-6h pm). ===Regional buses=== Lot of regional buses can take you from the center of the town to ski stations and various countryside towns. For example, Grenoble to Chamrousse (bus 6010) ski station is 2.7 Eur. By the way, if you think going skiing by car, you would have better buying tickets by advance. In case the bus is crowded, you get the priority. Tickets are sold at the main bus station (just next to the railway station) and at the tourists' information office (French: ''Maison du tourisme'', tramway A or B station). Information on regional buses: http://www.vfd.fr/ (in French only for now, but finding buses schedules is easy). Beware that winter schedule (called in French in VFD website: ''saison neige'') is not the same as for the rest of the year. ===Town tramways and buses=== Two lines of tramway cross the town every few minutes (every quarter of hour on Sundays) and a lot of buses (lot fewer on Sundays). Individual ticket price is 1.2 Eur. Tickets can be bought in the bus from the driver, and from machines on the platform for tramways (tickets are compatible with both). Information on town buses and tramways: http://www.semitag.com/ (in French). ===Bicycle=== Despite its proximity to mountains, Grenoble is flat, so you won't experience steep slopes in the town. If you feel like it, you will find slopes in the near mountains. Anyway, a nice and easy ride is to follow the two rivers that cross Grenoble. There is a cycle track along the Isère for several kilometers, and along the Drac. However, there are no cycle tracks along the Isère inside the center of the town, and riding there is unpleasant. Bicycles are allowed on some streets, but riders often have to use the same lane as buses (for the fearless riders only). It is possible to hire a bicycle for a day or a week at the railway station (two other locations will be opened by February 2004). 5 Eur a day. ===Disabled Travellers=== If you use a wheel chair, you will notice that the some efforts have been accomplished to fit your needs. Tramways are designed to ease the access of wheel chairs, and a lot of buses do so. However most of work is to be done for the streets and you will experience problems because of steps between the pavement and the street. ==See== * Paul Mistral park is a big park in the center of the town. A rink allows the use of rollers, and some people usually play street hockey. The park contains big lawns with trees to appreciate quietness. At the center, a tour (the tour Perret) was built in 1922, but it is currently not possible to go up, due to safety problems. The park has no fences, so it is opened all the time. * '''Natural History Museum''' (French: ''Muséum d'histoire naturelle''), 1 rue Dolomieu (tel. (+33) 4 76 44 05 35, fax (+33) 4 76 44 65 99, museum-histoire-naturelle@ville-grenoble.fr). Opened MTWTF, 9h30-12h am, 1h30-5h30 pm and SS 2h pm-6h pm. Closed on December the 25th, January the 1st, May the 1st. Facilities for disabled. The museum has nice collections of mineralogy, wild life in the Alps and an aquarium. * '''Art Gallery''' (French: ''Musée de Grenoble''), 5, place Lavalette (''near the Cathedral, tramway B at stop Notre-Dame'') (tel. (+33) 4 76 63 44 10). Opens everyday 10h-18h30 (closed on Tuesdays, on December the 25th, January the 1st, May the 1st). The museum is a modern, smart building that is worth seeing. Collections of modern art. * You may also like the visit of '''Saint-Louis Church''' (place Victor Hugo, tramway A, B, buses 3, 13, 33, 34) or of the '''Cathedral''' (place Notre-Dame, tramway B). ==Do== * '''Hiking''' or '''climbing''' are possible just near to the town. You will find suitable maps at any bookshop. * By winter, '''skiing''' is a classic, and is only 45 min from Grenoble by car. Near stations include Autrans (1000 m high in Vercors), Chamrousse (1700 m-2200 m high in Belledonne). Avoid the two last two weeks of December, which are overcrowded at all ski stations and the most expensive of the year. * '''Mountain lakes''' are of valuable interest by a hot summer, for swimming in a pleasant landscape. For example, Robert Lakes and Achard Lake are at one or two hours hiking from Chamrousse. Several paths are possible, some accessible to 10-years old, some advised for adults only. Fishing in lakes and in some rivers is allowed, but (as everywhere else in France) submitted to a fee. For any information about fishing, contact the local fishermen's union (French: ''Union des pêcheurs à la ligne''. 8, rue Ampère, tel. (+33) 4 76 96 61 29, fax (+33) 4 76 49 02 17, http://www.peche-en-montagne.com/ ). * '''cable car''' (French: ''téléphérique''), bank (French: ''Quai'') Stéphane Jay (''if you're walking, follow the Isère in the direction of the center of the town until you see the cables, you cannot miss them''), (+33) 4 76 33 44 44 (''fax: (+33) 4 76 51 61 49, contact@telepherique-grenoble.com''). Closed in January. Opens every day, 10h45-18h30 in Winter and up to 9h15-00h15 in Summer. The cable car is the easy way to see the town from upside, and the trip in those plastic bubbles is impressive. You will go at the top of the Bastille (no link with Bastille Day), 300 m above the town. When you arrive at the top, you can visit the ruins of a fort, walk for some hours in the nature on the hill or simply enjoy the view of the town and the mountains, or have a break at the restaurant. 5.50 Eur full price for return ticket, 3.80 Eur for students. http://www.telepherique-grenoble.com/. You can also walk to the top on a path or go by car. * '''Moucherotte''' mountain, the hard (and best) way to see the town from upside, for hikers willing to spend nearly a whole day. Go to Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte by car or regional bus (bus 5100), then follow the path to the top (you will start at 1000 m and go to 1900 m). The view of the town is stunning. A lot of people use this path on Sundays in Spring and Summer, so you won't get lost and alone. ==Learn== You will find a technical university (Joseph Fourier), a university of Law (Pierre Mendès-France), several engineering schools in physics, chemistry, electricity, computer science, and a business school. See http://www.inpg.fr/ and http://www.ujf-grenoble.fr/ ==Buy== * If you are looking for a big commercial center with everything one may need, consider Grand Place (tramway A direction Echirolles). Be prepared to the crowd every Saturday. * For more "authentic" shopping, stop at Victor Hugo tramway station (tramway A or B). The tramway station is next to the Grenette place, which is the center of the town. This place and all streets around are reserved to pedestrians (and tramways). You will enjoy small streets with lot of people in shops and restaurants. ==Eat== * '''Les Alpages''', 5 rue de Strasbourg, tel. (+33) 4 76 46 32 62 (''fax (+33) 4 76 43 12 70''). This is not a restaurant, but a world record cheesemongery. Recommendable if you want to discover any of the 1200 kinds of cheese from the entire world sold here. ==Drink== ==Stay safe== The Drac is a small river and may appear harmless, as water doesn't usually cover the whole bed. But the level of water may change quickly, specially when the electric company releases water from the dam. Six children aged eight and their teacher died this way in December 1995. ==External links== Information on tourism in Isère (Isère is the ''département'' whose chief town is Grenoble. The name cames from the river) is available in a dedicated website. http://www.grenoble-isere-tourisme.com/accueil_eng.htm fr:Grenoble First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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