Grenoble

“Whether you want to hit the slopes or are looking for a totally French experience away from the more obvious choices, head to Grenoble – the city with a mountain at the end of every street.”

The capital of the Alps. That’s what they call Grenoble. And for good reason. It’s salopette central. So much so, they once staged the Winter Olympics here. But it’s not all snow business. Sure, it’s the gateway to around 150 ski resorts - including Méribel and Courchevel - but if the powdery stuff isn’t for you, Grenoble more than holds its own as a city break destination. First there’s the setting. All Narnia-like mountains, pine-cloaked slopes and lush valleys this place has got an almost country village feel not usually associated with a major city. Next up there’s the architecture. It’s a wonderful mish-mash of old-world buildings versus ultra-modern architecture. Head for the right bank you’ll find yourself in the old town. Knee deep in history, its Medieval streets are lined with red-roofed houses, stately chateaux and leafy little squares. Over on the left bank, meanwhile, you’ll find the city’s newer side – the Notre Dame quarter. It’s a cosmopolitan hub of mirror-glass buildings and hip hangouts and is the total antithesis to the ‘vieille ville’. And then there’s the buzz. There are cafés bursting with chattering fashionistas. Bric-a-brac street markets busy with bargain hunters. And tempting brasseries crammed with discerning foodies. Loved by skiers, history buffs and gastronomes alike, quite simply Grenoble is the epitome of French charm.

Weather

Snow and sun are the main weather staples in Grenoble. Fresh fallen flakes are, of course, pretty much a given up in the mountains during the winter wonderland months, with the best skiing from mid-December through to late March. At the opposite end of the weather scale, Grenoble is also one of France’s sunniest places with 2,000 hours of sunshine each year. So if you like it hot, head here between June and September when it cranks up to around 25°C.

Ski Resorts

• Alpe d’Huez
  Set high in the Grandes Rousses mountain range and with easy access to the slopes, Alpe d’Huez is a firm favourite with ski aficionados. With over 220km of runs, more than 400 snow guns, 5 cable cars, 10 gondolas, 24 chair lifts and a funicular to boot, this is one of France’s largest Alpine resorts and is well known for it sunny skiing conditions and lively après-ski.
• Les Deux Alpes
  Not only is Les Deux Alpes one of France’s oldest and most prestigious ski resorts, it’s also one of the highest, set 1650m up in the picturesque Dauphiné region of the southern Alps. The resort offers a staggering 200km of ski runs as well as a permanent snow park, providing snowboarders with an enormous playground. You can also go ice climbing, snowshoeing and even swimming – in the heated outdoor pool – here, too.
• Val Thorens
  A compact, purpose-built ski resort, Val Thorens is Europe’s highest village. Nestled in a huge ski bowl, with runs fanning out in all directions, it’s famed for its excellent snow conditions. Ski down the valley to Les Menuires and the wonderful La Masse area or perhaps pop over to Courcheval and Meribel and hit the massive Three Valleys circuit.
• Méribel & Mottaret
  Wedged at the heart of the Three Valleys, Méribel and Mottaret combine traditional charm with state-of-the-art skiing. High-tech chairlifts and gondolas provide fast access to Saulire, gateway to Courcheval, and to the ridge above Les Menuires and Val Thorens. The range of skiing is phenomenal – easy or testing, open or wooded slopes, long schusses or tight couloirs. Whatever you enjoy, you’ll find it here.
• Courchevel
  With its immaculate slopes, deluxe hotels and designer shops, it’s little wonder that Courchevel has the reputation for being the world’s best ski resort. Set in the majestic Three Valleys, it’s a real all-rounders’ ski resort offering up a great mix of open, sweeping pistes and some of Europe’s steepest couloirs.

Shopping

There’s a real selection box of shopping on offer in Grenoble. Whether you like rummaging through stalls cluttered with antique trinkets or sweeping down the halls of designer shopping malls, this city delivers. If you want to put yourself at the thick of shopping central, head for the area around Avenue Lorraine and Place Grenette AKA the Centre Ville. There’s a large Galeries Lafayette here, a famous French department store, as well as high street favourites like Zara. Or hop on a tram and head south to the Grand Place, a busy shopping centre that’s a Mecca for the fashion conscious with its upmarket boutiques. One place that’s definitely worth a browse is the shops that line Rue Voltaire and Rue Bayard in the old town. A temple of antique worship, you’ll find everything from beautiful furniture to jewellery here. And the St-Laurent second-hand flea market is great for bric-a-brac, old furniture and vintage clothes. It’s perhaps the foodies who’ll have the most fun in Grenoble, though. As well as a treasure trove of speciality food shops, there’s no end of markets selling everything from gourmet to local produce. Check out the glass-fronted market of Halle Sainte-Claire, which dates back to 1874, or try the produce market on Place aux Herbes where you can bag a real bargain. And if you’re lucky enough to be here during the festive season, don’t miss the Christmas Market at Place Victor Hugo. As well as being lit up like a fairytale, the square springs to life with stalls selling crafts, decorations and piping-hot cups of mulled wine.

Food & Drink

Without a doubt, eating out’s Grenoble’s trump card. There are cosy little bistros serving up home-cooked fare. Cutting-edge restaurants where nouvelle cuisine’s the name of the game. And wood-panelled chateaux for candle-lit meals a deux. And the region has plenty in the way of speciality dishes, too. ‘Fondue’ was born here and the Swiss-like cheeses from the area are simply to die for - the ‘emmenthal francais’ being a firm favourite. And, given that Grenoble is the capital of the Dauphiné region, it’s THE place to try ‘gratin dauphinois’, the creamy potato bake. Oh, and if you’re not calorie counting, the walnut-rich ‘noix de Grenoble’ is a must. In fact, walnuts are big business here. They’re so good they’ve got an AOC certification, so expect them to crop up in many of the dishes, including the unique walnut-based beer ‘Mandrin’. Now, if it’s Michelin stars you’re after, head for the restaurants around Place Notre Dame, Place St-André and Place Grenette where it’s all about grandiose Gallic dining. But there’s more to this city than just swish French restaurants. Head down the Rue Renauldon or the Rue Chenoise and you’ll find a selection of North African eateries. Quai Perriere is home to a colourful strip of pizzerias. And the aroma of Chinese noodles may tempt you down to place Condorcet and Rue de la Poste. One thing’s for sure, it’s most definitely a case of bon appetite in these parts.

• L'Auberge Napoléon, rue Montorgue
  Once graced by Napoleon, this elegant restaurant has one of France’s top chefs and specialises in regional creations.
• Table Ronde, place St-André
  Full of atmosphere, charm and history, famous customers here have included French actress Sarah Bernhardt.
• Le Valgo, rue St-Hughes
  A country-cosy restaurant at the heart of the city serving up traditional specialities and it’s excellent value, too.
• La Mandragore, rue Marx-Dormoy
  A vegetarian hotspot that’s one of the best in the city, this is green and organic a la carte at its best.
• Le Tonneau de Diogène, place Notre-Dame
  A popular tourist eatery, this is the place to head if you fancy some home favourites like steak and frites.

Nightlife

With no less than four universities under its belt, Grenoble’s students keep the city’s nightlife on the go. It’s not all grungy bars and happy-hour joints though. Of course, there are student-centric areas where you can hangout with the music junkies in disco bars or the Bohemian crowd in artsy little coffee shops. But there’s a whole other side to this city, too. We’re talking sophisticated cocktail bars. Sultry jazz haunts. Cooler-than-cool clubs. Just take a wander around Place Grenette, Place de Gorges and Place St-André and you’ll find it’s all going on way into the early hours. For local culture, check out Le Cargo – La Maison de la Culture which hosts everything from art house film screenings to classical concerts. Of course, if you’re in this neck of the woods for the skiing, make the most of the lively après-ski. Warm your toes by a chalet bar fire as you clink glasses of schnapps well into the early hours. Nights out on the piste don’t come much better than this. Salut!

• Café des Arts, 36 rue St-Laurent
  Go with the flow and armed with some sturdy reading material at this local bohemian hangout.
• Styx, Place Claveyson
  A hip and happening 19th-century wine cellar, this chic underground cocktail bar attracts the designer-clad crowd.
• MC2, 4 rue Paul Claudel
  Get cultured up at this fine architectural complex where you can take in theatre, dance, opera and jazz.
• Le 365, 3 rue Bayard
  This quirky night spot is so laid-back you’ll feel right at home here with sink-into-me leather chairs, low tables and cocktails on tap.
• La Soup aux Choux, 7 rte de Lyon
  A late-night hotspot, this is the top venue for live jazz in Grenoble with blues, swing, New Orleans and contemporary jazz.

Date for Your Diary

Just as the city thaws out from winter, the annual Grenoble Jazz Festival kicks off. Held every March, many of the gigs are staged at the first-class music venue MC2, though you’ll find things going on right across town.

Top 10 Experiences

Skiing
Grenoble isn’t called the gateway to the Alps for nothing. Mountain sports are a big draw here and none more so than skiing. There are twenty ski stations surrounding the city alone, the nearest of which, Le Sappey-en-Chartreuse, is just 15 minutes away. It’s no wonder people flock here - you can take your pick from gentle slops like Chamrousse or places like La Grave for extreme skiing. And if you take the radius out to a 90-minute drive, there are more than 150 ski resorts to choose from, including famous ones such as Val d’Isere and Courchevel.

Cable Car & Fort de la Bastille
Coming to Grenoble without scaling the heights of La Bastille is like going to Paris without going up the Eiffel Tower. Climb into one of the bubble-shaped cable cars at Quai Stéphane-Jay which will whisk you 489 metres to the fort. It’s an exhilarating ride. If you don’t have quite the head for it though, follow the footpath from St-Laurent Church. However you get up to the ancient fort, the 360-degree views over the city’s skyline and the distant mountains will whip your breath away. And on a clear day, you can even see as far as Mount Blanc.

Place St-André & the Musée Stendhal
Place St-André is a historical hotspot. At the heart of the Medieval quarter, it’s overlooked by Grenoble’s oldest collection of buildings, including the 13th-century Collégiale St-André and the 16th-century Palais de Justice. And just around the corner you’ll find the Musée Stendhal. Housed in the elegant former town hall, it tells the story of Grenoble’s most famous son, the 19th-century novelist, Stendhal, who penned the oh-so-scandalous novel Le Rouge Et Le Noir.

L'Ancien Évêché
Arguably one of the city’s most interesting museums, L’Ancien Évêché is set in the old bishop’s palace. Here you can take a tour through time from the Stone Age to the twentieth century, with jewellery from the Neolithic period and weapons from the Bronze Age.

Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle
Housed in a beautiful neo-classical building and sitting in the leafy Jardin des Plantes botanical gardens is the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle. With a showcase of beautiful Alpine flora and fauna, a collection of Alpine birds of prey and an aquarium, this should be put straight to the top of the list for nature lovers.

Old Grenoble Library
If you’re a bit of a bookworm, don’t miss the opportunity to take a look at Old Grenoble Library. Sitting in Place du Verdun, a sleepy square with a fountain, it’s a grand affair with soaring arched ceilings and tiered floors all looking down over a huge central room. Well worth a quiet peek.

Musée de Grenoble
There’s nothing musty about this museum. Overlooking the riverbank, this sleek glass-and-steel building is a contemporary masterpiece in itself. Inside, there’s more impressive architecture, though here it’s displaying a fine collection of modern art. With paintings by the likes of Matisse, Picasso and Warhol it’s a must for all art buffs.

Hiking
With the Parc National des Écrins and Vercors National Park on Grenoble’s doorstep, it’s no wonder hiking is a big hit here. And whether you’re up for something fairly hardcore over steep mountainsides or something a little tamer, there are plenty of paths to follow. It’s invigorating stuff.

The Vercors & the Chartreuse
Fancy some peace and quiet? Well, Grenoble is actually bordered by two of the most spectacular nature reserves in France - the Vercours to the south of the city and the Chartreuse to the north. Both are majestic regions made up of snow-capped peaks, pine forests and plunging waterfalls. Simply gorgeous.

Mountain biking
Grenoble may be a popular route on the Tour de France, but summer here also sees mountain biking season. With beauty spots like Parc National des Écrins, Alpe d'Huez and Les Deux Alpes just outside the city, there are plenty of trails to follow with 22 marked routes. There are both take-it-easy tracks and nerve-racking descents. All you need to do is get on your bike and head for the hills.

Useful links

www.thomsonski.co.uk
www.crystalski.co.uk
www.ville-grenoble.fr
www.grenoble-isere-tourisme.com
www.grenoble.aeroport.fr