Visits of sites

Historical center of Grenoble
The old part of Grenoble needs at least, a half-day of visit: Roman vestiges, many old private mansions, Stendhal's house, old residence of the Duke of Lesdiguières, Cable car to the Bastille, Saint Andre Church(1228), ancient Parliament (1453), an historical "bistrot" (since 1739), etc…
We will provide you, a complete booklet with a diagram of visit of Grenoble (2 hours), which can be helped by an “audioguide” available at the information centre.

● Information centre also organizes guided tours of Grenoble through various topics (to download the program here), usually on Saturdays between 10 a.m. or 2 p.m

● Fortress of Bastille and its cable car
In the middle of Grenoble, discover one of the richest panoramas of the Alps. By the “bubbles” you climb in a few minutes from 212 m to 475 m.

● The cellars of "grande Chartreuse" at Voiron at 30 minutes (free entrance)
In 1605 a marshal of King Henri IV gave to the Carthusian monks a very secret manuscript, the "Elixir of life"; the beggining of the story of the famous liquors. A film in 3D relate all the activities developed by the Carthusian monks during centuries since they arrived in Chartreuse in 1084: agriculture, forging mill, pharmacy, development of liquors.

● Park of the castle of Vizille (free entrance)
The gardens of Vizille castle offer hundred hectares of greenery. You will be able to stroll along a splendid water level and many channels, to discover the rosery of the garden "à la française" who is next to the castle, and to fill with wonder in front of the many species of animals which live there in a complete freedom. Swans, barnacles, ducks mallards, martins fishing, will hérons ashy play about around the ponds, whereas stags, deer and roe-deers traverse in all quietude the paths of the park. Trouts and carps live in the limpid water of the channels supplied with four sources.

● Caves of Choranche (Vercors)
At 300 m under ground, you will follow underground rivers, will cross rooms with amazing stalactites very fine and up to 3 m long, and to vibrate with the sounds and the magic light under the ground.

● Caves of Sassenage
Less impressive than Choranche, the Caves result from a resurgence of the Berger pit (Vercors). Throughout one kilometer of advance in the caves, you will be able to admire underground rivers, concressions and effects of erosion. The course is varied, with many staircases, of the narrow or low galleries, a little difficult for the people moving with difficulty, but very appreciated by the children. The sound and light proposed evoke (a little quickly) the fairy Mélusine, very present at Sassenage.

● Fortress of Saint Eynard
From this old fortresse built in 1879, you will revive the military life of this time, and will discover an incredible sight on the Grenoble valley at 1300 meters of altitude.

● Palace of "Facteur Cheval"
A factor of 1900 built a palace unique in its kind, by collecting stones on the ways of its rounds during 20 years. Registered into the "Historical Monuments of France".

Visits of Museums, Castles and Companies

● Museum "dauphinois" (free entrance)
Regional Museum of the man, place of memory and history of the Alps, the Musée Dauphinois" proposes exhibitions on the traditional ways of life in the Alps and the history of the ski.

● Museum of painting of Grenoble
(guided tour each Saturday and Sunday at 3.00 p.m except 1st Sunday of the month)
The museum of Grenoble is today considered as well for its collections of old arts as for its collections of art of the XXe century, like one of most prestigious of Europe.

● Museum of the French revolution (free entrance)
Free provision of an audio guides in four languages + guided tour 1st Sunday of each month at 3.00 m.p. (3,80 € per anybody (free for less than 12 years).

● Saint Laurent Crypt
(free + free guided tour 1st Sunday of each month at 4.00 p.m)
A very interesting religious and archeological site.

● Museum of "Grande Chartreuse" (30 mn)
Renovated in its original state, the Correrie will guide you in the universe of silence and loneliness of the Carthusian monks. While walking on from the Church to the cloister, while crossing a cell of monk, you will discover the life such as it is still inside the monastery.

● Museum of "Ancien Eveché"
(free + free guided tour 1st Sunday of each month at 3.30 p.m )
Located in the historical center, it presents the Baptistry from the first Christians and the collections recalling the history of the Isere from Prehistory to nowdays.

● Museum of Resistance
(free + free guided tour 1st Sunday of each month at 2.30 p.m)
The second world war and its effects in Isere.

● Visits of companies
This web-site enables you to visit companies which open their doors (ex: EDF--HYDRELEC, enables you to understand the mechanisms of the transformation of the force of water into electric power), or at the DAUPHINE LIBERE (local newspaper) (starting from 9.30 p.m), you will discover the stages of the development of a daily newspaper (drafting, room of the telexes, the making up, printing works, packing ).

● Artisanal Brewery of Dauphine (free)
Opened from Tuesday to Saturday ( 10 a.m. to 7.00 p.m). the Artisanal Brewery of Dauphine invented and brews an absolutely unique beer in the world: The "Mandrin with nuts", a beer of character, 100% astonishing. Free tasting.

For the children

Museums of the automats
(12, rue des Arts - GRENOBLE - (no web site) Tel. 04 76 43 33 33)
Opened every day from 2.00 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. Visits guided for children and adults. The marvellous world of the automats, musical boxes, player pianos, barrel organs, birds whistling, animated puppets, objects. Visit animated by small original stories.

● Natural history museum
The Natural history museum of Grenoble is classified among the four larger Natural history museums of France, with nearly 1,5 million specimens. Permanent exhibitions on nature, minerals and the mountains.

● Musée Dauphinois (free)
Enthralling museum for the children, with particular animations for them.

Parks Ventures (15 to 30 minutes by car)
● Autrans Adventure
● Indian Forest chartreuse
● the Emerald forest in Chartreuse
● Parcours Ventures at Saint Nizier (Vercors): from 3 years old
● the forest of the adventure at the "Col de Marcieu"
● Park of leisures
● Tiwahé Villard de Lans (for children from 3 to 12 years old)
● Walibi (45 minutes): we suggest to follow this tourist road to reach the park .

● the railway garden (Chatte 40 mn by car)
We suggest to follow this tourist road One of the wide-area networks railway miniature of Europe, with more than 30 convoys moving between cities, rivers, roads, lakes and mountains in an exceptional landscape park.

● prehistoric Cave of Thais
Discover the life of the last large hunters of Prehistory. Specific animations for the children.

● Magic of the Automats
(Lans en Vercors at 30 mn of Grenoble) Creative of automats for more than 30 years, Alain Bardo has signed along the years some unique models resulting from the characters of the imaginary collective, but also from his own imagination.

Tourist tours

The Departmental Committee of Tourism proposes tourist tours to discover the wonders of the Dauphiné, in mountain as well as in the country or in the cities…

● The high roads of Belledonne
Follow the famous "balcony" road linking the two spa resorts of Uriage and Allevard..

● The Grésivaudan valley
The Grésivaudan is a vast glacial valley stretching between the Chartreuse and Belledonne mountains. The river Isère flows through it over a distance of some 40 kilometres from the confines of Savoie down to Grenoble.
Louis XII was charmed by the scenery and deemed it "the most beautiful garden in France".

● In the footsteps of Saint Bruno
A quiet, peaceful land of forests, entered by crossing one of several mountain passes and discovered along winding roads often overhanging rushing torrents.

● The six valleys of the Oisans
This is high-mountain country, sheltered by the massifs of the Ecrins and the Grandes Rousses, and dominated by the Meije and the Pic Blanc. .

●The "Route Napoléon"
This region encompasses the Matheysine, Beaumont and Valbonnais.
Head southwards and gain a foretaste of the Mediterranean, among the forests and pastures of the Ecrins National Park.

“More sporting” activities

At the hotel
Summer swimming pool - French Billiards.

In the village ( by foot)
Tennis ( free rackets and balls).
Walk and jogging in the forest up to the Golf of Bresson (1 H of walk).

Nearby (less than 10 minutes in the car)

● Institute of hydrotherapy of Uriage les Bains

● Golf of Bresson
Superb Golf of 18 holes, drawn by Robert the Trent Jones Jr, very undulating and offering splendid points of view on Grenoble valley and its mountains.

● Horse Club of "le manoir"
● Karting (at 1.5 km): hiring of karts on track indoor.
● Laser game (Grenoble)
● Skating rink
● Grenoble tennis
● Squash time

A little further (between 15 mn and 30 mn)
The Grenoble area is a starting place for many “walks”, accessible to all the family, and which will make you discover the wonders of medium mountains. We have selected some web sites which will help you chose.
● Strolls
● Stroll and excursions in Isere and all around
● Grenoble, a "City Mountain"

● Petit train de la Mure
In 30 km of a spectacular railway between Vercors and Oisans, you will discover at 30 km/h an amazing view, including 2 of the 7 wonders of the Dauphine: the Mont Aiguille and la Pierre Percée.

● Excursion in Quad or hiring of VTT with Laffrey (Tel. 06.21.09.89 .17)

● Climbing Canyoning
Speleology in Vercors. To practice or discover sports of nature, the “office of the monitors” will guide you in full safety.

● Vertige Ventures
1st center of Europe of "jump in rubber band" (bridge of Ponsonnas 103 meters)

● First flight in Parapente, ULM, hang glider
Feelings guaranteed in full safety

● Circuit du Laquais
Live your dreams: Drive a racing car on the 2,4 km of the fast and technical track of le Laquais

● Via Ferrata of the Bastille in Grenoble
For the amateurs of easy climbing. Equipment requested.

● La chevauchée
Riding school open all the year from June to October on Villard de Lans and from October at June at Sassenage (15 mn drive).

● Allevard thermal baths
Relaxation, Spa, Thermal cures.

● Flight in Mongolfières (Lumbin or Vercors)
Overflight of the valley of Grésivaudant, or Vercors. It takes about one morning (preparation, flight of 60 mn, arrangement of the balloon) - minimum 2 people - maximum 4 people (12 years minium) in a nacelle. Rate: 200 €/pers. Mr. IMBURCHIA - Tél.04.76.08.23.23/06.80.02.24 .33.

Ski resort to 30-40 minutes in the car
● Chamrousse
● Sept Laux
● Alpe d' Huez