Nestled at the confluence of the Isère and Drac rivers against a backdrop of dramatic Alpine peaks, Grenoble enjoys an energizing atmosphere as both a university hub and gateway for outdoor recreation. Between world-class museums, lively cafés and access to hiking, skiing and cycling trails just beyond town, visitors connect with nature as much as arts and culture.
| No. | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scale Bastille Hill | Get panoramic city views from atop Bastille Hill using cable cars. |
| 2 | Tour Particle Physics Lab | Explore the world’s largest particle physics lab. |
| 3 | Duck Boats Cruise | Sightseeing on half-bus, half-boat vehicles through rivers and streets. |
| 4 | Sip Local Craft Beers | Enjoy craft beers in Old Town. |
| 5 | Saturday Morning Market | Browse a vibrant market for local foods and crafts. |
| 6 | Hike in Vercors Mountains | Hike through scenic nature park. |
| 7 | Riverside Bike Paths | Cycle and explore street art along river banks. |
| 8 | Pâtisseries | Indulge in French pastries at traditional bakeries. |
| 9 | Celebrate Winter Olympics History | Recollect the 1968 Winter Olympics legacy. |
| 10 | Jardin Railroad Park | Enjoy rides on vintage locomotives in a scenic park. |
| 11 | Modern Art Museums | Visit contemporary art galleries and museums. |
| 12 | Ancient Ruins Exploration | Discover ruins and abbeys along the Isère River. |
The coming year heralds major milestones as Grenoble marks the 50th anniversary of hosting the 1968 Winter Olympic Games and 60 years since the first cables strung to carry daring riders up to the Bastille Fort overlook. Read on for the 15 top things to add to your Grenoble bucket list!
Scale Bastille Hill for Sweeping City Views
Name and Location: Bastille Hill, Grenoble, France
History and Significance: This hill was once the site of a fortress before becoming a park with panoramic views over Grenoble. Reached via cable car or hiking trails.
What to Expect: Riding the glass-floor cable cars up Bastille Hill to enjoy sweeping vistas of the city, Alps and Isère River below. Cafes, walking paths and Alpine plants at the summit.
Visitor Information: Cable cars run frequently from Place Saint-André in the city center. Hiking trails also lead up the hill. Open year-round.
While stunning vistas surround Grenoble on all sides thanks to the surrounding mountain chains, perhaps no perspective proves more impressive than from atop Bastille Hill overlooking town. Take the glass spherical cable cars soaring up above the Isère River to reach the 19th century fort and expansive viewing platform revealing Grenoble’s layout below with the jagged Vercors Massif looming behind.
Explore the Bastille Fort’s rich military history including the medieval tower and resistance museum before riding back down on Europe’s longest urban cable car completed in time for the 1968 Winter Olympics.
Tour the Largest Particle Physics Laboratory
Name and Location: CERN Laboratory, Grenoble, France
History and Significance: CERN is one of the world’s premier particle physics research institutes. Its particle accelerator was used to discover the Higgs boson. Tours allow public access.
What to Expect: Guided tours let you see the facilities that unlocked secrets of quantum particles. Exhibits explain the research. See the Large Hadron Collider and control room.
Visitor Information: Book tours well in advance online. CERN is located just outside Grenoble, accessible via car, taxi or organized tour.
As an intellectual heart of scientific innovation for decades thanks to research advancements at institutions like the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility and Minatec tech campus, it follows naturally that Grenoble hosts the largest fundamental particle physics laboratory on Earth. Guided tours of the subterranean Large Hadron Collider tunnel complex weave through above ground experiment sites before shuttling small groups into the bowels of the 17-mile ringroad array comprised of superconducting magnets and detector chambers.
While the scientific details prove dizzying, visitors nonetheless leave fascinated having briefly peered into condensing pure physics discoveries on a subatomic scale!
Cruise Under Ancient Gateways on the Duck Boats
Name and Location: Grenoble Duck Boats, Grenoble, France
History and Significance: These unique amphibious tour vehicles bring Grenoble’s history to life, driving through the streets before splashing into the river. Fun for all ages!
What to Expect: A guided 50-minute tour departing from Saint-Laurent bridge, passing old towers and fortifications before diving into the water. Informative, entertaining way to see the city.
Visitor Information: Tours available daily March-November. Book tickets in advance online. Departures from Quai Saint-Laurent near the old town.
For family-friendly sightseeing conveying Grenoble’s rich history contrasted against innovative futures, hop aboard the duck boats—those wacky half-bus, half-boat vehicles allowing crusing down local rivers before rumbling down city streets. This fun 90-minute loop crosses the swift Isère River and glides under the St. Laurent and Très Cloîtres medieval gates while a guide narrates engaging stories and trivia associated with passing sights like the Palais de Justice, Musée de Grenoble and remnants of ancient defensive walls rising directly from the water.
Just don’t be surprised if pedestrians stare while the amphibious crafts pass by on main public thoroughfares!
Sip Local Craft Beers in Old Town
Name and Location: Old Town, Grenoble, France
History and Significance: Grenoble’s charming historic center retains cobblestone alleys, half-timbered houses, Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Many bars, cafes and artisan shops.
What to Expect: Exploring atmospheric narrow streets lined with old beam houses. Trying local Alpine beers and wines at cozy pubs and tasting rooms. Cafes around Place Notre Dame and Place Sainte-Claire.
Visitor Information: Located along the Isère River, a short walk south from the main train station. Pedestrianized areas make it ideal for walking.
As an eco-conscious and entrepreneurial student city, Grenoble cultivates a dynamic craft beer scene riffing off traditional brews and showcasing regional ingredients from the mountains nearby. Pull up a stool at Les BerThoM to try unique bière de garde oak barrel fermented offerings or join the lively local crowd quaffing pints at Le Tord Boyaux pouring an ever-rotating list of creative microbrews.
Throughout Old Town and especially on Place Saint-André, students and tourists intermingle at outdoor terraces bonding over shared passion for bold flavors and taste adventures beyond standard French lager fare. Santé!
Browse the Vast Saturday Morning Market
Name and Location: Grenoble Market, Grenoble, France
History and Significance: Grenoble’s sprawling open-air market has vendors selling fresh produce, cheeses, meats and regional specialties since 1925. A local tradition with great ambiance.
What to Expect: Exploring the extensive market Saturday mornings. Sampling cheeses, charcuterie, baked goods, walnuts, spices, crafts. Lively atmosphere with farmers and artisans.
Visitor Information: Located along Boulevard Foch. Open year-round Saturdays 7am-1pm. Easily reached on foot or tramway.
For fresh French fare and regional specialties every Saturday morning from opening bells around 7am until early afternoon, make your way to bustling Place Notre Dame hosting Grenoble’s beloved market day. Wind through stuffed stalls and stacked displays to uncover bread still warm from bakery ovens, just-picked produce from nearby farms and fragrant flowers just steps from where they were grown.
Further along, sample herb-crusted mountain cheeses, cured meats and perhaps some seasonal wild mushrooms before joining the chatty crowds taking their market bounty straight from bags to bistro patios for leisurely lunches around Place Grenette nearby.
Hike High Up into the Vercors Mountains
Name and Location: Vercors Regional Park, Grenoble, France
History and Significance: The Vercors is an iconic Alpine nature park southwest of Grenoble, known for its dramatic limestone peaks, cliffs, caves and hiking. Offers scenic outdoor recreation.
What to Expect: Day hikes through breathtaking mountain landscapes. Views from high ridgelines and cliffs. Exploring caves and Gorges de la Bourne. Escape into wilderness within reach of Grenoble.
Visitor Information: Reached by car or bus from Grenoble in under an hour. Villard-de-Lans is a popular entry point. Trails for all levels.
Grenoble’s prime access directly bordering scenic stretches of the Vercors regional nature park translates to endless hiking opportunities for scheming trails through pine forests and up barren rockfaces granting rewarding panoramas across the Isere Valley below or further towards the national park’s scenic Cirque de Combeau cirque basin. Depending on conditioning levels and itinerary ambitions, day hikers can ride the téléphérique cable car towards the Bastille Fort before tracking down to Grenoble or hardcore trekkers might spend a week embarking upon the GR-9 long distance trail disappearing into the heart of untamed Vercors wilderness. Either way, the Alpine air and views won’t disappoint!
Pedal Past Street Art Along Riverside Bike Paths
Name and Location: Grenoble River Bike Paths
History and Significance: Grenoble has developed extensive cycling paths along the Isère and Drac Rivers, encouraging carbon-free transportation and recreation. The flat paths connect city sights.
What to Expect: Biking along scenic riverbanks, passing public artworks and street art murals. Renting bikes and riding from the old town to new destinations like the MC2 cultural center.
Visitor Information: Paths are open year-round. Rentals available from shops like MetroVélo. Helmets recommended for safety.
Thanks to extensive cycling lanes integrated across the relatively flat city center and out along both the Isère and Drac River banks, Grenoble invites visitors to actively explore by rental bikes stopping whenever striking street art murals or curious architectural details pop out. Convenient city bike stands allow swapping electric cycles in at one station before selecting a traditional cruiser at the next stop to continue meandering wherever impulse takes you.
The scenic 12 mile ride out to Vizille passing autumnal forest trails proves popular but options abound for personalizing two-wheeled itineraries either in town or further out into the Chartreuse foothills.
Indulge at Old-Fashioned Pâtisseries
Name and Location: Grenoble Patisseries
History and Significance: Grenoble has a long tradition of pastry-making, with beloved old shops selling regional treats. Authentic French pastries are an essential part of the city’s culture.
What to Expect: Sampling buttery croissants, delicate macarons, fruit tarts and other classic pastries from award-winning artisan bakeries. Sweet indulgence!
Visitor Information: Historic patisseries clustered around the old town. Buy direct or from shops at the market Saturday mornings.
What began in Grenoble back in 1889 as a bakery specializing in fruity custard tarts evolved over generations into the internationally adored Régis Marcon empire winning over palates with their decadent yet balanced French pastries and artfully plated Michelin meal experiences. Pay homage by visiting one of five heirloom Régis Marcon bakeries for melt-in-your-mouth lemon meringue tarts, strawberry clafoutis flans or their signature custardy Jéroboam treat topped with caramelized almonds and crunchy pearl sugar. Joy for the sweet tooth goes hand-in-hand with any time spent in Grenoble!
Celebrate 50 Years Since Hosting the 1968 Winter Olympics
Name and Location: 1968 Winter Olympics sites, Grenoble, France
History and Significance: Grenoble hosted the 1968 Winter Games, the first held in France. In 2023 the city will commemorate 50 years since this pivotal event.
What to Expect: Celebrations and events marking the anniversary. Seeing Olympic venues and the torch. Exhibits highlight Grenoble’s Olympic legacy and history.
Visitor Information: Most events will take place around the February 2023 anniversary. Venues are scattered around Grenoble and the mountains.
Marking the 18th occurrence of the Winter Olympic Games, Grenoble welcomed the world back in 1968 as the first hosts lacking prior alpine skiing infrastructure. Venues arose seemingly overnight with communications systems specially devised to broadcast the global sporting event to millions of viewers for the first time. Grenoble has since parlayed its Olympics legacy into developing further winter sports facilities and access infrastructure for enjoying beloved mountain pastimes.
Throughout 2024, expect commemorative events recalling seminal Olympic moments like ice skater Peggy Fleming’s gold medal and the Austrian Empire upsetting French favorites in the bobsled. Exciting times ahead in this seasoned host city!
Day Trip Back in Time at Jardin Railroad Park
Name and Location: Jardin Railroad Park, St. Marcellin, France
History and Significance: This park near Grenoble has antique trains winding through meticulously crafted Alpine miniature landscapes. Charming recreation of historic railways.
What to Expect: Riding the small trains through tunnels and villages, over bridges and pastdetailed models of the Alps. Fun family outing reviving the region’s railroad heritage.
Visitor Information: Located in St. Marcellin, about 45 minutes’ drive from Grenoble. Open weekends April-November. Tickets purchased on site.
Just 45 minutes drive northwest near the chartreuse mountains in Lancey, historic trains get lovingly restored for rides through the lush Jardin d’Éden park aboard vintage locomotives that transverse bridges, wooded glens and grassy parks rich with flowers and thematic amusements. Weekends often feature special events from pirate costume journeys to Wild West train heists and even onboard jazz concerts keeping things lively. For special occasions or curious travelers merely nostalgic for bygone transportation era ambiences, the steam trains here deliver durable delight!
Immerse Yourself in Modern Art Museums
Name and Location: Modern Art Museums, Grenoble, France
History and Significance: Grenoble is renowned for its fine collections of modern and contemporary art, like the Magnin and MC2 museums. They showcase leading 20th-21st century artists and movements.
What to Expect: Seeing works by Matisse, Picasso, Warhol, and more. The museums present rotating exhibitions, multimedia installations, and educational programs.
Visitor Information: Located in central Grenoble. MC2 is along the riverbike paths. Open regular hours year-round. Tickets available on site.
Beyond appreciation for winter athleticism and scientific innovation, Grenoble nurtures exceptional arts evidenced through museums like the Centre National d’Art Contemporain contemporary art gallery and the Musée de Grenoble periodically refreshed to highlight masters like Matisse, Magritte, Picasso and contemporary superstars like Joel Shapiro. Don’t miss the street art tour to witness colorful large-format murals and thought provoking installations continuing the creative momentum that flows through Grenoble’s communities.
Where bohemian university students go, artistic experimentation follows leading to intriguing high to low-brow expressions sprinkled liberally around the city for all to interpret.
Explore Ancient Ruins & Abbeys Along the Isère River
Name and Location: Isère River, Grenoble, France
History and Significance: The Isère River flows through Grenoble, surrounded by scenic nature, ancient bridges, abbeys and ruins. It shaped the area’s history as a strategic crossing point.
What to Expect: Walking or biking along the river banks, seeing historic architecture. Day trips to visit abbeys and Roman sites situated along the Isère Valley. Relaxing on river cruises.
Visitor Information: The river runs through central Grenoble. Trails and boats are accessible from downtown. Guided tours available to outlying historic sites.
Following the River Isère just north of Grenoble near Pont-de-Claix transports visitors back to Gallo-Roman days when settlements cropped up around therapeutic thermal baths in towns like Uriage-les-Bains still touting healing mineral waters. Further on near Vizille lies abandoned 11th century abbeys like Saint Hugon ruined but nonetheless dramatically situated as hillside landmarks visible from miles away.
By cycling along the GR765 bike route hugging the river, history unfolds around each bend revealing itself in fallen vestiges camouflaged against crumbling cliffs lined with whispering pines leading the curious onwards.
Conclusion – An Inspirational Escape Beckons in Grenoble
From viewing nanoparticles within massive laboratories to soaring above town via cable cars strung high across the Isère River, Grenoble fuels big ideas transitioning innovation from science fiction to tangible reality. Yet the university city stays grounded in culinary traditions and mountain integrity, blending future thinking with cultural foundations firmly set. Use this list of top things to do in Grenoble 2024 as a launch pad while crafting your own itinerary through inspirations awakened while wandering cobbled lanes and verdant trails where fluid thoughts take form. Whether basking beneath rocky Alps or mingling in bohemian café society, create adventures yielding memories to last long after bidding Grenoble your grateful adieu!