I want to be a part of it... Grenoble!

May 7, 2011 4:19 PM

Sell me Grenoble! I will be in Grenoble for five days, and if I like it enough, I might return for a year or two...

Later this month I will visit Grenoble for holidays but also to see if I like the city, since I may have an opportunity to come back for some paid research work. Basically if you live(d) there, what are the places I should visit? They don't have to be touristy, I'd just like to get a feel for places I might live in, shop at or visit if I came back for a longer time. For this trip I'll have a car for 3 days. And I speak French.
I love the outdoors (hiking mostly, snowboarding too), have 2 young kids, I love coffee, markets, libraries, used books stores, that kind of thing. Tell me your secret treasures, neighborhoods, or parks, which can be in or around Grenoble. If I live there, I'll definitely commute by public transportation.

posted by ddaavviidd to Travel & Transportation around Grenoble, France (3 answers total)

Best answer: In Grenoble you are very close to the Vercors Plateau which is a very beautiful mountain range and high plain. You can climb up to the top and explore the high plains near Mont Aiguille which is here. When you climb up to the plateau in that area, which is less than an hour from Grenoble, you can easily climb on top of Le Grand Veymont (7680') which is the highest peak of the plateau. There is many gorgeous hikes in the area.

I don't know if they're still there but the first time I climbed up to the plateau (which I didn't even know was there... I thought it was just a mountain range and would drop off again on the other side of the ridge) I found myself lying on my back and resting in a dense field of Edelweiss flowers!
posted by Hairy Lobster at 5:41 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]

Best answer: You like snowboarding? The 1968 Winter Olympics took place in Grenoble. There are tons of huge ski areas all around, some even operating into the summer.

Chartreuse liqueur is made in nearby Voiron.

I always wanted to check out this crazy-looking museum.
posted by mkb at 7:20 PM on May 7, 2011

Response by poster: The Chartreuse visit was fun, and it was cheap to buy at the small shop (much cheaper than at home). We went up the funiculaire, it is worth it for the view!
posted by ddaavviidd at 12:18 PM on June 7, 2011