Grenoble

For more ideas visit the isere tourism board at: (http://www.isere-tourisme.fr)

The cable car

french: tã©lã©phã©rique, quai stã©phane jay if you're walking, follow the isã¨re 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, [email protected]). closed for 3 weeks in january. otherwise open every day, 10h45-18h30 in winter and up to 9h15-00h15 in summer. prices at 6.80 euro for round trip or 4.70 euro for single trip as at aug 2011. the cable car is the easiest way to see the town from above, and the trip in the plastic bubbles is impressive. at the summit some 260 m above the town is a 19th-century fortress, la bastille. when you arrive at the top, you can explore the fortifications, have a meal or light refreshments, follow winding paths further up the mountainside or simply enjoy the view on a clear day mont blanc is visible in the distance. if you take the path gr9 to the rear of the bastille, you can walk approx 20-30 mins further up to mont jalla to get an even better view, where there is a memorial to the mountain troups who fought in wwii and a monument erected on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of grenoble 1944. you can also walk up to the bastille via one of several paths or go by car from the city of la tronche. paths start from the fountain of lion on the east side, this path is called montã©e chalemont or a park on the west, near the large arch called jardin des dauphins.

Mountain lakes

Are a great place to visit during a hot summer day, to swim or just to admire the landscape. for example, the lacs robert and lac achard are one or two hours hike from chamrousse. several paths are available, some suitable for the whole family, others advised for adults only. also, annecy- a small, historic city on the edge of a beautiful lake, perfect for swimming- can be reached by train in 1h30 up to 32 eur return trip. fishing in lakes and in some rivers is allowed, but like everywhere else in france a permit is required. for information about fishing, contact the local fishermen's union french: union des pãªcheurs ã  la ligne. 8, rue ampã¨re, grenoble, tel. (+33 9 50 35 11 73, fax +33 4 76 49 02 17, e-mail: [email protected]

skiing

In winter, skiing is a popular activity, which is unsurprising given the historically ski-friendly terrain; Grenoble hosted the Tenth Winter Olympic games in 1968. The nearest ski stations are only 45 min from Grenoble by car. Stations close to Grenoble include Autrans 1000 m up in the Vercors, Chamrousse 1700 m - 2200 m, in Belledonne. Avoid the two last two weeks of December, which are overcrowded at all ski stations and the most expensive of the year. During high season there are also several daily buses to big ski resorts such as Deux Alpes and Alpe d'Huez 1h30 minutes trip. Tickets can be bought at the Gare Routiere and they offer reductions when buying bus tickets and ski passes in combination. If skiing's not your thing but you still fancy a snowy outing, you might like to try snowshoeing- many centres around Grenoble offer half- or full-day excursions, ask at the Maison de la Montagne or the Maison du Tourisme.

Hiking

With three mountain ranges on the doorstep, Hiking and climbing are very popular. The place to start is the Maison de la Montagne 3, rue Raoul Blanchard, where you can browse maps and helpful staff several English-speakers can help you choose a route according to your level of fitness and the time you have on hand. For short walks around the city, ask for the "Carte des Sentiers Sipavag" a free hiking map at the Tourism Office 4, rue de la République or Maison de la Montagne (http://www.maison-montagn...), close to the Hubert Doubedout tram station. Also look for the "Guides des Balades" at the TAG office in the same building of the Tourism Office- a nice add-on to the Sipavag map which lists a number of parks and hikes you can reach with public transportation. The new edition for 2007 includes over 50 different walks, from half-hour strolls to full-day hikes. You will also find suitable maps at any bookshop; the best ones are published by the IGN National Geographic Institute and Didier Richard. Without proper maps, the trails can be confusing and you may be lost in the many turns, steps, ups and downs. However, if you are careful to observe and follow the colour codings on trees and at key turnings, then it can still be an enjoyable alternative way of getting up or down the mountain.