Nicknamed the “Capital of the Alps”, Grenoble, in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region of France, is a wonderful place to spend a weekend.
The often overlooked city of 450,000 has a lively past: it was where protesters rose up against Louis XVI in 1788 and was a hotbed of the Resistance during World War II.
Now Grenoble is a lovely place to spend a couple of days between the Isère and Drac rivers.
Grenoble, the “capital of the Alps”, offers a great weekend getaway
Where to stay
Barbillon House
On a side street near the station, Maison Barbillon has small, elegant rooms and a bright, fresh atmosphere. A free coffee machine in reception is a bonus, as is the complimentary afternoon cake. A vinyl record player with Beatles and Pink Floyd LPs is also provided. Doubles from £60 (maisonbarbillon.com).
Hotel RockyPop
It has a modern, lively and colorful look with a large open plan restaurant and bar hosting table football and retro computer games. The rooms are elegant and comfortable, decorated in mustard yellow, gray and cobalt blue. If you’re in a hurry, the bar’s snack menu includes pizzas for €8.50. Doubles from £82 (rockypop.com).
Grenoble, which has a population of 450,000, often goes unnoticed.
Hotel 1924
With art deco design and minimalist rooms with large beds and bathrooms (all bathrooms), Hotel 1924 is a hideaway between the old town and the station. The elegant bar on the ground floor offers cocktails with Chartreuse, a local drink made by monks. Doubles from £86 B&B (1924hotel.com).
OKKO Hotels Grenoble Jardin Hoche
Close to the old town, this modern hotel offers comfortable ‘urban cocoon’ style rooms with free Wi-Fi and Nespresso machines. The exterior has an unusual appearance: it looks a bit like a tall, thin piece of cake. Inside, you’ll find a cocktail bar, restaurant, gym, and sauna. Doubles from £67 (okkohotels.com).
What to see and do
Ride ‘The Bubbles’
Above, the famous Grenoble cable cars, with capacity for six passengers each.
The Grenoble cable car opened in 1934 and was updated in 1976 with five distinctive circular capsules nicknamed Les Bulles (‘The Bubbles’), each carrying six passengers. They have become a symbol of the city and this fun walk takes you to the Bastille fortifications. At the top there is a restaurant (o2-restaurant.fr) and the Museum of French Mountain Troops (museedestroupesdemontagne.fr). Return tickets £8.
Piece of Resistance
The Museum of Resistance and Deportation tells the story of the strong local Resistance movement during World War II, as well as the horrific events of the Holocaust. Grainy footage shows Resistance leaders, many of whom have been captured, while sections of concentration camps are harrowing. (Free entry, grenoble-turismo.com).
Go hiking or climbing
Above the cable car near the Bastille you can take pleasant half-hour excursions and, for the more daring, a via ferrata. It is suitable for beginners, but “can cause a feeling of vertigo”; guided trips £39 (www.vertical-aventure.com/es).
Piece of the Resistance Long live the Revolution!
Head to the Museum of the French Revolution in the town of Vizille to learn about Grenoble’s lively past.
Learn about Grenoble’s involvement in the events of the 1780s at the Museum of the French Revolution in the town of Vizille, a 30-minute bus ride south of the center. The museum is located inside a fabulous 14th century castle.
A drink or two
Lose yourself in the labyrinthine streets of the old town and visit the cheerful little bars serving cheap wines (£3.40 a glass) and cask beers (£4.10 a half litre). Don’t miss the fun Le Tonneau de Diogene, with 24 beers on tap and sausage and bread boards (£5.60); 6 Notre Dame Square.
Buy some antiques… and gloves.
Grenoble is the former French capital of glove making, but now only one artisan remains: Gant Lesdiguières, founded in 1885, has exquisite leather gloves from £77 (ganterie-grenoble.fr). Also explore the city center’s cluster of antique shops.
Where to eat
Le Boeuf au Comptoir
On a corner near the Isère River, this simple restaurant serves frog legs, salads and steaks. Dishes include dauphinoise potatoes, a regional specialty. Sirloin steak with blue cheese or onion sauce is £21.50 (perfectly cooked). A bottle of good Cotes du Rhone also costs £21.50. 17 Avenida Félix Viallet (le-boeuf-au-comptoir.fr).
Le Seize (XVI)
Look no further for a fancy lunch (or dinner) spot, although the lunch menu is especially appealing; three courses from £19. On my visit, tables were busy and cauliflower soup, duck leg with seasonal vegetables, dauphinoise potatoes, wine sauce and sweet potato puree, followed by mango eclair, made up an excellent meal.
16 Strasbourg street.
Café de la Table Ronde
Dine at Café de la Table Ronde, which has a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
This is one of the oldest restaurants in France, dating back to 1739. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, with banquettes, fast service and tempting menus. Six oysters, filet and dauphinoise potatoes and a chocolate fondant cost £29. The philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the local author Stendhal and the singer Edith Piaf have dined here.
7 Place St André (restaurant-tableronde-grenoble.com)
Le Café de la Place Championnet
In an artsy neighborhood, this place is ideal for coffee or a beer or a cocktail in the evening, with its simple wooden tables and worn wooden floor. A latte or cappuccino costs £3.25. Food is not provided, but the owner allows you to bring a snack from the pastry shop across the street. Cocktails from £6.90.
1 Champion Place.
Get there
Wizz Air flies from Luton to Grenoble from £44 return (wizzair.com), Ryanair from Stansted (ryanair.com) and Easyjet from Gatwick (easyjet.com). Airport buses take 40 minutes to the center from £27.50 return (actibus.com).
Wizz Air flies from Luton to Grenoble from £44 return (wizzair.com)