About Grenoble
If your travels ever take you to Grenoble, that fair city in the Rhône-Alpes region, know that you have arrived in the urban heart of the Alps.
Administratively speaking, this city is also the capital (or “préfecture”) of the Isère department, but it’s not as large or heavily populated as you might expect (approx. 550 000 inhabitants in the entire metropolitan area).
For a tourist like yourself, Grenoble has more than several attractions to offer. The city has a rich history (it was the capital of the ancient region of Dauphiné) which you can explore at your leisure. In addition, winter turns Grenoble into a popular sports resort and if you’re into that kind of thing, you’ll find lots of fun things to do in Grenoble as long as the snows last.
Once you come to know Grenoble at least in part, you’ll understand that it’s also a spiritual center of the Alps (don’t think it’s some sort of monastery or anything like that). You’ll spot a lot of students (many, English and American) in the streets of the city, and that’s because the University of Grenoble is quite a grand affair. That also explains the easy-going, cosmopolitan atmosphere of many city areas.