Airport information

is a city of around 158,000 inhabitants (550,000 taking into account the metropolitan area) located in the French Alps. The climate is quite cold in winter, with days of snow almost every year. Summers are known to be hot, as mountains surrounding the town stop any wind. The town is renowned for its scientific research centers, including Minatec and the Synchrotron (nanotechnology and high-brilliance source of X-rays, respectively) and universities. The city hosts a relatively large population of foreign scientists and students (more than in other comparable towns in France). Grenoble is crossed by two rivers, the Drac and the Isère ("the lion and the serpent"), and is surrounded by three mountain chains, the Vercors, Chartreuse and Belledonne.
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
To visit :
* The Bastille Hill. An ancient series of fortifications overlooking Grenoble.
* Natural History Museum
The museum has some nice collections on the subject of mineralogy and Alpine wildlife, and also houses an aquarium.
* Art Gallery (French: Musée de Grenoble
* The museum is worth seeing for the modern, smart building alone. It also houses a nice collection of modern art; among others, the museum holds four Picassos, one Miro, one Kandinsky and one Andy Warhol.
* Musée Dauphinois
* This museum is housed in the former convent of Ste-Marie-d'en-Haut, on the side of the Bastille hill. It houses permanent and temporary exhibitions about the people and lifestyle of the historic province of Dauphiné. Outside the building are pleasant gardens with a nice view over the city. Exhibitions are in both French and English.
* Musée De L'Ancien Eveché
The museum is housed in the former bishop's palace at Place Notre Dame. It displays objects and pieces of art narrating the history of the Isère region and its people from Prehistoric times up to the present. Under the museum is an archaeological crypt; the remains of the city's Roman walls and and a remarkable 4th Century baptistry.
* Museum of Resistance and Deportation
History of the French resistance during WWII in the alps.
* Saint-Louis Church
* Palace of the Parliament of dauphiné, the courthouse until 2002. A 15th-century building belonging to the Isère Council. An ongoing renovation project will give this building new lease of life whilst respecting its patrimonial character and adding a modern touch at the same time.
* The Cathedral (place Notre-Dame, tramway B) has been extensively restored in recent years
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* The Museum of French Revolution A little city about 14 km in south of Grenoble.
* The little train of La Mure A travel with 18 tunnels and a spectacular view on the river Drac and the dam of Monteynard. Saint-Georges-de-Commiers, 17 km from Grenoble.
* Musée Hydrelec in the massif of Oisans, about 45 km in south of Grenoble. Hydro generating station near a big dam (Grand'Maison
VALENCE
Valence is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the department of Drôme, situated on the left bank of the Rhône, 65 miles south of Lyon on the railway to Marseille. Valence was a part of the French Towns and Lands of Art and History and the city received four flowers in the Concours des villes et villages fleuris. Formerly the duchy of Valentinois, it was ruled by the Duke of Valentinois, a title which is still claimed by the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, though he has no actual administrative control over the area.
The Cathedral of St. Apollinaris, was rebuilt in the 11th century in the Romanesque style of Auvergne and consecrated in 1095 by pope Urban II. It suffered extensive damage in the French Wars of Religion, but it was restored in the first decade of the 17th century. The porch and the stone tower above it were rebuilt in 1861. The church contains the monument of Pius VI, who died at Valence in 1799. The library and the museum containing Roman antiquities, sculptures, and a picture gallery are housed in the old ecclesiastical seminary.
The most notable of the monuments erected in this city to its natives include those to Émile Augier the dramatist by the duchess of Uzès (1897), and to General Championnet.
Economy
The industries of the city include metallurgical products, textiles, leather goods, jewelry and munitions, and it also serves as a processing and trade center for the surrounding agricultural region.
Some of the big hi-tech companies settled here are leading in their domains like Thales (Former Thomson-CSF, electronic systems for avionics and defence), Crouzet/Schneider (Automatic systems), Alcatel space (Aerospatial systems), Ascom Monetel (Automatic paytax systems), etc

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