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Colors of Grenoble - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Grenoble Grenoble is known firstly as a student city, secondly as a place where a scientific site with a nuclear reactor is located, and thirdly as the hometown of Stendhal, and, of course, as the "heart of the French Alps" and the famous ski resort. That's how interesting Grenoble is. Local residents are equally interesting and original personalities. Since they've long been used to foreigners who can be met here at every step, one of the main traits of virtually all inhabitants of Grenoble is their friendliness and good nature.
Top places to stay in Grenoble - most luxurious hotels
Grenoble has excellent upscale hotels. One of such is Le Grand Hotel Grenoble which occupies a spectacular historic building near Gre’net Square. Clients of this hotel have access to a … Open
Natives are famous for their ability to find a way out of any situation and generally treat every trouble calmly. Calmness, carelessness, and serenity distinguish them from residents of other cities in France. These people are always pleasant to deal and find a common language with, not least due to the fact that their smile can cheer up even the moodiest person. Therefore, everyone can feel at home here. Living for one's own pleasure without thinking about tomorrow because “today” is the best day - this is about them. And their attitude is worth learning because as you can see, they are mostly problem-free people.
The main dishes in Grenoble are cheese, baguette, meat (“jambon”), nuts. Some must-try local dishes include "gato" (cake with nut cream), "fondue" (melted cheese with nutmeg for spreading on dried bread), "raclette" (melted fatty cheese), "tartiflette" (potatoes with bacon, cheese, and cream in white wine). When it comes to alcoholic drinks, the most popular ones are wine and Chartreuse (French liqueur). Copyright www.orangesmile.com
Old hotels keeping the history of Grenoble
Many attractive historic hotels still exist in Grenoble. Surrounded by beautiful gardens and located in Place Victor Hugo, is the Hotel d Angleterre Grenoble Hyper-Center. This hotel … Open
Stendhal's hometown is attractive with its interesting festivals, which are held one by one throughout the year. Thus, if you travel to Grenoble in early March, you can witness such a bright event in the life of the city as the Grenoble GT Jazz Aventures Voix Gospel Jazz des Alpes, or simply Grenoble Gospel-Jazz Festival. The venue is 5 Allee Du des Vosges. In addition to gospel and jazz, you can listen to hip-hop, soul and blues, as well as dance to fiery music beats. The emphasis is on international cooperation, due to which it is visited by many foreign stars.
Grenoble Mid-July is the time reserved for the Cabaret Frape. And this means that there will be nothing but fun. Music filling everything around, contests, readings, street art, serigraphy - all this can be seen (or heard) in Jardin de ville. The event is completely free of charge. About 50,000 people visit the city as participants of the festival at this time. Visiting this multifaceted event is a dream of all those preferring original shows leaving pleasant impressions in memory for a very long time.
Best hotel choice for romantic escape, wedding or honeymoon in Grenoble
Grenoble has a decent selection of hotels that are distinguished by a romantic setting to offer travelers. There is one located right in the heart of the city which is very popular among … Open
The Festival of Détours de Babel taking place from mid-March to the beginning of April is another great event, which would be interesting to all music fans. You can listen to modern music and jazz that has already become a kind of classic. The venue for the event is Center International des Musiques Nomades. Since the festival's motto is "back to the roots", this means a return to the sounds of nature that will sound in contemporary performance. The idea of the festival - the fusion of modernity and antiquity - was a big success, as evidenced by thousands of tourists from all over the world attending the international event every year.
Hospital Civil, Grenoble The 'Rocktambule à Grenoble' festival in mid-October gathers all rock fans in one place - namely, at 51 Boulevard Gambetta. Some people spend the whole year waiting for this unique event to see those who will entertain visitors this year and enjoy the atmosphere of the festival - fascinating, friendly, and fun. Spectators are entertained by both starts of the world stage and new talents who are just starting their way in show business. And this is exactly what attracts visitors who can discover new facets in music and enjoy old-school sounds at one time.
Shopping in Grenoble - main shopping streets, outlets and boutiques
Saint-Clair market is one of the most popular shopping destinations in Grenoble. Local residents come here for groceries. Some of its shopping arcades are located in a historic building, … Open
In early July, the capital of the French Alps welcomes many film fans and critics - the thing is that it is time for Festival du Film Court en Plein air de Grenoble. The open-air event is focused on both modern art of cinema and its heritage. Place saint-André at this time becomes a venue where you can watch some short films for free, which is very attractive for all moviegoers - however, not only movie buffs visit this place.
Balade a  la Bastille - Depart en fin dapres-midi Since Grenoble is located at the foot of the picturesque Alps, it is not surprising that in early November you can witness Festival International du Film de Montagne d'Autrans. As the name implies, films presented here have one theme - mountains. Therefore, the festival is created for those who're crazy about mountains. In total, the film festival is usually attended by about 16,000 people. It is thus Europe's largest festival dedicated to mountains, which is yet not surprising, given that Grenoble is the capital of the French Alps. The venue is Le Summum Theater.
Top touristic routes around Grenoble: architectural sightseeing and landmarks
Discovering the architecture of Grenoble from bird's eye view! Cathedrale Notre-Dame, Fort de la Bastille, Musee Dauphinois, Stade des Alpes, Cathedrale Saint-Andre, Palais des Sports, all those monuments are defining the image of Grenoble … Open
An interesting fair awaits those who decide to visit Grenoble three weeks after Palm Sunday. It opens on the square near the famous monument Porte de France. The multi-faceted Grenoble Street Art Fest starts at the end of May and ends in late June. It is a bright mix of street art, that is, monumental, traditional frescoes, collages, stencils, urban sculptures, installations, pictural and video art, and shows. In addition, the program includes conferences, presentations, tours, seminars, workshops, music and dances - no one has yet regretted the decision to join the party.
This guide to traditions and festivals in Grenoble is protected by the copyright law. You can re-publish this content with mandatory attribution: direct and active hyperlink to www.orangesmile.com.
Grenoble - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

City tours, excursions and tickets in Grenoble and surroundings

Reference information
Map of all churches
Cathedrals and basilicas near Grenoble
♥   Basilique Saint-Joseph, Grenoble, 2.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilique Sacré-Cœur, Grenoble, 2.8 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Cathédrale Notre-Dame, Grenoble, 3.1 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilique Notre-Dame de l’Osier, Notre-Dame-de-l’Osier, 25.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, Antsirabé, 40 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilique-Cathédrale Saint-François-de-Sales, Chambéry, 47.2 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, 50.7 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Map of all castles
Survived castles around Grenoble
♥   Castle 'Château de Clermont' Isère, 28.2 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Château de Fayet' Isère, 34.2 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Château de La Sône' Isère, 34.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Château de Arthaudière' Isère, 35.2 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Château de Bayard' Isère, 37.1 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Château de Virieu' Isère, 39.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Castle 'Château de Rochechinard' Drôme, 40.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Car rental on OrangeSmile.com Rentals in Grenoble
Detailed Grenoble maps
Tram map of Grenoble
Grenoble photo gallery

Travel News
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If you haven’t visited this event yet, there is still time to book a hotel in Dubai because Expo 2020 Dubai runs until 31 March 2022. People who are unable to visit the emirate can make a virtual tour on the Expo 2020 website. By the way, the virtual visitation has already reached 31.6 million by the end of December. Read this

29.03.2023

Colors of Grenoble in photos

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Traditions and festivals in cities around Grenoble

Rhone-Alpes
At the end of December, there is an exhibition of Christmas cribs in Montelimar. It includes unique pieces from private collections, among which there is a vintage crib of the 18th century, as well as masterpieces of modern masters. Visitors can learn a lot while exploring the museum exposition; the event will certainly appeal to those who are fond of Christmas holidays and ... Open »
Meribel
In such restaurants, they use antique items as decorations and retain special cooking traditions. Simple rustic cuisine attracts not only tourists with a limited budget but also wealthy travelers hungry for new impressions. Several authentic villages that have been preserved in the vicinity of Meribel are available for tours. Near the resort, there are historical farms, ... Open »
Albertville
Albertville resort is also a well-known cultural center. Local people respect and observe numerous interesting traditions and customs, as far as consider their culture very attractive and original. And that is true! Despite the fact that the national cuisine is not distinguished by the abundance of complex dishes, the art of cooking is treated with great attention here. The ... Open »
Courchevel
Despite its bright modern wrapping, Courchevel is also notable for its simplicity, which is not at all typical of elite resorts. Even the richest people in the world calmly walk around wearing ordinary down jackets and snow boots, which catches the eye for sure. It is extremely rare to see women in flashy and fashionable clothes, almost all guests of the resort choose the ... Open »
Briancon
If visitors try to talk French to locals, they can expect cordial approach and general likes from the side of local people. Locals are punctual, so when heading to a business meeting or to a house of new acquaintances foreigners must come on time. If you are late, local people may consider that a sign of disregard. Communication with local people should also be made as ... Open »
Lyon
Surprises await guests of the festival at every step. For example, figures of exotic animals can be found strolling stately in one of city's malls; theaters and museums are transformed into huge gaming machines; all historical sights are changing their appearance completely. The beautiful and unique festival was first celebrated a century and a half ago; at that time the ... Open »
Cityguide on traditions, mentality and lifestyle of people in Grenoble. Learn the best periods to visit Grenoble to discover its soul - authentic festivals, events and celebrations. We will also reveal the interesting habits, attitude towards the world and to tourists in Grenoble.
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