Grenoble

Grenoble, ringed by three mountain ranges in the French Alps, is one of Europe's most dramatically positioned cities — an urban centre of 160,000 at the confluence of the Isère and Drac rivers, completely surrounded by peaks that rise steeply to over 2,000 metres in every direction. It is France's most alpine city and a major university centre with a strong innovation and technology sector. The cable car (les Bulles — the Bubbles) from the old town directly to the Bastille fortress offers Grenoble's defining experience — extraordinary views of the entire mountain ring, the city below and the valleys extending in every direction. The Bastille itself, a 19th-century fortification, is now a cultural and café destination with excellent vantage points. The Musée de Grenoble, the most important art museum in provincial France after Lyon, holds exceptional works from Rubens and Zurbarán to Matisse, Picasso and Miró. Grenoble's mountain access is unparalleled: Chamrousse ski resort is 30 minutes from the city centre; Les Deux Alpes and Alpe d'Huez are within an hour. Chartreuse Massif and Vercors plateau offer outstanding hiking. The Chartreuse liqueur distillery (the green and yellow liqueur made by Carthusian monks since 1737) is in the mountains above the city. Grenoble is also the gateway to the Belledonne range and the Écrins National Park. A university-city energy keeps costs lower than many Alpine resorts.