can anyone tell me about grenoble?

[JedlaRoche]

Originally Posted by r_u_a_wizard

Can anyone tell me about the demographics of Grenoble? Lots of immigrants?

Not as much as in the south of France and Paris you'll still find some diversity. Grenoble is really a nice student city especially if you like mountains activities including skiing and music festivals in summer.
But once there, be careful about the Chartreuse.

[botticelli]

Should be one of the best cities for outdoor activities since the Alps is right beside it. Large students body (over 60,000) and good public transit (5 tram lines for a small city). If you want a bigger city feel, Lyon is only an hour away (from there Paris is just 2 hours via TGV). It is also close to Geneva/West Switzerland.


I heard it is the most important innovation & technology centre after Paris.

[r_u_a_wizard]

Originally Posted by JedlaRoche

Not as much as in the south of France and Paris you'll still find some diversity. Grenoble is really a nice student city especially if you like mountains activities including skiing and music festivals in summer.
But once there, be careful about the Chartreuse.

What is the problem with the chartreuse? Hiking is a favorite hobby of mine and it looks beautiful

Thanks for the answers so far

[pigeonhole]

n° 2 for the Maffia after Marseilles. And highly polluted because that industrial city is located in a valley where neighbouring mountains block air flows. People are traditionally tougher there than in the rest of France because of the rough mountain climate and because the Dauphiné region (where Grenoble lies) was for centuries the border region to Italy , since Savoie (Chambéry) back then was part of the kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia (up until 1793).

[forgotten username]

you make it sound like he's going to get a gun pointed on his head as soon as he steps out the train station though, and the pollution exists, but it's not Beijing or anything.

[norgre]

I've studied in Grenoble and lived there more than 10 years. It's an amazing place for a student and the surroundings are beautiful.
Never heard of the "Italian Mafia" except as a boogeyman story...

Chartreuse is not only the mountains, it's also a liquor. So yes, be careful with this one, it's very good and they serve it at students parties as a shooter with vodka and a kind of French Fanta. Very good and extremely dangerous ;-).

You'll love Grenoble, and PM me if you need more info.

[r_u_a_wizard]

thanks for the replies!

What is the best way to get to other major European cities from Grenoble? I'm guessing to fly out of Lyon?