Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in south-eastern France situated at the foot of the French Alps where the Drac joins the Isère River. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the départment of Isère. The proximity of the mountains make the city named "Capital of Alps." The history of the city encompasses a period of more than 2,000 years. Grenoble has been the capital of Dauphiné since the 11th century. The city experienced a period of economic expansion in the 19th and 20th centuries, symbolised by the holding of the X Olympic Winter Games in 1968. Grenoble is now a significant scientific centre in Europe.
The population of the city of Grenoble at the 2006 census was 156,107 inhabitants. The population of the urban unit of Grenoble was 427,659 inhabitants in 2006. The population of the Grenoble metropolitan area at the 2006 census was 531,440 inhabitants. The residents of the city are called Grenoblois. Among the numerous communes included are the city's largest suburbs, Saint-Martin-d'Hères, Échirolles, and Fontaine, each with a population exceeding 20,000 inhabitants.
Grenoble can be accessed by plane from Grenoble-Isère Airport, Saint-Exupéry International Airport near Lyon, Geneva Cointrin International Airport. Within Grenoble there is a comprehensive bus and tram service. It operates 26 bus lines and 4 tram lines, serving all of greater Grenoble.
Grenoble is served by the TGV network with frequent services to and from Paris-Gare de Lyon and less frequent trains to and from other destinations in France such as Lille Europe and Nantes. TER services connect Grenoble with Geneva and destinations to the east. Valence to the west provides connections with TGV services along the Rhone valley. Rail and road connections to the south are less well developed.
Road links to the north and west are good, by autoroute, including to Lyon and the Rhone valley via Valence. A highway (in French: autoroute) runs east up the valley towards the Alps and Italy. The city is also circled by a partial beltway.
