The Museum of Champollion hosted in the family home Champollion. Jean-François Champollion and his brother Jacques-Joseph lived in Grenoble for 17 years. Vif is a little city about 10 km in south of Grenoble.
An ancient series of fortifications overlooking Grenoble. May be reached by cable car bastille-grenoble.com, round trip €8, or by a 40-minute hike. Enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of the city and surrounding mountains from the top. On the Saint-Laurent side, giant stairways are impressive to climb or descend. On the way up you will also encounter a building that used to house the Institut Dolomieu but has been abandoned and in ruins since 2001. You can still walk into some of the old classrooms and lecture theatres.
A big park in the centre of the city. It includes a roller skating rink and people often play street hockey. The park also boasts extensive lawns and quiet tree-lined avenues. At the centre stands the tower Perret, built in 1925 for an international exposition about water-power. When illuminated at night with blue lights, it bears a considerable resemblance to both Dr. Who's sonic screwdriver and the Tower of Mordor. For at least 50 years, it has been impossible to go up due to safety problems. After renovations, the tower will reopen to the public in 2022.
Natural History Museum
Facilities for the disabled. The museum has some nice collections on the subject of mineralogy and Alpine wildlife, and also houses an aquarium.
A joint research facility supported by 19 countries. Short visits are designed for groups of 10-15 persons.
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. There are also exhibitions with wider interest as on the solar clocks in 2014, on the links with Japan in 2019. But the visit of the chapel is the main attraction of the museum. Outside the building are pleasant gardens with a nice view over the city. Access by car is difficult and it is best to walk to it by the climb of Chalemont via the Saint-Laurent footbridge. Exhibitions are in French and English.
Admission is free. The museum is housed in the former bishop's palace on 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 a remarkable 4th-century baptistry, discovered during work on tram line B, are not to be missed. Ask for a free audioguide (French or English) at reception.