What archives used to look like before the digital revolution. Photo by dolescum

Grenoble Life editor James Dalrymple delves into the archives to relive some of the highs and lows of the past few years online in the Capital of the Alps.

A great many articles have been published on Grenoble Life since we started in October 2008, contributed by a wide range of contributors from Britain, the USA and Australia, to India and France itself (or should that be herself?). It occurs to me that a number of them deserve revisiting, if only because I can’t make them all instantly present on the front page at the same time. Moreover,  some my personal favourites – perhaps owing to the dark arts of Google – seem to have fallen off the radar. In any case, here is a little sum-up of what you may have missed from the Grenoble Life archives.

It may be unfashionably erudite for a website built upon social media, but Grenoble Life has hosted a number of well-informed and beautifully written pieces about the city’s rich past. For a potted history of the Capital of the Alps, you won’t do better than this splendid two-parter, while one of the Dauphiné’s more colourful historical characters is dissected, literally, here.

The history of any region of France must also necessarily be the story of its food and drink, and Grenoble is no different. These posts on the popular local green stuff, Chartreuse, and the humble walnut, also known as noix de Grenoble, provide a nice entry point into two regional specialties. Meanwhile the city’s contemporary food culture – from high to low – has been celebrated here in a number of ways, from this ode to Grenoble’s foremost covered market Les Halles Sainte Claire, to advice on where to find “decent hot chillis here and stuff like lemongrass, galangal, and other Southeast Asian vegetables and spices,” or where an “impoverished young person” can get cheap eats “served with customary indifference and a bad attitude.” By contrast, the cities bars and cafés have been received with greater warmth here and here.

With Grenoble being surrounded by mountains, the site has not neglected to mention skiing, particularly the bargain basement variety, while the city itself has been treated as both a travel destination in itself (for once) and the starting point for epic journeys on “The world’s least user-fixable vehicle.” Skiing asides, the imposing massifs have also provided inspiration to budding climbers and photographers alike, proving there is more to the Alps than the snow, while Grenoble Life’s armchair mountain enthusiasts have been able to “take a walk on the wild side.”

If that convinced you that Grenoble only catered for les sportifs, I would like to think – from its thriving music and cinema scene (covered here and here) to its brocantes – the cultural side of the city has not been entirely neglected. Add to that the opportunities for young people to participate in English-speaking theatre and musical events for a charitable cause, the city has something to offer for those, like myself, with “gym commitment issues.”

Grenoble Life hasn’t always been about consensus, however. The French education system has proved a passionate subject among English-speaking residents past and present, both for its detractors and supporters.  The exigencies of French administration have also come under scrutiny, whether it be for starting your own business or simply getting a valid visa.

A critical eye has also been cast upon Grenoble’s public conveniences, albeit with a wink, while the greatest controversy was sparked by Grenoble Life’s Daily Deconstructionalist, sadly inactive of late, whose acerbic takes on French road safety campaigns and the City of Grenoble Magazine drew a colourful response. While there is no harm in vigorous debate, perhaps it was the gathering clouds of acrimony that inspired me to write this well-attended general Grenoble love-in.

And all this barely scratches the surface, given that I have not mentioned the many illuminating interviews and practical posts that have graced these pages over the years. I hope that Grenoble Life will continue to be a source of information, discussion and amusement to English-speaking residents for some time to come. That said, I should mention that none of this would have been possible without the goodwill of aforementioned contributors, and that I still very much welcome your blogging suggestions, no matter how subjective they are, or how new to the city you may be. Your participation is, and has always been, the life-blood of the site.

Join the Accessibility Movement at jaccede.com

On Saturday October 8th Jaccede.com is organising an Accessibility Day in Grenoble to raise awareness for people with limited mobility and promote accessible locations in the city.

Desipite being surrounded by mountains, Grenoble is a highly accessible city, and one of the few to have an innovative official project underway to make three areas of the city completely accessible by 2015.

However, finding an accessible school, university or company, going shopping or travelling around … all of these normally simple activities can easily become a nightmare for people with li­mited mobility. Jaccede.com’s objective is to promote equal opportunities for such people by:

• Making information that will improve the daily lives for people with limited mobility (PLM) readily accessible
• Inspiring people with limited mobility to participate in a mass movement and encourage them to come out of isolation
• Increasing public awareness of accessibility issues and of the French law of February 11, 2005
• Promoting accessible locations
• Creating a movement and civic consciousness promoting accessibility for everyone

Jaccede.com’s Accessibility Days aim to:

• Identify accessible locations and register them on www.jaccede.com to make them available to everyone
• Raise awareness among local businesses, public officials and the public regarding the advantages of accessibility

October 8th Grenoble Accessibility Day:

• Meeting point: La Maison des Associations – 6 Rue Berthe de Boissieux
• 10–11.30am: welcome and training
• 11.30–3pm: collection of information on accessible locations using the Jaccede kit – lunch break
• 3.30–5pm: uploading of info and addresses on www.jaccede.com
• 5pm: feedback on the day and closing drinks (back at Maison des Associations)

Jaccede.com is still scouting for plucky volunteers for the big day, both to roam the streets for accessible locations, and also to help the organizers with the practicalities such as handing out maps, welcoming volunteers etc.

Sign up at www.jaccede.com and join the Accessibility Movement or call 01 43 71 98 10 to find out more. The site is soon going multilingual, and plans to branch out its operations in the UK and abroad.

Photo: Vickie Allen

Vickie Allen tries rock climbing the ‘iron way’ (aka via ferrata) at Alpe d’Huez. She took her camera too. Don’t look down!

I rarely hear my own heart beating in my ears. But I hear it now; loudly. My legs tremble, my hands burn. I try not to look down to the river running 100m below me but I can hear it gushing over rocks between heartbeats. A bird flies past my head and above me the clouds are gathering. I ask myself – not for the first time – why I’m doing this.

And then my breath kicks-in. And I realise that via ferrata isn’t just great for the body, it’s a mental sport too, requiring focus, strength and a kind, supportive, inner voice. A great lesson for life as well as for the rock face …

Via ferrata – for those who aren’t familiar with the term – can be directly translated from Italian to mean ‘iron way’. For those who are familiar, the term conjures up images of iron rungs bolted into the mountainside and a cord of metal that criss-crosses the cliff face. This is your iron way, your route up the mountain.

Photo: Vickie Allen

There are lots of via ferrata in the Oisans region and for our first attempt for the year we thought we’d keep it simple, opting for the découverte route in Alpe d’Huez, from the base of the Sarenne gorge. découverte simply means discovery, and differs from sportif in that the routes tend to be more like a scramble up the rocks via narrow paths, rather than comprising of long sections of rungs (which is what you’ll find on the sportif routes). At the bottom of the Sarenne gorge you have the option of either type of route and they cross mid-way, allowing you to try both disciplines in one hit.

Did I mention that the routes take you hundreds of metres off the ground? This means safety equipment is essential. You’ll need a climbing harness, a specialised via ferrata attachment (which comprises of two spring-lock carabiners on a short length of rope and a third which acts as a braking device), a helmet, comfortable clothing and trainers or other suitable outdoor shoes. You’ll also need a lot of guts, especially if you’re afraid of heights.

Photo: Vickie Allen

Via ferrata is a great way to combat fear and conquer your adrenaline. I’ve done a few via ferrata now, and a bit of climbing, but the first of the season is always terrifying. It took me a good hour regain confidence, not just in the safety equipment but also in my body. Trusting my hands not to simply let go of the rung at an inopportune moment took a lot of energy. And this is why my hands are burning now … I literally gripped and hauled my way up the rock face. Not great technique but for the first ascent of the season I’m just glad I made it. And this is why I persevere with the sport: it’s literally the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

When you’re on the face you’re part of a team and the team are there to support you and talk you through, when necessary. But essentially you’re on your own, in your head. And the way to talk to yourself when you’re coaxing yourself up and up and up is maybe the way we should coax ourselves through life. “Come on Vixie, [that's what I call myself in my head!] you can do this. Here’s another crossover. One carabiner to the next section of line. Done. The second. Done. Nice work. Check you’re secure. Now, get your right foot onto that rung and lean for the hand-hold. Secure? Edge the left foot along the rock and squeeze it onto the rung. Good. Secure. You’re doing well. You can do this. Breathe. Remember to breathe”.

Photo: Vickie Allen

The other beauty of the sport is that you can only deal with one section at a time and quite often you can’t see what’s ahead or below, so your only option is to focus on the job in hand. The strange peace that ascends as you move up section by section, staying solidly in the present is another lesson I think we can apply to our own lives. What’s the point in worrying about what’s to come or what’s behind us? Let’s just deal with what’s in front of us right now.

And then, before you know it, all your coaxing and inching up the rock face brings you to the top … that triumphant final haul over the last edge and you’re done. Hopefully with a big smile on your face as you realise what you’ve achieved and how – with all that focussing on the present moment – you’ve left all your other worries at the bottom of the route.

Photo: Vickie Allen

How to reach the Alpe d’Huez via ferrata: the route starts at the bottom of the Sarenne gorge, just upstream of the chairlifts. You can walk into the gorge via the footpath from Huez or down from Alpe d’Huez on the steep path that descends next to the second car park on the way to the Col de Sarenne. You’ll finish just below the same car park and the walk back into Alpe d’Huez takes about 30 minutes. We completed the route in around 90 minutes, but the speed at which you go depends on your fitness, experience and whether you want to stop to take photos to scare your friends and family…

Photo: Vickie Allen

For more  on Alpe d’Huez in the summer and climbing in the Oisans region, go to Destination Oisans: Photos, films and thoughts on the reality of life in the mountains.

Breakfast at Le Valombré

Vickie Allen swaps the pistes of Alpe D’Huez for a weekend getaway at the chambre d’hôtes ‘Le Valombré’ in the Chartreuse. 

Squelching through the mud to avoid the frozen snow that last fell at Christmas, I was glad we hadn’t bothered to pack our ski stuff.  We watched over-dressed school children judder down the slushy nursery slope served by a single, antique drag-lift, their mittens dangling on cords from their wrists, googles perched on their helmets, zips undone. At our backs a southerly wind, disturbingly warm, swept through the trees and cooled as it hit the height of the Col de Porte, but not enough to reassure us that the promised snowfall was on its way, not at this height anyway. 

Situated at 1,326m there was still snow on the ground but as we descended into Chartreuse we drove back in time to find fallen leaves, bare trees and grassy clearings on the edge of the dense forest. It was autumn once again. 

Bare trees and clouds above Grenoble

We chose Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse for a quick mid-winter getaway as it’s so close to Grenoble (just 30-40 minutes by car) and we’d been enchanted by the forest when we visited for the day in the summer. 

As Brits who work in tourism, we’ve always been fascinated by the concept of a chambre d’hôtes. Having worked in a number of chalets and hotels, as well as running Mountain Experience, we weren’t sure if the idea of staying in someone’s house and being a guest at their table was tempting or not.  So we decided to check-in and see … 

Despite our English reserve our host Jean-Pierre was warm and accommodating from the moment we arrived at his home, Le Valombré. A barn conversion, the building is stunning with the self-contained guest quarters, that sleep up to ten people, on the first floor. The Boyfriend had chosen the Jade Room when booking from the photos of each colour-themed room on the website. We found it to be just as it looked online; light and comfortable with a huge bed and comfy armchair. Perfect for relaxation and privacy, but how would we find eating with a stranger? 

The Jade Room

Jean-Pierre shared the starter with us, but refrained from the main course and dessert. Leaving the table every now and then to refill the water and check the oven, his presence was comfortable and leisurely. He grasped his way through our faltering French, phrasing his questions to fill our awkward English silences with the utmost grace and ease. He chatted happily about his previous life in Paris, the conversion of the building and local visitor attractions. His recommendation to visit the church of St-Hugues-de-Chartruese to experience the modern art piqued our interest, and after a tasty four-course meal (with the obligatory local cheese-board) we made our way to bed.

We had agreed on a late breakfast at 9.30am and awoke to find the table laden with homemade preserves and yogurt. The mint and melon jam reminded me of sweet Moroccan tea and was a surprisingly refreshing accompaniment to warm croissants. The Boyfriend’s sweet tooth preferred Jean-Pierre’s strawberry and pineapple jam, while we both salivated over the oven-fresh brioche cake nestling under the lid of its red oven dish.  

Whistling his way through the morning routine of breakfast and cleaning, Jean-Pierre directed us to the church, whose art he described as incroyable.  

I have to admit a soft-spot for churches, especially those decorated with religious iconography. In France you’ll find many Catholic churches dripping in gold and ancient carvings so the modern strength of the abstract art at  St-Hugues took us by surprise. Red and gold dominates the wall hangings, contrasted by the blue stained glass windows of the transept. The artist Arcabas merges familiar biblical symbolism and stories with dark, passionate interpretations. The result is emotional and interactive; you can’t help but slip into the world of demons and angels. 

Inside St-Hugues

Slipping into Arcabas' world

The cooler colours of St-Hugues' transept

We wandered the rural village of St-Hughes and drove to the more commercial, resort of St-Pierre-de-Chartreuse. With the ski lifts closed, no snow and ESF instructors wandering the town in their uniform, it was easy to forget that this was mid-February. Most of the hotels, restaurants and shops were closed. Tourists were very thin on the ground and I wouldn’t have been surprised to see the odd tumbleweed blowing through the deserted grey carparks.  

The view from St-Pierre-de-Chartreuse

October conditions in mid-February...

Without the softening effect of snow, the scenery was raw, with mountains jutting out above the trees and narrow roads lining the winding base of the deep gorge. We spent the afternoon admiring the skeletal trees and vertical cliff faces, contrasted with gently sloping hills and forest clearings dotted with traditional houses and converted barns. As the rain started we returned to Le Valombré, anticipating another lovely meal, gentle conversation and a cosy sofa. 

For our first experience of a chambre d’hôtes, we could have asked nothing more of  Le Valombré. As the only guests, we were eased gently into sharing our meals and felt much more comfortable and relaxed than if we had stayed at a hotel. It was the perfect combination of privacy and relaxation, with the added benefit of our personal chef and knowledgeable host. And the lack of snow actually gave the break a slower pace, with no need to zoom around the slopes.  

So as we wandered into the forest at Trois Sommets, picking our way along the edge of the frozen path, I was happy to leave the kids to their ancient drag-lift and slush; breathing in the warm wind, pine needles and mulch … an autumn break in mid-February and a Valentine’s Day to remember. 

Vickie Allen shares her photos, films and thoughts on the reality of life in the mountains at Destination Oisans.

'Raquette nocturne' with Association France Etats-Unis

April Buchanan of Association France Etats-Uni talks to Grenoble Life about getting together with the “internationally-minded” for picnics, museum visits and full-moon raquette nocturne.

Grenoble Life: What is Association France Etats-Unis?

April Buchanan: Well, France-Etats Unis is many things to many people. It’s actually a national association, with almost 30 chapters in all different regions and cities all over France. It’s a social organization that is open to anyone who is interested in either American culture, or anyone interested in promoting friendship and understanding between France and the United States.

You don’t necessarily have to be American or French, and you don’t even have to speak English! We have members of all nationalities and ages, students and professionals. A lot of members are either American ex-pats and their families, or French people who have either lived or vacationed in the States and loved it! It’s also a great social setting for international couples or people new to France who are looking for a place to feel less like a stranger in a strange land.

GL: Tell us about the history of the Grenoble chapter – why here?

April: A lot of people are surprised to learn that the first France Etats-Unis was first started in Paris just after World War II, under the name ‘France USA’ back in September 1945. Ten years later the name was changed to the current one, and the association began to grow across the country.

The Grenoble chapter has a unique story, in that it began in the early 1950s, but it kind of lapsed in the 80s and 90s. It was in 2005 that Pierre Hermant relaunched the association in Grenoble, and it has been growing ever since. In 2010 we had 65 official members, but it seems like more since we often have a lot of friends and visitors who participate in the fun as well!

Grenoble is the perfect place to have a really dynamic and vibrant association since it is such an international city! With so many multi-national companies bringing employees from abroad, the University of Grenoble having exchange programs with many American universities, and the Grenoble Graduate School of Business with their many international masters study programs, there are a huge number of Americans and other ‘internationally-minded’ people living here either permanently or temporarily. France Etats-Unis is the perfect platform for these people to meet casually and feel welcome in a positive and friendly environment.

GL: The moto of the association is “For a better mutual acquaintance and understanding.” Can you elaborate on that?

April: I think one of the best quotes I’ve read about the association sums it up nicely. The second elected president of the association, André Maurois said in 1955, “… there is nothing more important for these two countries than to maintain a total and trusting friendship between them.” He goes on to say that the historical factual links between France and the United States, specifically each country helping the other in gaining its independence, is simply not enough to maintain this friendship … that it is a living reality, founded on mutual respect, constant collaboration, and a common culture of supporting peace and freedom.

While remaining independent and completely apolitical, the role of France Etats-Unis is to support this idea, and we can do that through cultural and social events, national holiday celebrations, and fun social exchanges between people of many nationalities and backgrounds, including but not limited to French and American.

GL: What sort of events do you organise?

April: We have quite a few events all year long, including the major national celebrations of both countries, as well as activities to explore the heritage and nature around the Isére region, so there’s always something to look forward to. And we always have a regular monthly “Hot Spot,” which is a casual get together held on the first Wednesday evening of each month. For the past year or so we’ve been having it upstairs at Café de la Table Ronde at 6:30, and anyone is welcome to come and hang out with us for an hour or two.

But this is in addition to our bigger planned events, which have become quite popular! With everything from Thanksgiving Dinner to nature hikes, from the traditional French Galette des Rois to museum visits and the Fourth of July picnic, there is always quite a variety of things happening in every season, and we are also open to new ideas for anything fun and interesting!

GL: What is your role and how you did you get involved?

April: Well, this is my first year being on the board of the association, and I’m really inspired and excited to help make the association grow and to spread the word to those who may not know about it!

I had lived in Grenoble for about five years when I became friends with two other American women, Jesse Bernstein and Emily Huschen, who were members and also on the board of FEU. They immediately convinced me to come to a Hot Spot on a Wednesday night, and there I met lots of interesting people, including other Americans living here that I had never met before, Franco-American couples, former French ex-pats who had lived and worked in the States, and even a retired French couple who spend half of the year in Florida! It was refreshing and reassuring to be among people who appreciated American culture and who wanted to share stories about their own experiences between the two countries.

GL: Tell us a bit about your background

April: I’m American, originally from Valparaiso, Indiana. After finishing my studies at Purdue University and working for some time in Chicago and in Austin, Texas, I came to Grenoble on holiday in 2003 to visit a friend who was working here. It was then that I realized I wanted to live abroad! Without speaking a word of French, I moved to Grenoble permanently in 2004, and it has been an incredible journey of self-discovery and world education ever since! I am currently teaching English in companies around Grenoble.

GL: Asides from events, what other advantages come from being a member of the association?

April: The events we organize in the association are always a lot of fun, but they are really a gateway to friendships and connections that can last a lifetime — I even know one person who met his wife at the Toulouse chapter of France Etats-Unis over 20 years ago! But aside from events, we have strong relationships with other associations in the area, such as Open House (an English-speaking association in Grenoble) and the American Club of Lyon to name two, but also organizations like the American Chamber of Commerce in Lyon, and the various ‘Sister City’ programs, which partner French cities and American cities to promote travel and exchange between the two.

We also have strong support from the American Consulate in Lyon, and the Mairie of Grenoble. All of these outlets, as well as the other chapters of France Etats-Unis, provide a vast network of people and places for everyone involved. This can lead to all kinds of partnerships and opportunities, which all stem from the commonly held interest in promoting multi-cultural friendship and understanding.

GL: What’s next on the calendar?

April: Our next big event is the full moon snowshoeing hike, or raquette nocturne! For those who have never gone snowshoeing, it is a great alternative to skiing to enjoy the natural beauty of the mountains here. And doing this at night under a full moon that lights up the white snow all around is a truly magical and unforgettable experience! And of course, no Alpine adventure would be complete without a traditional French Montagnard meal in a warm chalet-style restaurant to finish off the evening. It is one of our most popular annual events that we look forward to all year long!

Grenoble depuis "la montée de Chalemont". Photo: FrenchHope

In the first part of her blog Footprints in Grenoble, American student Aleigha Page shares her first impressions of studying abroad in the Capital of the Alps. 

My name is Aleigha; I am an American student studying here in Grenoble for the spring semester. I began my study-abroad research fall of my freshman year, and I was immediately drawn to the catalogue featuring Grenoble. The mountains, the globes which take one up to the Bastille, and pictures of wild flowers growing on the mountainside all convinced me that Grenoble was the city for me.

Off the beaten path

I like that it is a little off the beaten path of European study abroad destinations, but that certainly does not mean life in Grenoble is boring! Grenoble offers a happy medium of big city and country nearby. The centre-ville is fabulous, and offers every store one could ever imagine! There are restaurants, cafés, brasseries, pubs, bakeries, and so much more. 

Just because Grenoble is in the mountains, does not mean it is removed from culture. But I also love the fact that the mountains are in easy reach of the city. I have hiked up the Bastille twice, and both times offered the best view of the city. The Bastille is a very old fortress built into the side of the mountain, which served as a prison and has now been converted into a hiking trail. When the weather warms up a tad, I intend to make many more hiking expeditions. 

Arrival

My first day in Grenoble began after a three hour long train ride from Paris, after three days of sightseeing the City of Lights. Needless to say, I was exhausted by the time I made it to Grenoble. I walked into the Grenoble train station, trying to wrap my head around the fact that this new city was about to become home for the next four months. I gingerly stood with the other students in my group as we observed the group of host families.

When my name was called, my host mother and I shyly made our way toward each other. I was thrilled to finally meet the person whose home I would be staying in! But all in approximately two seconds, it occurred to me that she knew absolutely nothing about me, other than the obvious statistics: American female student here to study French. And I knew little about her other than she was an artist who worked from home, enjoyed cooking, and lived in Grenoble.

I was not exactly sure how to kick off our conversation for various reasons: a) I was tired and still getting my body acclimated to the new time zone; b) I was trying to be sensitive to French etiquette and customs, and I was not sure how to converse without accidently saying or asking something offensive; c) Even in my native land, I am very shy the first little bit I meet someone. Combine all three of those, and I was at a loss for words. However, we made our way to the train, and we made small talk as she pointed out important landmarks, and told me our tram stop.

Old town

On the tram, I marveled at the buildings we whizzed by. Grenoble is an old town, and the buildings have that old European, stucco style walls with orange tile roofs. The buildings are different colors – some of them pastel orange and yellow, others brown or shades of beige.  

Of all things in life, I know that I will never forget my first impression of my host home. It is a charming house built onto the side of another building. We go through an apartment hallway, complete with a spiral staircase, to an outdoor entrance. Go through the door, and enter into a charming courtyard which leads into the house. The house is old, and certainly has the charm and character of an old home. I am a sap for old buildings and especially homes; I could spend days marveling at the old homes, whether at home or in France. 

The next couple of days were spent getting unpacked and settling into my new home. My first full day in Grenoble, we were taken on a tour of the city. In the Place Notre Dame, there is a café which is especially for philosophers; however anyone is welcome, along with at least four other cafes. In another town square, there is a café which is the second oldest café in all of France, the oldest being in Paris! There really are cafés on every street, and just about every corner in France. I always thought that maybe the café was an overdone French cliché, much like berets, but no. I can safely conclude that there will never be a shortage of cafés in la France.

Goals

I have officially been in Grenoble for two weeks, and I honestly find something new or interesting every time I leave home. There are so many winding streets filled with shops and little restaurants throughout city. Prior to my study abroad departure, I made a list of goals, and one of those goals is to see something new every day. I can easily put a check next to that box. I recently discovered the most adorable salon de thé I could ever imagine –chandelier hanging, mismatched antique furniture which had been reupholstered in various fabrics of pretty prints, tablecloths, and white tables. I did not have the chance to stop by, but having tea in one of the salon de thés is certainly on my to do list. 

My introduction to Grenoble could not have been better. I cannot wait to explore more and get to know the city, not only through the eyes of a visitor, but as a member of this city. I want to have a relationship with Grenoble, not only to be a passerby. I know that Grenoble will leave a significant footprint on my heart and in my life, and I certainly intend on leaving a few of my own footprints for Grenoble.

Photo: Vickie Allen

Vickie Allen takes a break from the slopes of Alpe d’Huez and heads off walking in Bourg d’Oisans.

It may not have snowed since 11.01.11, but you’d never guess by looking at the pistes …

Alpe d’Huez has over 900 snow cannons, more than any other resort in France. And really it’s just as well, as so many of the pistes here are south-facing. So the fact that it’s not snowed for nearly a month doesn’t matter too much; the cannons are blasting water into the air each night, creating piles of new snow that’s being spread around the resort to keep the pistes topped-up. This technique is all well and good when the weather’s cold enough for the cannons, but if it starts warming-up at night we could be in trouble…

For the moment though, Alpe d’Huez boasts some of the best snow in France. Only the lowest, sunniest runs are closed (which includes the Sarenne) but new arrivals do get quite a shock when their first view of the resort is this:

Photo: Vickie Allen

The skiing may be good but I’m just not feeling it right now. With mid-season rapidly approaching I needed to get out of resort, so was far more enthusiastic than usual when The Boyfriend suggested a trip to the supermarket and a walk in Bourg d’Oisans.

Bourg is a hive of cycling activity in the summer months, but it’s a bit of a ghost town during the winter. Its location at the base of the steep-sided Oisans valley means it spends a chunk of the winter months either in the shadow of the mountains or under a blanket of cloud. Today however, it was sunny and toasty, with temperatures hitting 25ºC in the sun.

After a rather dull and chilly whiz round Casino we drove out to the fields that surround the town. There’s a lot of housing development going on in Bourg, but once you get past the Happy Valley projects you find fallow fields bisected by manmade mini canals.

Photo: Vickie Allen

Despite the warm weather, spring is yet to arrive in Bourg but there are a few signs that it’s not far away.

The trees remain bare but as the snows melt and the streams start to run once again, green life is appearing in the water. Weeds and water plants strongly rooted, reflect the sun’s warmth as they cling on against the flow that comes from the mountains. We heard the distant rumble of rock falls as the temperature change and melting snow loosens cracks on the mountainside.

Photo: Vickie Allen

Rustles in the dry leaves covering the mulch betrayed the field mice and squirrels out foraging, and we spotted a heron working its powerful way along one tree-lined canals, looking for prey. Squelching through the mud and remnants of frozen snow, protected by the shade of the trees, we made our way to the bank of the largest canal, Bourg’s protection from the heavy meltwater that gushes down into the valley at the end of each winter.

Photo: Vickie Allen

The level of the river is low at the moment and may stay that way unless we get a significant snowfall before the end of the season.

The forecasts remain hesitant to predict anything other than sun, so maybe we now need to accept that it simply won’t snow this much this winter: Mother Nature’s way of rebalancing after last year’s epic snowfall. Or maybe she’s playing her cards close to her chest and – as the older generation of local mountain folk believe – she’s going to test the mettle of the half-term tourists with a huge dump just in time for the first weekend of the holidays …

We’ll just have to wait and see.

Photo: Vickie Allen

Click on the links for more information about Bourg d’Oisans and riding this winter in Alpe d’Huez.

Destination Oisans: Photos, films and thoughts on the reality of life in the mountains.

photo: Vickie Allen

Vickie Allen reports on the snow – or lack of it – at Alpe d’Huez, and gives her tips for winter sports enthusiasts on how to predict the weather.

Sitting in our t-shirts looking across the green valley to the bare mountains behind, yesterday felt like April. In fact, last April the weather was far worse than it is now, with lots of snow falling late in the season.

Today as I look out of the window at the blue skies and the green trees it feels like Spring is already here. However, The Boyfriend has a different theory: winter hasn’t yet arrived.

photo: Vickie Allen

And he may be right. We’ve had a few big dumps of snow but nothing major and nothing really prolonged, which is what’s needed to provide a good strong base of snow. So maybe winter isn’t really here yet, maybe it’s on it’s way…

Our mountain weather is notoriously unpredictable and erratic. Last week we experienced all four seasons and after a week of sunshine the sort of temperatures we usually experience in May, the forecast is now predicting a week of clouds and snow.

photo: Vickie Allen

Just a few regular dustings really, around 10cm for the week, because the irony is that it’s going to be too cold to snow next week. The freeze level is due to drop from 3550m to 1850m today. By Thursday morning it will reach 0m and jiggle around up to 400m until Sunday.

photo: Vickie Allen

However, it’s not worth worrying about. Life here is lived determined by the weather and you have to be flexible to adapt to the whim of Mother Nature. This is one of the may reasons I love it, it stops me planning too far ahead! Forecasting here is supremely difficult and my interest in it has become purely theoretical. I’ve been closely watching the forecast for the past two years and love to watch the number but rarely do I base my life on them. They merely provide an idea of what may come to pass, but for life, I rely on these three methods for predicting the weather:

1: look to the south for storm clouds as this is where our weather originates
2: stick your head out of the window to test the temperatures and smell the air
3: layer-up no matter what the weather

photo: Vickie Allen

If you’re heading out on holiday soon then pack for all weathers, as you should no matter what time of year you visit the mountains. And if your trip is booked for later in the season then know that the weather might not be what you’re expecting, but you’ll have a great time anyway.

photo: Vickie Allen

PS: if you liked today’s photos, check out my Flickr page and entries into the Alpe Photo Contest.

Click on the link for more information about riding this winter in Alpe d’Huez or use the comments bow below to ask questions, I’d love to hear what you think!

Destination Oisans: Photos, films and thoughts on the reality of life in the mountains.

Dude, where's my car?

… or, don’t let the heavy stuff freeze … Vickie Allen of Destination Oisans shares some timely tips on unburying your car from the snow.

I’ve just cleared a whole heap of snow from my car. The snow storm that’s had me tucked away indoors for the past 24 hours deposited snow in Alpe d’Huez that swallowed my hand and forearm whole; a more scientifically-accurate depth of 43cm. (Thanks Mum for my new tape measure, must remember to keep it in my pocket …)

Of the many winter sports available in the Oisans region, none of the tourist bumpf includes snow clearing on it’s list of snowy sports. But it’s physically challenging, works up a sweat and is great for the soul. What better way to measure your achievement than taking a soft snowy lump (see photo above) and extracting the ice-encrusted car within?

Anyone who’s lived in the mountains will tell you that learning to love snow clearing is one of the best ways to cope with the long winter season. It’s an inevitability, and if you can embrace the idea then you can turn something painful and time consuming into something enjoyable. And surely that’s what we seek when we come to live in a climate that’s so inhospitable most of the local wildlife beds down and sleeps for half the year … and I’m not just talking about the marmottes!

Snow clearing is something best done while the snow is fresh. Leave it too long and it’ll freeze, solidifying and welding itself in thin layers to your car, path or anything else you happened to leave out in a snowstorm. And it’s not just the snow on top but the snow around. Those friendly snow plough drivers do their best to keep the roads clear but – in an effort not to scrape your car – they’ll happily block you in behind a thigh-high wall of solid snow. Tip: try not to park parallel to the curb in a snowy ski resort, it’s much easier to drive straight forwards or backwards out of a snowy space.

Over the past five years I’ve developed my snow clearing arsenal to a crack selection of efficient and necessary tools:

Essential – if unconventional – snow clearing equipment

Ortovox avalanche shovel: much more user-friendly than the typical metal snow shovel and packs down so can live in your car or your tiny resort hallway;
Bum board: essential for clearing the snow that’s actually fallen on your car without scratching the paintwork;
High boots and long trousers: believe me, when the snow’s up to your knees trainers or Timberland boots just won’t do;
Gloves: seems obvious but you’d be surprised how many people clear snow from their cars in their regular gloves. I keep an old ski pair on the back seat. I only use them for clearing the snow so it’s okay to get my hands filthy as I scrape the dirty, frozen scuzz from beneath the wheel arches and along the base of the car.

As I was clearing the snow, it occurred to me that there are so many things in life, events that we consider trials, that carry such negative connotations or feelings for us that we put them off indefinitely. And once we finally do face them head-on, how fantastic do we feel? Imagine how much more powerful and positive we’d be if we could just deal with these dreary or painful tasks as they came up, knowing that the longer we leave them, the worse they’ll become.

One winter I didn’t clear my car for about ten days. There was probably a metre of snow on top before I mustered the willpower to face the fact that no knight in shining armour was going to clear it for me. Neither would the freeze/thaw cycle of early spring do anything other than make the whole job much harder than it had to be. The whole task of clearing the car, which of course was completely necessary, was much more painful than it needed to be; partly because it was hard work but also partly because I spent the whole time beating myself up for leaving it so long.

Ah yes … that’s what my car looks like …

So I’m going to apply the ’snow clearing’ attitude to my procrastination list – which, of course, is separate to my ‘to do’ list. I’ve already been to the bank to open a savings account and taken photos of all the stuff I’ve been meaning to sell on e-Bay. What’s next on the list?

And how about you? What chore are you hoping someone else will do for you? What idea is ready to be realised but getting staler every day you put it off? What honest conversation do you need to have before the spring thaw arrives?

Get to work today and I promise you’ll feel a huge sense of achievement; just as I did when I finally unearthed the car.

Ayurveda massage

Grenoble Life talks to Karl Di Foggia about Ayurveda massage, his international background and getting started as a small business owner in Grenoble. 

Grenoble Life: What is Ayurveda and how does it differ from other kinds of massage? 

Karl Di Foggia: Ayurveda is a traditional Indian healing system. It comes from the sanskrit word ayu, meaning life and veda, meaning science. So ayurveda means the science of life. It is considered to be a holistic medical system, recognized as such by the World Health Organisation. We encounter ayurvedic clinics in countries such as India, the UK, the USA and Mexico. 

This system is based on prevention and takes into consideration the patient as a whole person at the level of body, mind and spirit. There are ayurveda textbooks that are over 5000 years old, and it is commonly admitted to be the world’s most ancient healing system. 

Ayurveda massages vary: full body massages with hot oils;  revigorating hand massages; head massages with warm oil, for flushing away stress; foot massages for improving sleep quality; pranic massage using breathing and the properties of crystals and minerals; deep massage using reflexology points all over the body … and many others to discover. 

GL: What are the health benefits of such massage? 

Karl: For prevention or in treatment for curative purposes, massages are commonly used in ayurveda. They are adapted to fit the patient’s ayurvedic profile and symptoms. They are specially designed to stimulate circulation of blood and lymph, give energy, enliven muscle tensions, detoxify the body, joints and organs, harmonize the five elements, as well as transmit the medicinal properties of plants cooked in sesame oil (tailam). It’s an efficient way of treating the body, making oneself feel united in body mind spirit, that is to say alive and happy. 

GL: Why do people come to you? 

Karl: Nowadays many people are starting to have ayurvedic treatment to discover an exotic form of relaxation through massage, and many get into it and come back regularly to embrace the full benefits. 

The motivation comes from different sources: stress at work, back pain, sciatica, poor digestion, depression, headeaches, need for relaxation or simply to discover. It can also be part of a personally designed programme following a session to determine your ayurvedic constitution and offer personalized health and dietary advice. 

GL: Who are your clients? 

Karl: My clients are local and international, depending on the sites I am working for. At the Spa at Chateau de la Commanderie, I have both business and private clients from both France and Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and England. 

For Hewlett Packard it’s about the same mix, with a broad spectrum of people. And at my offices in Eybens or Meylan, mostly locals from Grenoble and around. 

GL: Tell us about your background – when and why did you come to Grenoble? 

Karl: I was actually born and raised in Grenoble and the Alps. Although I lived in Alpe d’Huez for my first seven years, my family later moved to Seyssinet and we stayed there throughout my childhood. I moved away later on to finish my studies in England, and graduated with an MBA in engineering management. After two years missing the sun, I then settled down in Spain for a couple of years for my first job as an export salesman. After four years abroad, I needed to come back to my family and friends and I changed my career in order to work with people, as a psycho-corporal therapist. I’ve been back in Grenoble for 10 years now. 

My first experience with ayurveda was in 1997 after a trek in Kashmir, we had a rest in a beautiful place in the Himalayas with hot termal water and ayurvedic massages, lovely! 

I graduated as an ayurvedic therapist in 2004, and constantly refine my understanding of it through books, training, and sharing with other practitioners. I’ve also been doing yoga, which is another part of ayurveda. Since last year I have been sharing my passion for ayurvedic massage through training sessions. 

GL: What can people do to learn more about Ayurvedic massage or train in this method? 

Karl: To learn more about ayurvedic massage you can start with web research, texts, books and videos. You could visit my website and find the links page with selected videos on ayurvedic massages.

I am also giving training sessions in the ayurvedic massage ‘Abyangha’ in Meylan, a 3-hour session all year long on a forthnightly basis. Or over a set of seven weekends divided into themes such as back, neck and arms; legs and feet; head and face … from November to July. More info on my website.

GL: How did you set up your own business? Which organisations did you find useful in helping you set up? 

Karl: I chose to be independent under the auto-entrepreneur status. To choose the best legal status I got advice from Chambre de Commerce de l’Isere and personnal sessions with a specialist in company-creation through Pole Emploi. 

I’ve also heard that ADIE would be helpful for small businesses needing finance. 

GL: What do you love about Grenoble? 

Karl: Not the city as itself – although it still remains at a human level (the flattest city in France, people say), you cross the centre in a 15-minute walk – but the surroundings. I mean the fact that you can escape to a lovely place in the mountains in a short car drive.

Check out this teaser for the documentary ways2winter about life and snowsports in the local resort of Les 2 Alpes made by British filmmakers.

ways2winter is a feature-length documentary following two British seasonaires in the local resort of Les 2 Alpes through the winter season 09/10. It’s not your average snowsports film. Sure, there’s plenty of riding but there’s also hard work and strong personalities, showing the reality of seasonaire life.

The two subjects – Will & Heather – were chosen for their commitment to the resort, contrasting jobs and talent on the mountain. The film includes riding sections filmed in 2 Alpes’ celebrated Snow Park, the nearby freeride itineraries of Alpe d’Huez, St Christophe and La Grave, as well as the Derby de la Meije, the Sarenne Snow Bike event and the 2 Alpes Derby. But it’s not all riding. Video diaries and interviews bare Will and Heather’s souls as they overcome personal and work issues, struggling to find a balance between life on and off the mountain. It gets pretty intense at times, and their honesty gives viewers an insight into their feelings and contradictions.  

The film was made by Vickie Allen and Simon Parfitt, who have spent the past four years in Les 2 Alpes. Simon’s speciality is snowboarding and ski films, while Vickie comes from a background in journalism and short films, such as those at Destination Oisans. ways2winter is their first joint-project and their first documentary. Made without a budget, the filmmakers’ motivation was to create an authentic representation of winter seasons and promote the ski resorts of the Oisans region.

Sarah Setton

Grenoble Life talks to Sarah Setton about Feng Shui and Traditional Chinese Medicine ahead of an open evening at Les Sources wellness center in Meylan on Friday November 26.

Grenoble Life: Who are you and what do you do?

Sarah Setton: I’m an American who’s lived in France for the past 20 years. Professionally, I’m a practitioner of Feng Shui (a technique that improves and optimizes the impact of your environment on your quality of life) and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), meaning I care for my patients using acupuncture, massage and herbal therapies. Globally, I help places and people heal.

GL: Where do you come from originally and why did you come to France.

Sarah: I’m from the east coast of the United States, I was born in New Jersey, grew up in Delaware and went to university in Virginia.  Most recently, I lived in Philadelphia before moving to France to follow my sweetheart, who was French.

GL: Tell us about Les Sources: what are the different services offered and how did it come into existence?

Sarah: Les Sources is a wellness center in Meylan that I helped create three and a half years ago with a few friends who also practice Chinese Medicine. We imagined a locale where different sorts of practitioners could share their passion for alternative therapies and practice their different techniques. When we undertook the project, there weren’t really any wellness centers in the region, but within six months or so, a few others had sprung up. 

At present we have around 30 practitioners and teachers at the center. There are a few ‘classic’ therapists including an orthoptiste (vision therapist), a kinestherapeute (physical therapist), psychotherapists and two nurses who specialize in wound management. There are also less well-known disciplines like lithotherapy (therapy with stones), reflexology plantaire (foot massage), kinesiology (working with the bodies subtle energies), shiatsu, naturopathy, sophrology and various sorts of well-being massage including Californian, Ayurvedic, and Balinese massage. Not to forget Traditional Chinese Medicine and Feng Shui!

I’m really excited that an esthetician recently joined us from a well know local spa. I think her presence is extremely complementary to the other services and opens up other possibilities for feeling good about oneself and moving toward improved physical and emotional health. 

In addition to the therapists practicing at Les Sources, there are weekly classes in our Great Room on the second floor.  This year the courses include Yoga, Tai Ji and Qi Gong (Have you seen images of lots Chinese all following the same choreography in a park?  That’s what we’re talking about here!), Do-in (auto-massage for relaxation), Ayurvedic massage, and MLC (Method de Liberation des Cuirasses, a very gentle and effective way of un-tying deep, chronic physical/emotional tensions.)

Starting in January, there will be monthly conferences on different health related topics. For instance on January 21st. I’m participating in a roundtable on nutrition and health with a naturopath and a practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine. We’ll be discussing the impact of how we eat from the three different perspectives, and then we’ll be taking questions from the audience.  It should be very interesting, and perhaps useful after the holidays! 

Finally, there are evening and weekend workshops throughout the year. The topics are extremely varied, but to give a few examples, we’ve hosted workshops in Indian and African Dance, Meditation techniques, Yoga, therapeutic singing, astrology, sophrology, Tai Ji and Qi Gong, Tantra, Raising one’s personal energy level….the list goes on!

GL: When and where did you learn about Chinese medecine and Feng Shui?

Sarah: I did all my studies on ‘subjects Chinese’ here in France, at Feng Shui France in Paris, and at the CEDRE in Valance for the TCM. I was fortunate that when I moved to France. Those things I did professionally in the US were no longer open to me, and I had to recreate myself.  At the time it didn’t seem like much of a gift, but in retrospect, I realize how lucky I was! I was obliged to re-examine who I was and in doing so, I realized I wanted to help people in a very hands-on way. 

I ‘fell’ into the Feng Shui when my mother left me a book on the subject. I was intrigued by this technique that claimed to change the quality of ones’ life by ‘rearranging the furniture’ (It’s MUCH more complicated than that, but I didn’t realize that at the time!). After some experimentation, I realized it really worked  (I was amazed!) and I sought out a teacher to help me learn more. I was lucky to find a serious, three year long practitioner training course and I enrolled. 

After getting my practitioner diploma and practicing for a while, I realized the majority of my clients had health problems. With Feng Shui it’s possible to improve a global situation that leads to poor health and other difficulties, but it’s less effective than working directly with the person to improve their well-being. That’s when I decided to become a practitioner of TCM as well. I’ve now been practicing Feng Shui for 15 years now, and Traditional Chinese Medicine for seven. I’m very fortunate to wake up every morning and be excited about what the day holds in store for me!

GL: Tell us about your open evening on November 26th.

Sarah: The practitioners and teachers at Les Sources have organized an ‘Open House’ evening to give people the opportunity to meet everyone, see the center and perhaps learn about unfamiliar therapies. It starts at 17.00 on Friday November 26, and finishes at 21.00. There will even be a few mini-workshops offered in the great room from 18.00 to 20.00 to entice people to try the various techniques offered by the teachers! There will be ample time for people to meet the various practitioners and at the end of the evening there will be an informal moment with refreshments. The event is open to everyone and there is no set starting time, people can come and go as they please.

GL: What do you love about Grenoble?

Sarah: I love the museum of art, walking up to the Bastille, Cabaret Frappe!  Grenoble is a cozy city blessed with an extraordinary environment. It’s a pleasure just to look around when I’m in the tram and discover the lovely details in the buildings or to watch the mountains come alive at any given season as the light and shadows change the scenery.

GL: If there are questions about the Open House evening, how can our readers get more information?

Sarah: They can call me at 06 72 99 52 00. We are creating a website for the Les Sources, but it isn’t yet a reality. In a few month’s time though, if you look up Les Sources à Meylan on the internet, you should be able to read about all our activities!

Slack lining in Parc Paul Mistral

In the second post of his blog ‘From Admission to Graduation’ MBA student Joseph Schott shares his experiences studying in Grenoble and tells us about slacklining.

Two months into the MBA program at Grenoble Graduate School of Business, and I already feel like I’ve accomplished a lot. Traversed a long, dark tunnel of French bureaucracy? Check. Met classmates from all around the globe? Check. I’ve even finished a few modules. Now its time to settle in and enjoy all that the city has to offer. So far, the relaxed vibe and multicultural atmosphere has been just what I was looking for. There are so many universities and innovative firms located in Grenoble that I keep running into interesting people all the time. I still have a long list of new places to see, but today I want to write about something new I found a few weeks back.

Walking through Parc Mistral, I noticed a man floating in the air between two trees. I took a quick look around. The trees were swaying gently in the wind and the sky was clear. There were families picnicking on the grass. I checked again, and sure enough he was now walking, carefully suspended about one half meter above the ground. Someone was beating out a rhythm with drums near La tour Perret. Beneath him, I could just barely make out the shimmer of something stretched between the two trees: my first look at a slackline.

In slacklining, you try to find your balance and walk back and forth on a band of flexible material that can vary in length, width, and elasticity. The material is very thin, which is why I couldn’t see it very well from the side, and the elastic fabric stretches with each step, making it very different from tight-rope walking.

Slacklines can be connected to any two anchor points, like trees in a park. Since the line is so close to the ground, when you lose your balance you just step back on the grass. If you go up in the mountains and anchor the line between two sides of a crag, it is called highlining. In this case, you’ll need to wear a climbing harness and attach a safety cord that travels with you around the line. Go up even higher to where the air starts getting thin, and you have something people call skylining.

A slackline

For me, it was satisfying enough just managing to walk back and forth between two trees. The flexibility in the line causes it to wobble back and forth beneath you, and it must have taken me two hours to just barely stumble to the other side. It’s all about balance. Making it through requires a kind of Zen concentration to clear your mind and focus only on your body and the line.

A beginner mistake is to stare at your feet, but since your feet are moving around with the line, this makes it hard for your brain to know where the ground is in relation to your body. It’s much better to stare straight ahead at something that doesn’t move and raise your arms for balance. You need to keep good posture, with your hips forward. As people get better, they start to add tricks. Jumping around on the line, sitting down and standing back up, doing splits, yoga, whatever you can think of. What used to be known as “what rock climbers do when they’re bored” has really come into its own.

My MBA program is moving fast, and I’m meeting people, learning a lot, and getting ready for my next career move. Our course on international negotiation in particular is extremely hands on and engrossing. Some days though, when I’ve done too much accounting and just need to clear the numbers out of my head, a Saturday afternoon slacklining is a great way to do it. Best of all, the slackliners I’ve met around Grenoble are always welcoming of new people who stroll by and want to see what is going on. This communal atmosphere makes it a great way to meet new people and get connected to an interesting international crowd.

For some more information, you can check out the wiki here and two great videos, here and here.

Where to go? Christa Gimblett points us in the right direction

Grenoble Life ski reporter Christa Gimblett gives the lowdown on budget skiing options in good time for the upcoming season.

If you’ve moved to Grenoble, chances are you’ve done so for the unparalleled skiing opportunities. Come on, admit it. You don’t have to pretend to me. And unless you won the lottery recently, you’re probably making sacrifices for the sake of the white stuff.

Brits tend to think of winter sports as being the preserve of wealthy middle-class Tarquins spending Daddy’s money (and if you only ski the Tarentaise you’d be forgiven for believing it). I’m not about to claim that you can ski on a shoestring, but there are ways of maximizing quality mountain time without breaking the bank.

Understand resort pricing

A day pass bought from the ticket window is sold at the equivalent of what hotels call rack rate. It’s the full top whack price used to calculate all the resort’s discounts. Don’t pay it if you don’t have to. Discounts are routinely available for all kinds of reasons, including (but not limited to) being young/old/a student/disabled/a big family; buying on the web; buying multiple days at once; bringing a huge group … you get the picture. Do your research – even the smallest resort has a website with pricing policies listed for all to see.

Bring your documents with you!

You’d be amazed how many people don’t do this and still expect to get a cheap ticket. You might well be old/young/a student etc etc, but no-one is going to take your word for it. Resorts suffer increasing levels of fraud, and their staff are suspicious and cynical. If you can’t produce your valid student ID, disability certificate, whatever, then you’re going to be out of luck.

Buy online in advance

You know you’re going skiing a week on Sunday. Why waste valuable hill time lining up at the ticket window with the hoi polloi? Most resorts sell online and will post your pass to you. They also offer discounted web-only rates – last season you could ski 2Alpes on a Saturday for over 10€ less than window price just because you bought the pass in the comfort of your own home. Bargain!

Join a club

Student members of the university’s Ecole de Glisse ski at 2Alpes for under 15€ when everyone else is paying nearly 40€. Check out local clubs and see what they offer. As well as financial advantage, you’ll find skiing friends who know the local resorts.

Surf the web

Sites like www.vente-privee.com sometimes offer reduced ski passes; Transisere do a bus-ticket-plus-lift-pass deal, which means cheap skiing with the bonus of being able to have a snooze on the way home; the Pass Cinésnowcard costs 10€ and offers some whopping ski discounts. An evening’s Googling can pay dividends in bargain ski time.

Get a season ticket

If you do enough skiing, a season pass can offer a huge reduction on the full day rate, but you need to do the sums carefully because they’re expensive in the first place. Check what discounts are available on the season ticket – for buying early, or owning an apartment in resort, for example. Consider how many days you’re likely to ski, then work out how much the pass will cost you per day’s skiing, and bear in mind any other discount you’re entitled to. If you’re disabled, for example, you can claim a big reduction on a day pass, so a season ticket has to work that bit harder to be worthwhile.

The other big advantage of a season pass is that you stick to one resort and get to know it well. After a few weekends you’ll begin to know where to find powder stashes a week after the last snowfall, which pistes are boiler plate ice in the mornings, where the decent snow is when everything else has turned to porridge on an April afternoon … etc. This won’t save you any money per se, but it means you will wring the maximum value out of your pass in terms of quality slide time.

Choose when you ski

Hotels and holiday apartments change over on a Saturday. This means that on Saturday mornings everyone is packing, cleaning, stressing about where the car keys are and trying to make the kids go for a wee before they get in the car. Most pertinently, they are not on the slopes. Get yourself out of bed early on a Saturday morning to hit first lifts, and you’ll have the place to yourself until lunchtime even in the big resorts in February. Again, this may not save you money (though there are web discounts for Saturday precisely because it’s quiet) but you certainly get the best value for your cash.

Don’t follow the herd …..

I know the British think Val d’Isere is the only resort worth talking about, but I’m here to tell you that they are dead wrong. I suppose you could get up at five in the morning to drive the necessary 170km, then pay 50€ to queue for half an hour and then find that the resort’s seasonnaires have tracked all the powder, but why would you? Particularly when, as a Grenoblois, you practically trip over a ski area every time you leave the house. The city is ringed by small to medium sized resorts where 40 minutes drive gets you a day out at half the price of the usines de ski and you can have steak frites and a beer on the mountain without taking out a mortgage. This is where your French friends and colleagues are going every weekend. And what’s more, these resorts are not infested with seasonnaires who think they’re off-piste gods, which seriously ups your chances of getting fresh tracks even if the last snowfall was on Wednesday morning when you were stuck in that meeting. Check out www.skifrance.fr – you’re spolit for choice.

And finally, my apologies …

…. to all of you who snowboard. I know you do. I do it as well. It’s just cumbersome to say ‘ski and/or board’ all the time. Sorry.

————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Christa Gimblett left the UK for a seasonal job in Europe in the recession of the early 90s and forgot to go home again, spending nearly 15 years working for UK tour operators up various mountains. Now living in Bourg d’Oisans with no cash, two cats, a man with a broken foot and a car which looks like a frog.

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Grenoble Life’s James Dalrymple talks to blogger-photographer extraordinaire Gaëlle Brunet about Grenoble Daily Photo, music photography and her upcoming exhibition at Musée Dauphinois.

Grenoble Life: How long has Grenoble Daily Photo blog been going and why did you start?

Gaëlle Brunet: I started the blog three and a half years ago, in February 2007, when I discovered the Daily Photo Blog community (www.citydailyphoto.com). At that time, there was only a handful of cities involved but now we are more than 1200 all over the world.

I was mainly aiming at helping people discover Grenoble and it was also a good way to share my pictures.

GL: What do you think makes Grenoble so photogenic – what are your sources of inspiration?

Gaëlle: One of the major assets of Grenoble is its diversity. You can easily take pictures of a brand new glass building and an hour later photograph a landscape with mountains in the background. But when it comes to photography, I must admit I’m usually more interested in modern buildings than nature!      

GL: I often hear people say that Grenoble is not a beautiful city. What do you say to them?

Gaëlle: I often tell them not to be so categorical, even if I can understand why they tend to say that. I’m originally from Grenoble but have lived in other cities and other countries as well and it’s true that my hometown may not be that appealing at first sight! But as soon as you take some time to explore it, you inevitably discover areas, streets, buildings, that are interesting and even beautiful sometimes!

Some people might not agree with me but I also think that the public works done over the past few years have contributed to improve the general appearance of Grenoble (I’m thinking about the stadium, the works on Boulevard Joseph Vallier, the surroundings of the train station and the whole Europole neighbourhood, the Mistral area etc…).

GL: You also specialise in music photography (concerts, festivals etc.). Tell us about that.

Gaëlle: I’ve always been interested in both music and photography. Before I became a photographer I was working in a record shop. When I made the transition between these two jobs music photography naturally came as a good option for me and I now work with a photo-agency exclusively specialised in that field.

Taking pictures during concerts is very different from taking pictures outside or in a studio. You have no control on what is happening on stage, or on the lights for example. It’s an endless challenge! And I like that because it’s very stimulating. 

GL: You’ll be exhibiting some photos at Musée Dauphinois soon – tell us more!

Gaëlle: Yes, I’ll be exhibiting some photos from the new black and white series I’ve been working on since last June.

It will be a collective exhibition, with works from artists living or working in the St Laurent/Right Bank area. The opening of the exhibition will take place during the European Heritage Days (September, 18) and our photos and videos will remain visible at Musée Dauphinois until the end of the month. You can find all the details on this website: www.quartierdesarts.org

GL: Do you have any tips for other amateur photographers in Grenoble: associations to join, galleries to visit etc.?

Gaëlle: Well I know that some photographers gather regularly and organise what they have called Grenoble Photo Walks all around town but I’ve never joined them.

I don’t think Grenoble’s got galleries specialised in photography (I might be wrong)  but if you’re hungry for art in general, there are a lot of places you can visit : Le Magasin, Spacejunk Gallery, CAB (Centre d’Art Bastille) among others. You can also find interesting exhibitions in a few cafés and restaurant like DiFérenT (4, place Sainte Claire).     

GL: Do you ever get tired of taking pictures of Grenoble?

Gaëlle: Sometimes, yes. But I’m not running out of subjects to photograph yet so it never lasts very long. And I also regularly take pictures in other cities and countries just for a pleasant change!  

GL: How have your pictures changed since you started the blog?

Gaëlle: Honestly, I can’t really tell. Some things haven’t changed. I’m still interested in architecture photography, I’m still hunting graffiti, stencils and all kinds of street art on the walls of the city for example. But I hope the quality of my pictures is better now!

Grenoble ... 'a rich intercultural nature'. Copyright Agence Prisme / Pierre Jayet

Mary Zaccai, international press officer at Grenoble Ecole de Management, hits back at the negative and sensationalist media coverage of recent events in Grenoble.

I have this frustrating feeling that all the hard work I am putting in each day promoting Grenoble Ecole de Management (Grenoble Graduate School of Business) and by extension Grenoble itself is being severely put into question by all the negative media frenzy about the city.

Listening to and reading international press, it is as if Grenoble is one of the most dangerous cities in the world, hit by crime and drugs … are we talking about the same place?? Am I living in such conditions? Certainly not.

Just by running a google news search on Grenoble, I noticed that usual news about mountaineering, football etc. has been dramatically replaced by news about the speech president Nicolas Sarkozy delivered in Grenoble, days after one neighbourhood of the city was hit by riots. The riots began when 27-year-old Karim Boudouda robbed a nearby casino and fled to his neighbourhood, Villeneuve. When cornered by the police, he opened fire and the police shot him dead. The riots were limited to a small area, but the media frenzy made it as is the entire of Grenoble has become a war zone. As for the speech, as the Financial Times mentions: “Never before has a French head of state made such an explicit link between immigration and crime.” And he decided to do so in beautiful Grenoble, forever linking the city to shocking suggestions such as citizenship-stripping proposals to deal with immigration.

The irony of all this is that the attraction of Grenoble lies primarily in its rich intercultural nature. The school is a prime example with 96 different nationalities from all quarters of the world. Walking through the streets, our students are always struck by the many different languages they hear, delicious smells from the American cookie shop or the Arabic cake stands, the sushi bars, the Italian quarter … a melting-pot with all the advantages that this has to offer. Not to mention: its history, beautiful sites, booming economy largely based on international connections, and vast student population that brings this vibrant feel to the city.

Grenoble, the city I was born to, the city I came back to after living in the UK for seven years, the city I promote - is for me a safe haven, a thriving and dynamic city, enriched by a multitude of cultures. A place to meet the world.

Girose glacier from Dome de la Lauze

Rebecca Skillman narrates the highs and lows of a walk on the wild side: a 3-day glacier hike roped to a mercurial mountain guide at an altitude of over 3000m.

August 2010

Inspired by my husband, Juan, who has been yearning to do a glacier walk for yonks, and our crampons, unused in their boxes since winter, we book on the Bureau des Guides des Ecrins three-day Randonnée glaciaire around the Meije. We know the Ecrins well, but walking above 3000m of altitude will be a new experience.

Day 1: La Grave to the Selle refuge (2673m) via the Col de la Lauze (3512m)

We meet our guide, Jean-Paul, at La Grave. He has brought his wife and daughter along for the trip, explaining that they’ll be roped up separately, so are not technically part of our group. In addition to ourselves are Grenobloise Chantal and a Parisian couple, Pauline and Annette.

We set off, taking the cable-car to the top, just below the Rateau. Leaving the grotte de glace tourists behind, we step onto the Girose glacier. My crampons don’t seem properly adjusted to my boots. I hesitate to place my foot inside, as Jean-Paul instructs, confused by what he says about the crampon fitting. To my shock and amazement I find him literally shouting at me. I can’t believe it. How am I going to spend three days with this man … But fears are displaced, at least for now, by the staggering view. Across the valley, north of La Grave, the Aiguilles d’Arves glisten with the previous night’s dusting of snow. We are bathed in sunshine and the glacier looks sensational (see top).

Being roped up and walking “in formation” is a strange sensation. No possibility of stopping for a snack or drink, let alone a pee. Photo opportunities are confined to hasty snaps – before a yank from the person in front puts an end to it. An hour or so on we stop for a break and Juan and I scamper up the Dome de la Lauze. We are hardly catching our breath but Jean-Paul is already bidding us come down. Why the haste? Is it the biting wind, or some other reason? I drink in the 360 degree views,  and follow him down reluctantly.

It’s as we descend from the Col de la Lauze into the Selle valley that our problems start.

Descending from the Col de la Lauze to the Selle valley

Pauline and Annette are manifestly ill prepared for (or ill informed about?) the walk. It is walking, albeit down a very steep, snowy slope. But Annette has no stability, hunched over as she tentatively inches her way forward and down. It’s painful to watch, and even more agonising to have to stay roped up as a pack. I am ready to scream when – praise the Lord – Jean-Paul announces that we can unleash ourselves. Juan, Chantal and I speed on ahead. The relief is unimaginable. Slippy slidey snow. Weeha…

At the bottom of the descent, we bask on a grassy slope above the Selle refuge, waiting for the rest of the group to catch up. We can see Jean-Paul, at times far ahead of his herd, for a guide – and then, good, he is waiting for them. It should have taken us an hour, but is nearer 2.5 hours by the time we are all down. Jean-Paul is obviously concerned about the viability of the group, which is stretching the classic rule of going the pace of the slowest beyond what is safe.

Our late descent (which Jean-Paul admits was a mistake) meant the snow was unstable and could have avalanched. But he doesn’t seem to think any particular action is required on his part. By good fortune the two women have seen that their presence is jeopardizing the feasibility of the walk and they decide to pull out. It’s a sad moment – failure for them and (indirectly) Jean-Paul, and the loss of good company. But it has to be the right decision – and Jean-Paul is simply lucky that he didn’t have to impose it.

The Selle refuge

From the refuge we watch the sun’s last rays against the massif du Soreiller, then spend the evening chatting.

The massif du Soreiller glows amber in the setting sun

Jean-Paul perfunctorily teaches us a few knots. Clearly, we are the zillionth group he has done this exercise with. He brusquely informs us that we will be getting up at 5am, having breakfast at 5.02am and leaving at 5.30am. Yes, sir! I am awake most of the night, unable to shake off the stress of the day. But somehow manage to be ready for 5.45, completely zonked.

Day 2: Selle refuge (2673m) to Chatelleret refuge (2232m) via the Col du Replat (3201m)

Head torches light our way as we leave the refuge. By the time we reach the Selle glacier it is almost light. Crampons aren’t necessary here but as we walk up the eastern wall of the glacier they once again earn their places in our rucksacks. What a pleasure walking with them, our stability enhanced with so little effort.

Arriving at the Col du Replat

We arrive at the Col du Replat and perch there on a knife edge. The reward is generous: wonderful views all around, including south towards Gioberney and the Pilatte glacier, and east to the Dome des Ecrins.

A breather at Col du Replat

Snow turns into rock as climb down into the Selle valley

It’s too cold, not to mention vertiginous, to stay long. With some reluctance at losing hard-won altitude so soon, we rope up and begin the descent. There are some tricky passages scrambling down a rock wall. I find it’s tempting to use the rope like via ferrata, giving it my whole weight. But we are not hooked up to the rock, so this would be fatal. Jean-Paul yells at us to keep the rope between each of us taut – if one person falls their fall will then be less. But how can you do this when each of you is negotiating delicate foot positions, manoeuvring around awkward ledges? If the rope is taut we will pull each other off the mountain. As Jean-Paul barks at me from above (“Do you understand me, Rebecca?” Yes. “Then why aren’t you doing as I say?”), Juan simultaneously nags me to give him more slack. Grrrrrr!! Talk about being between a rock and a hard place …

On a sunny, flat rock we find a resting place for “lunch” (it’s only 10.30am), still above the snow line. We catch a glimpse of an ermine zipping around the rocks. Across the valley rock climbers attack a vertical wall.

We’ve been walking for five hours but Chatelleret refuge is still not even in sight. We set off again and practice a few ice-axe techniques on a scrap of snow. I then choose to dawdle, enjoying going at my own pace. Juan uses the opportunity to take some flower photos (Androsace pubescens – now how often have you seen that?!)

Androsace pubescens

I’m too tired to do anything other than will my feet down the path, as erratic cairns give way to a well tramped route. Across the Selle valley we can see tomorrow’s path disappearing up the northern end of the valley into what looks like an impassable precipice. I put it out of my mind. The mountains’ barks are sometimes worse than their bite.

We regroup outside the refuge and enjoy blueberry tart. The refuge has a lovely position alongside a river that ribbons to create a hundred picturesque picnic sites. Juan and I use the refuge shower, powered by the ultimate solar heating system: a long black hosepipe. Bliss. While our guide and family take a siesta the three of us find a spot by the river to chat, analyzing the faults of our guide and putting the world to rights. It’s an effort to stay awake but we’re determined not to undermine the possibility of sleep tonight.

Supper – and not a moment too soon. Jean-Paul surprises me with a party trick: how can you position three glasses and three knives so as to support a jug? (answer: it’s all in the way they overlap) Fuelled up, we waste no time in heading for bed, Juan protesting at the early hour but in fact not far behind the rest of us (what else can you do?!). The 20-bed dormitory is full, the ambiance high as a good French Camembert, and the malfunctioning window letting in gusts of near-freezing air. But nothing will stop sleep this time. Eight solid hours.

Day 3: Chatelleret refuge (2232m) to Villar d’Arène (1667m) via the Col du Clot des Cavales (3158m)

We are again a few minutes over Jean-Paul’s projected departure time – this time because he is behind schedule. Once again we set off as dawn breaks. The granite peaks are temporarily transformed into sandstone as the early sun picks them out. A magical time. 

We don’t need crampons until the last stretch of snow below the Col du Clot des Cavales. It’s a gritty, unpleasant walk: extremely steep, unstable underfoot and impossible to keep the rope straight and free from the many jutting rock faces that we have to pass around, and which break the continuity of line. Jean-Paul is impatient – all three of us answering him back like rebellious teenagers. What on earth does he expect from people who have never done this before?

From the col we look back to yesterday’s descent. From this perspective it looks barely credible as a route.

Col du Replat from Col du Clot des Cavales

To the east is the valley of the “Torrent du Clot des Cavales”, which joins the Romanche valley further on. With the sun shining straight towards us, and scree on all sides, the landscape is at its most austere. We enjoy the eagle’s eye view for a moment or two, but don’t dally. The wind, and knowledge that we still have many hours of walking ahead, push us on.

Here, at least, there’s no need for ropes. We zigzag down through the snow, the Pavé refuge soon revealing itself next to the lake of the same name; the path runs slightly south of the refuge, along textbook moraines.

Jean-Paul seems more than usually introspective. At the confluence of the two rivers rocky haute montagne scenery gives way to more gentle alpages frequented by a number of day walkers approaching from below. The greenery and flowers, and gentle gradient, are very welcome. I voice my appreciation to Jean-Paul but he either doesn’t hear or doesn’t want to hear, and says nothing.

Looking back up the Romanche valley from the Plan de l’Alpe

The end of the walk is beautiful, following the Romanche river east and then north to the car park just south of Villar d’Arène. It’s only the last half hour that really gets to us. Juan needs several breaks in order to make the distance. Back at the cars Jean-Paul offers us a chilled beer and we conduct an informal post mortem. It is extraordinary. Here’s this vastly experienced mountain man, with a devoted wife and daughter, finally acting like a human being. Relief at being able to talk adult to adult for the first time in three days is tempered by sadness at the wasted opportunity: with different group management this would have been such a different adventure.

Jean-Paul explains his bad temper as being common to all guides (really?), and that it was only when we were in danger that he lost his temper (?!) In his view there are any number of routes where the effort and aesthetic are better balanced. He claims the use of the description “randonnée glaciaire” by the Bureau des Guides is misrepresentative – this walk is more accurately début alpinisme. We charge him with the responsibility of reporting this back to the Bureau des Guides. “So no hard feelings, then?”, he asks us. And I guess there are none. But I’ll know what questions to ask next time.

Resident Grenoble Life photographer Suzanne Bonnefond invites you to discover the Diois region of the Vercors mountains near Grenoble.

Le Diois is a superb region in the South of the Vercors range near Grenoble, which already suggests the light and colours of the Provence. It can be reached via the Col de Menée, near Mont Aiguille, or the Col du Rousset. The latter pass, which descends on Die, is particularly spectacular.

From the Col de Menée you find the tiny village of Benevise and can easily do a fantastic walk in the Vallon de Combeau.

There’s a lot more to see: le Cirque d’Archiane, in the valley near Menée village, a hamlet surrounded by pink cliffs, from where there are numerous trails towards the plateaus of the Vercors.

Joseph Schott anticipating life in Grenoble

Joseph Schott has come from the USA, via Japan, to do an MBA at the Grenoble Graduate School of Business. We will be following him ‘From Admission to Graduation’ as he blogs on life and learning in the Capital of the Alps.

Hello, my name is Joseph Schott. I’ll be starting at the Grenoble Graduate School of Business as an MBA student in September. I’m originally from the United States, but I spent the last four years in Japan with the JET Programme. While I was there, I taught English as a foreign language, did some translation and interpretation, and led a small non-profit that performs some support functions for the JET Programme.

While the cities in Japan are beautiful and convenient, the whole country is also full of mountains. It is a great place to be if you like hiking or rock climbing. It was hard to leave! I originally studied social sciences in the US, but working in Japan with people from around the world made me want to get more involved in international business. So after considering the great location of GGSB, (and drooling over pictures of French cheese) I put my interests together and applied at Grenoble.

I’ve been asked to write about my hopes and fears, as well as what I’m doing to prepare for my new life in Grenoble. I’ll start with the juicy bit and go right into my fears. It goes without saying that moving to a new country is a very complicated process, and a lot of the time I’m just glancing at my calendar, hoping that nothing goes wrong. However, my biggest worry about coming to Grenoble is the language. I only just started studying French a few weeks ago, and I’m an absolute beginner.

I’ve been told that Grenoble has a very large and vibrant international community, and from what I’ve seen on this blog, the range of people you can meet is one of the city’s highlights. At the same time, I’m not under any illusion that I’ll be having an easy time without speaking any French! In Japan, I was usually the one helping other people navigate bureaucracy and solve communication problems, but in Grenoble I’ll be back to being a beginner. On the other hand, I’m excited to pick up a third language to use in business and for making new friends. And for that I’m going to need to speak a lot more French!

I’ve found lots of French language resources and language tapes, and I’ve been carrying my beloved Anki around with me everywhere. If you’ve never heard of Anki or other similar tools (they are usually called spaced repetition systems or SRS), I’d definitely recommend checking one out. The idea is that you can store huge amounts of small facts as virtual flashcards, and the program will take care of scheduling which cards you review. So for example, you might eventually have 3,000 vocabulary words, and Anki will bring up about 100 each day. It can make sure that difficult phrases and words are brought back frequently, and things that you’ve already memorized are brought up sparingly. It works from my mobile, and I use it while I’m on the train, waiting in a line, or when a conversation is waning. Best of all it’s open source.

I’ve also been brushing up on my math and finance, and reading some books to get ready to go back to school. I’m currently reading a book on job hunting and just finished an interesting book on Google’s business model and path to success. I’ve also subscribed to a few rss feeds from business blogs. I’ve seen some interesting articles on www.voxeu.org, www.deadlysins.info/wordpress, blogs.hbr.org, as well as many others. Reading these keeps me excited for the intensive studying that will start in September. I also watch many of the presentations from the TED Conference, which are very short, but center on global issues and very inspiring.

However, wrapping up my life in Japan and saying farewell to everyone I’ve met has been the most difficult part of my preparation for Grenoble. Changing location so often, especially between countries, gives you a chance to meet lots of interesting people, and with social networking services like facebook, mixi, and so on, it is easier than ever to stay connected. At the same time though, these applications can make it easy to give yourself the illusion of being connected and ignore the real value of the relationships you’ve made. Before moving my focus to Grenoble, one of my biggest tasks has been to properly say goodbye to all of the amazing people I met in Japan.

As I finish these preparations and the start of classes draws closer and closer, I find myself feeling more and more excited each day. I can’t wait to meet the other members of my class and get started on my new life. I’m also looking forward to checking out the climbing gym near the school, relaxing at one of the cafés around the city, and trying out the hiking in the three surrounding mountain ranges.

I first got involved in climbing in Japan, where it is just starting to really become popular. Actually, people there use some French terms as loan words too, such as gaston (ガストン). I did mostly bouldering, so I’m excited to learn more about top-roping and outside routes, which I’ve heard are more popular in France. The nearby mountains look they’ll be great for hiking, and maybe I can even spot a Dahu!

To the Bastille by bubble

Grenoble Life’s Christina Rebuffet-Broadus shuns the mass exodus for the beaches to check out guided tours of her adopted home town. Here’s what she found out.

The French have flocked south for their yearly dose of Mediterrannean sun, leaving the city streets all but deserted. The smaller shops have pulled down their iron curtains with fermé pour congés annuels hastily taped to the facade before migrating for the summer. Every now and then, you catch a group of tourists (without skis this time) wandering around the city.

Rather than crowd yet another beach and up the chances of getting skin cancer, city-tethered locals and French-challenged tourists may want to explore Grenoble. The Tourism Office operates a few regular English-language tours during the summer. Admit it – getting cozy with the city is way more fun than trying to squeeze onto a beach with half of the French population. Afterward, you can impress friends and family with your expertise in Grenobology.

I’m a big fan of being a tourist in your own city. Don’t take the attractions for granted—get out and do them! Start, for example, with the Tourism Office’s audioguided tour of the city center. If you’ve lived here long enough, you may already know when Cularo’s rampart was built. Maybe you can pinpoint where Napoleon marched into Grenoble on his way to power-center Paris. But you’ve probably never eavesdropped on those events as they happened.

The audioguides go beyond stringing dates, places, and names together like a 1850s history book. In about an hour-and-a-half visit through the city center, the history of Grenoble speaks to you, literally. Listen in as two tourists argue if it’s Place du Trib’ or Place St. André and let the abbot of St. Hugues church tell you what Place Notre Dame used to be.

I thought I had schooled myself well in Grenoble history and still learned a few new things about my adopted hometown. Plus, with all the other tourists walking around, I didn’t stick out so much with my map, headphones, and a remote-control-looking device hanging around my neck. When I opted to listen to some Liszt, I could peacefully contemplate the facade of the hotel where he stayed. 

If you prefer flesh and blood to plastic and LCD screens, the Tourism Office also hosts two regular guided visits in English: the Bastille and the city center. I tried the Bastille tour, just because it includes a ride in the Bubbles (honestly, how many of you still haven’t taken the Bubbles?). Little did I know, the Bastille would storm me although I’ve been regularly climbing its slopes since I’ve lived here.

To begin the tour, I joined Steve, my guide in the Jardin de Ville for a short lesson on Lesdiguières and why he built the first fortifications in the 16th century. You will have to take the tour yourself to find out, but here’s a hint: If he could do it, so could anyone else, which was not good for Grenoble’s security (Hint for the hint: “it” doesn’t mean building the Bastille).

We floated to the top of the site and began by reading Grenoble from above. The roofs below told the history of the city through color. The red roofs represented the oldest parts of Grenoble from the middle ages. Lesdiguières left his mark with blue slate roofs. More recent architectural history was written in black and white. 

The history of Grenoble is written on the rooftops

With a guide, you can visit parts of the Bastille usually closed to the public. We explored the upper blockhouses where soldiers lived and canons once boomed. The vaulted ceilings gave the living quarters the false feeling of an early medieval chapel but the sentinels probably didn’t pray much. They never came under fire. Construction of the Bastille ended in 1845 and Grenoble could feel fully protected from potential Savoyard invasions. Then Savoie became French in 1860 and the Bastille had no one to guard Grenoble from.

As dutiful tourists, Steve and I attacked the dry moat, no man’s land, and we tunneled through Mandrin’s grottoes. All of these parts are open to the public, but with a guide, they become more than a place for a panoramic picnic or holes in the mountainside.

To understand just how ingenious the Bastille’s layout is, let the guide explain it to you on site. You will literally see how the Bastille functioned as a fort. As Steve pieced the elements together, I understood how well Haxo had planned the Bastille. He probably never even knew he was creating the star of Grenoble. 

Audioguides are available for rent at the Grenoble Tourism Office for 5€. For an extra euro, you can have a second set of headphones so that two people can listen to a single device.

The Bastille visit costs 9.50€ and includes a round trip on the Bubbles.

The city center visit costs 6.50€.

You can sign up for the city center or Bastille visit at the Tourism Office or at their summer information booth at the foot of the Bubbles. The city center visit takes place at 2:30 pm and the Bastille visit starts at 4:30 pm, every day except Sunday.

Paul Waters at The Cake Shop

Grenoble Life meets Paul Waters, The Cake Shop‘s young British pâtissier, to ask him about leaving the UK to make British and American style cakes in France.

Grenoble Life: What’s your job at The Cake Shop?

Paul Waters: My job is a mixture of things – with there only being two other people that work at The Cake Shop and so many things to do the work gets shared around. I mainly design and create the cakes but I also help out in the shop front stocking the shelves and serving clients.

I also get to make the cupcakes and other tasty goodies that you see on display when you come to the store, as well as teaching people my skills and helping to organise events. But I mainly stick to designing and creating cakes. If it’s been made with sugar paste nine times out of 10 it will have been made by me. I literally eat and breathe sugar paste – it’s my life, and a tasty one at that!

GL: How were you recruited and where did you train? 

Paul: I trained at The National Bakery School at South Bank University in London. I intended to do a two-year course there but, due to government funding, it was cut to one year. Nevertheless I left with my Diploma in craft studies. I studied pretty much everything from bread to chocolate.

It was my mother who found the job at The Cake Shop. She was flicking through my Cake magazine when she saw there was a job going for a store in France. At the time I was happily making a mess in the kitchen making something tasty when she approached me with it. I was highly interested and desperate for an adventure, not thinking I would get anywhere because at the time I was only 16 and just starting college, although I have been baking and creating cakes for people since I was eight. But my parents assured me to go for it I distinctly remember them saying “if it doesn’t go anywhere it’s all good experience.”

After sending the email, the following day I received a phone call from the owner, Ariane Zenker, who gave me a mini-interview on the phone. After the call ended I was so excited, my imagination went into overtime as I began to dream of what could happen next. After lots of talk and conversation via email I arranged to go out and see her in February during half term with my mother. After that things just took off and one thing spiralled into another.

GL: Tell us a little bit about your background?

Paul: Well, I grew up in an area called Essex just outside of London, when I was about 11 my parents sold the house brought a smaller one and another one in the south of France. That sparked my love for France and from then on it has been a never-ending love affair, holidays spent with a wall paper scraper in one hand and a paint brush in the other, whilst trying to figure out what ‘plaster’ is in French.

GL: Why did you decide to move to France?

Paul: Well the fact my parents already have a holiday home in the south and they plan to move there permently next year was a big deciding factor. I knew what to expect from my time spent there I had a basic understanding of French life and language. There have also been a lot of problems in my family, a lot of upset; I wanted to get it away from it all as well. The English weather also leaves a lot to be desired.

GL: How have you adapted to life in France?

Paul: I have adapted very well mainly because of my parents having their holiday home in the south but also, because I was so desperate to leave the UK to see the world, determination has kept me going. My advice to anyone moving to this country is to relax, clear your mind and embrace the culture. Do not make comparisons with your home town don’t try to live your life like you normally do, change it to fit the environment.

When I first moved here I was just 17 a lot of people never took me very seriously at first, not to mention the fact that my parents had to sign everything for me as I had no signing power! I couldn’t even take out a phone contract or internet as a result but now at the age of 18 things are a lot better.

I also find the French attitude to being free/open and expressing your self very strange. Paris is a place of art, fashion, the weird, the wonderful, and is filled with some of the most beautiful things. Yet when you come to express yourself through fashion and art you raise a lot of eyebrows and get some very strange looks. It seems the rest of France has no desire to follow in the shadow of Paris; if this has anything to do with French people disliking the Parisians I have yet to find out. 

GL: Tell us about a typical day at The Cake Shop?

Paul: Well I usually arrive at 11:00, Ariane will brief me in on the plan for the day, she will say something along the lines of; “you have that wedding cake to start and the cookie class at 3:00”, “I also got an email from the woman that you did the Princess Cake for, she was very happy”. Then I make a start on my jobs for the day. I could have a long list of cakes to decorate or, if a delivery has just arrived from the UK, it needs unpacking, pricing and being put on display.

I may also get the chance to develop new products or create new classes. I may be teaching people in the evening or doing things on the computer. Every day is completely different – you never quite know what obstacles you will need to overcome or what you are doing. I usually finish about eight in the evening after shutting up the store for the night.

GL: What’s the best thing about your job?

Paul: I love what I do and so many people don’t get the chance nowadays to do what they love. The best thing about my job is it’s so different, I am never bored, never creating the same cake twice, or sat around with nothing do. Working at The Cake Shop can be fun, crazy, hectic and stressful but it’s all worth it in the end.

GL: What are some of the more difficult experiences you have had working at the cake shop?

Paul: Working at The Cake Shop can be very difficult at times – when you have a lot of work to do the pressure is on to meet your deadlines. When things go wrong everything seems to go wrong at once but, because of the nature of my job, some of my worst experiences are also some of my best. For example, you have a cake rapidly melting in the heat and it’s causing the icing to stretch and expand at the sides, you have to act quickly and work out why it went wrong and how to stop it. I will then learn from that and move on, turning it into a good experience.

GL: What do you love about Grenoble?

Paul: I love the way Grenoble is so small yet has lots of big name stores here and nice shops, it gives it a city feel but at heart it has the community of a town. It’s very hard to explain but it makes it a very nice place to be, surrounded by all the mountains. I also love Grenoble’s cosmopolitan feel, the mix of all different nationalities and the students.

GL: What are your plans for the future?

Paul: I would love to take The Cake Shop to Paris; I would love to get back to the buzz of the city, its pulse runs through my blood. I would definitely consider doing my own business in Paris – what would be really good is if I could set up a company in France that manufactures or imports all the products that you can’t get here, all the kinds of things we sell in The Cake Shop. That way people like Ariane wouldn’t be my competitor but my more like a colleague as I would be helping her keep her shop stocked with my products.

Guida Bulba: Corps & Voix

Grenoble Life’s Shonah Kennedy meets Guida Bulha of Corps et Voix, a trainer and consultant in oral communication.

As a teacher I have the privilege to meet a vast array of people.  I am constantly amazed, entertained and, more often than not, pleasantly surprised.  One of the people I had the pleasure of meeting was Guida Bulha of Corps et Voix.  Below Guida explains what she does, how she does it and what benefit it could be for you.

Shonah: How do you describe what you do?

Guida Bulha: Well, I am a trainer and a consultant in the oral communication area – working the body and the voice.

Shonah: What does the process do for people?

Guida: This helps people to speak with greater confidence and conviction, and communicate more effectively in both business and social environments.

Shonah: What have been some benefits for past clients?

Guida: To develop their self-esteem has permitted some of them to find new customers.  For some public speaking with more confidence and for others to find jobs, etc.

Put simply: to develop their skills in their professional field.

Shonah: How did you start in your business? What is your background?

Guida: I began my career as a language teacher and translator; after that, I worked in several companies. Today I bring together my experience in international business, communication and marketing, and my experience in the voice field.

Guida Bulha working with a client

Shonah: When did you start doing this line of work and why?

Guida: I started in April 2008. More than ten years ago, I participated in a vocal workshop. There, I discovered that the voice – my passion – was much more than a simple emission of sounds. The voice is “something” fragile and powerful. It was a great surprise for me. Therefore, I decided to push my discovery further and I undertook training in this area.

Shonah: What is the link with workshops or training sessions – such as public speaking, telephone interactions, front-line workers, sales, team building – and the body and the voice?

Guida: People who work in these areas use their voices to communicate.  You know, the most important part when you communicate is the non-verbal language, and that the voice is embodied in … the body. To equilibrate these three parts of communication. I mean; the body, the voice and the word, are fundamental. If you want to be heard and understood.

Shonah: How long have you been in Grenoble?

Guida: I have been here for 19 years. I saw the mountains and I fell in love.

Shonah: How do you help people to help themselves?

Guida: I help them to find – or to be conscious – that they have in themselves the resources to communicate. I accompany people to find the confidence in themselves.

Shonah: What are your plans for the future? 

Guida:  Well, I want to develop in other directions. I think particularly in the English speaking community. I want to propose to them workshops and training sessions to improve French or to improve their skills in public speaking or other themes. In French or in English. It is also possible to work the voice to sing or to speak. Just to find the pleasure to be confident.

Shonah: Thanks so much to Guida.  If you would like to contact Guida for further information you can do so through her website at Guida Bulha Corps et Voix.

Guida Bulha in action

Resident Grenoble Life photographer Suzanne Bonnefond shares a mini photo-essay about transhumance … and if you don’t know what that is, you’ll have to read on.

Transhumance is an ancient tradition. Herds of sheep from the South of France return to the summits of the Alps in search of fresh pastures, to stay there all summer.

In the past, these herds accompanied the shepherds arriving by foot across the Alps. It took them several days, sometimes weeks. They took the paths we now use as trails for hiking. They have been immortalised in literature by the works of Jean Giono.

These days, the herds arrive by lorry. This one came in from the Alpes de Haute Provence, having crossed the col du Lautaret.

Arriving in Chazelet, in the spectacular setting of la Meije, a herd of a thousand sheep returns to pastures 2000m in altitude, where it will stay until October.

We can easily see them on hikes in the Oisans, Belledonne or the Vercors.

Finally, if you want to hear what the transhumance sounds like, click here.

Skiing in June? You bet! Photo: Christa Gimblett

Grenoble Life ski reporter Christa Gimblett has some good news for those of us sweltering in the valley: there is still some snow left to ski.

All right everyone, it’s a good two months since you all went skiing, I know you’re missing it already. Don’t deny it.

Well the good news is that you don’t have to wait until December for your next fix of the white stuff because both 2Alpes and Tignes are open even as we speak, and offering more summer skiing than we’ve seen in years. All right, Tignes is a long drive for a bit of glacier skiing, but come on, 2Alpes is virtually on the doorstep.

Usually restricted to the summer park and the glacier runs above 3200m, this year the resort is open and skiable down to midstation at 2600m. There’s even a fair bit of off-piste and plenty of snow on the closed areas for those who know what they’re doing and are prepared to hike for it.

I’m not going to tell you that summer skiing is anything other than expensive – it isn’t. But your pass buys you a whole lot of other activities as well, so if you’re happy to make skiing just one part of a day out or a mountain weekend you’ll get good value.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you have to get up there first thing to make the most of it (unless you like boiler plate ice, in which case be my guest). Your best plan is to get to resort for 09:30 and buy a half day pass, which lets you ski until lunchtime. Start with the runs below 3200m, which will have softened up nicely by this time, then when you’ve done that a few times, move up to the top.

The only way off the glacier at the end of the morning is by the main lift, so expect to queue – or alternatively have a beer on the restaurant terrace, leave the scrum to the race teams and descend at your leisure.

The half day pass gives you access to the rest of resort until close of play at 18:00, so you can spend the afternoon mountain biking (100km of marked trails plus a bike park), ice skating (included with your pass) or just riding the lifts, admiring the views and doing a bit of walking. If you want to make a weekend of it, a two-day ski/VTT ticket also gives you unlimited swimming and skating, and a bit of tennis and summer luge to boot.

The mountain biking and other activities go from strength to strength over the summer, but if you want to make the most of the skiing, do it soon – the snow won’t hang around until August in this weather, and who knows when we’ll see another season like this one? So get yourself up there now, while you still can.

Photo: Christa Gimblett

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Christa Gimblett left the UK for a seasonal job in Europe in the recession of the early 90s and forgot to go home again, spending nearly 15 years working for UK tour operators up various mountains. Now living in Bourg d’Oisans with no cash, two cats, a man with a broken foot and a car which looks like a frog.

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A taste of Celtic Connection events

Maighread Gallagher, Secretary of the Celtic Connection in Grenoble, talks about the origins of the association, the events it organises, and celebrating St Patrick’s Day in style.

Grenoble Life: What is the Celtic Connection?

Maighread Gallagher: The Celtic Connection is an association loi 1901 which promotes Irish and Celtic culture in Grenoble and beyond.

GL: What sorts of activities do you organise?

Maighread: We organise cultural events and informal meetings, these include: film screenings, an annual picnic, something for Hallowe’en, something for Christmas, and of course we celebrate St Patrick’s Day in style! 

GL: What kind of services to do you offer?

Maighread: We don’t formally offer any services, but we are happy to help new arrivals with the administrative hurdles they will encounter in Grenoble, or even just to meet up because during those first months it can be lonely in a new city and country. Sometimes it’s nice just to be able to talk to someone who understands where you’re coming from. We can also put people in touch with an Anglophone doctor or dentist if they need it, and we have a few contacts at the embassy in Paris.   

GL: When was the Celtic Connection created and by whom?

Maighread: The Celtic Connection was set up in 1992 by a group of Irish people recently arrived in Grenoble. Most of them are still here almost 20 years on.

GL: What is your role in Celtic Connection and why did you come to Grenoble?

Maighread: I am the current secretary of the association, although this high-powered job was not my main reason to come to Grenoble! I originally came on Erasmus in 1994, to study biochemistry. Grenoble has an interesting effect on people, it’s hard to leave. So, despite having left several times, I am now here to stay.

GL: What events do you have coming up?

Maighread: The calendar is pretty full over the next few weekends. We will mark Bloomsday (June 16), which is a celebration of James Joyce and his epic work Ulysses, with readings and music. This is organised with the help of the Bookworm Café, and will be held there on Saturday June 19th. Our annual picnic is coming up on June 20th, and this year our sister association in Lyon will be joining us for that. We are hoping to make it a regular joint event. We are also in full swing for the organisation of our film event, which will be in mid-November this year – watch this space.

GL: Where are some of the best places to find Celtic culture and people in Grenoble?

Maighread: In the early days of the association, this would have been easy to answer – just check out the Irish pubs (The Shannon, O’Callaghan’s, Druid’s), we used to go there every Friday. Those are probably still good addresses for meeting Irish people, especially if there’s a match on. Other addresses are similar to where you’ll find many Anglophones – through the international schools, at Pilates, through The Library at Babel. And if you’re dying for a bit of brown bread or Cadbury’s chocolate, go to the Irish shop (Comptoir Irlandais). If you want to meet up with us on a regular basis, and participate in our activities, join our association, it’s easy – just come along to the picnic on June 20th, or to another event and we’ll put you on the list.

GL: Tell us about your members: who are they generally and why have they come to Grenoble?

Maighread: A lot of our members are Irish expatriates, although over the last couple of years the Scottish contingent has grown considerably. Some are second-generation emigrants, and of course we accept all nationalities! What unites us all is an interest in Irish or Celtic culture and sharing our experiences. Many of our members came to Grenoble to work for the microelectronics industry; there are also a lot of scientists among us. A lot of us came initially intending to stay only for a while, but as I said earlier, Grenoble can be a very hard place to leave once you’ve acquired the taste for the sun, the mountains and the quality of life!

Place Grenette, c.1900

In the second part of John Lubbock‘s brief history of Grenoble he finds himself scratching beneath the surface of the city and discovering a ”post-apocalyptic 19th century parallel universe,” among other things.

I had long been puzzled by an impressive fortification system which stands near my house on one side of Parc Paul Mistral, completely hidden by trees and currently hosting a bmx/mountainbike track on one side. I had to telephone the resident historian of the Maison de Tourisme to find any information about this structure, which turns out to have been constructed in 1813 by the celebrated military engineer Générale Haxo (who also later reconstructed the Bastille) to protect against a possible southern invasion of France by the Austrian Empire.

The Austrians indeed eventually invaded the same year and were repulsed by the city defences, but returned to occupy Grenoble in 1814 and again in 1815. These walls, or enceintes, as they say in French, (the same word is used for pregnant as well as for hi-fi speakers, which is clearly intended to confuse and frustrate learners of French) were later demolished to make way for roads like Boulevard Jean Pain, leaving them an impressive ruin overrun by trees that makes you feel like you are in some post-apocalyptic 19th century parallel universe.

In the 19th century, modernity finally arrived in Grenoble with the construction of the railways. Aristide Bergès, a paper manufacturer, installed a modern paper factory in the Grenoble valley in 1867, where he invented the first hydro-electric motor to power the factory’s turbines. He called this new source of electricity Houille Blanche, or White Oil, which is still used in French to refer to hydroelectricity.

As I said, there is no statue to mark Bergès’s achievement in Grenoble, except for some ugly student housing and a CROUS named after him. However, one look the disservice done to his memory by the invention of photography will tell you that he’s not nearly as sexy as how French romantics imagined Bayard to look. I mean, he doesn’t even have an English language Wikipedia page, which is actually more of a damning criticism of his historical importance.

Bergès, and Bayard. No comparison.

And so to bring us up to the most important century, being that in which most of us were born: the 20th. Since all history is inevitably self-centred, why not congratulate ourselves for being born in the best century – that is if centuries are judged on some kind of Tarantino-esque scale of awarding points for most limbs severed or ears sliced off.

Exposition Internationale de la Houille Blanche et du Tourisme

After the First World War, Mayor Paul Mistral began various social and cultural projects, including the 1925 Exposition Internationale de la Houille Blanche et du Tourisme. Though what these two subjects have in common is something of a mystery; perhaps they couldn’t drum up enough interest in either one by itself. For the occasion, architect Auguste Perret constructed the Tour Perret in Parc Mistral, whose blue lights can be seen from miles around, shining as a beacon to the ability of architects to create Freudian symbols of power.

It is the sole remaining construction from this exhibition, and was used at the time to transmit radio emissions throughout the whole of France, though probably not with much success considering analog transmissions find mountains to be rather a hurdle to overcome. The tower was classed a historic monument in 1998, and a restoration plan is currently à l’étude.

There was a large wave of Italian immigration into Grenoble after the Second World War to help provide workers for the new factories. They stayed after discovering that the French loved eating cheese and bread, but had never thought of combining them inside an oven.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, the Nazi invasion was stopped in the south at the Battle of The Alps, though Grenoble was occupied by the Italian army in 1942-3 after they heard how easy it was to get good pizza there. Unfortunately, the Nazis found the Italians to be a little too laissez-faire about rounding up Jews and resistance fighters in Grenoble, and decided to occupy it themselves in 1943, escalating resistance activities, the most spectacular of which was the destruction of the Bonne barracks and arsenal in December 1943.

American tanks in Grenoble, 1944.

After the war, Grenoble rebounded economically by marketing itself as a winter sports destination, aided by the construction of some hideous new brutalist buildings and ski resorts like Chamrousse for the 1968 Winter Olympic Games.

The last half of the 20th century saw the arrival of new immigrants from North Africa and the realization of the globalized and multiethnic modern character of Grenoble.

Well, there you go. That’s as far as Wikipedia will take us, so I suggest you stop procrastinating on your computer and go outside and make some more history, or else there won’t be anything else to write about, will there? Go on, outside, now …  shoo!

LEROY & SCARPA: neutral-toned, softly-chic faux-fur throws and pillows

Nearly one year on from their first meeting, Grenoble Life catches up with Kris Leroy, the American founder of Grenoble-based soft furnishings design company LEROY & SCARPA, France, previously Chic Throws.  

Grenoble Life: Why the name change? 

Kris Leroy: As Axelle and I are now associates, both managing the company and aiming to launch a luxury brand, we definitely needed to change the name for a fresh start. Chic Throws was also impossible to pronounce in French! I had originally had a direct e-commerce strategy for the business in place but realized that it was best to focus on my designs, our originality and leave the B2C to others more specialized. 

As most designers, it is important to keep your name in the frontlines and not hide behind a meaningless company name. We have invested in our new name/logo which I think reflects a more luxurious brand. 

GL: Who is Axelle? 

Kris: Axelle Scarpa and I used to work together at Ericsson Hewlett-Packard Telecommunications (EHPT) over 10 years ago. We have remained friends ever since and over lunch I’d told her my dream associate would be someone like her, an expert in supply chain management and purchasing. She was just finishing her tenth year at HP and was ready for a serious change in environment as well as an entrepreneurial challenge and quality of life improvement. She said, why don’t I come to work with you and I’d thought she’d had a bit too much wine at lunch …

Since April we’ve combined forces, and mutually thank each other for ‘our new life’. It’s great as we prioritize family time (i.e. working four days a week) however often meet online after hours to achieve our goals. We have moved our offices to a business park where our communications agency was located. It’s only 100m away from our last office but we have much better natural light (so I don’t have to go out on the roof to see the true fabric colors) and air conditioning! 

Kris Leroy and Axelle Scarpa

GL: What is there to do now that you’ve joined forces? 

Kris: We need to basically start all the business filings again in SARL format with the Chamber of Commerce and choose partners with whom we want to launch our new brand. (accountant, notaire, fabric suppliers, communications agency, etc.) You are only as good as your partners.

I am working on the new Winter 2010 collection for the first professional fair in Annecy in June. This will be the test for the B2B market where originality should prime over the traditional ‘mountain décor’ suppliers to ski areas in France, Switzerland and Italy. We are really targeting the chic boutiques in the ski areas in Megève, Chamonix, Courchevel, etc. and hope to ‘wow’ them with our new collection, for their international clients. I have spared no expense on the fabrics that come from top and unknown designers in France, Italy and the UK for the Courchevel Chic collection. 

Since the crise clients are craving color and that is what we will bring them as well as neutral-toned, softly-chic faux-fur throws and pillows (see top image).

GL: So you are ready to hit the market now? 

Kris: Now that Axelle is on board, I finally can focus on my added value which is sales and marketing. This past year has been spent getting our supply chain in place and prospecting both the B2B and B2C markets. I literally haven’t had a chance to really hit the pavement running with our collections. All sales have truly been through word of mouth. 

We just need to finish the website, the catalogue and the samples for each collection, photograph all and then I’m set to meet clients and take orders … Now that production is confirmed and we have about a two week lead time on production (better than our competitors who are importing from abroad), we can really stand out. 

Also, we need to perfect photography which is difficult to capture a large throw on a thumbnail-size photo and is quite a challenge for our internet resellers. We are currently testing photographers and have a great photo shoot in place that should all come together in May.

Leroy & Scarpa

GL: In terms of design are you comfortable in this new market? 

Kris: Axelle and I just came back from London where we attended the Kelly Hoppen school of design. This program really helped me fine-tune what I was designing to be in harmony with Kelly Hoppen’s style which caters to the same clientele. I have finally overcome my fear of neutral linens and can expertly decipher the difference in taupe and sand tones.

We have also joined forces with our communications agency and www.ateliermartinberger.com to create www.cocotte-design.com, which is a blog for girls who like to talk about girls in design. We are having loads of fun with this project that just launched last weekend and are meeting a lot of interesting people in design. 

GL: What has inspired the new collection? 

Kris: I have found three new fabric designers that are really in tune with my style and blend well with what we have already. I have also found a sculpture-designer that can make the buttons that I’ve been trying to find worldwide as a final touch to the collection. We will also be designing our own buttons as finishing touches with our new logo. 

As we are actively targeting the ski areas, we are using a lot of faux-fur in bright colors and neutral tones. We only use French and Belgian top-quality fabric and the result is an ultra-soft, emotional / sensual product. It’s not just a throw! 

We are also launching some furniture at the fair in June: plush, patchwork chairs and cube tables. 

We have been lucky as the press has sought us out and especially the new magazine ‘Cosy Mountain’ which is the first ski-area magazine for contemporary design. Once our packaging is complete with the new logo, we should have a four-page spread in their fall issue. 

GL: And then what? 

Kris: Once summer arrives, I need to start designing the Spring Collection for 2011 which will include outdoor fabrics (pillows, lounge covers, poufs, plush chairs). We also have lighter throws planned for cool evenings and brightly colored pillows to match. 

I am also working with a graffiti artist to design some eclectic throws for artsy and adolescent clients. I am inspired by Banksy’s wall art in the UK and hope to transfer others artists’ designs onto throws, headboards, etc. 

We are working on our first chic-boutique deal in London and then who know where outside of France … For the moment we will focus on our home-base and slowly branch out to Switzerland, Italy and other foreign markets. 

We do want to maintain a ‘boutique-brand’ and not sell to large department stores. The idea is to remain exclusive and maintain a smaller, very happy clientele.

Resident Grenoble Life photographer Suzanne Bonnefond presents another idea for a short expedition from Grenoble: “I suggest a trip to ‘Indiana Jones land’, just near the city, les Gorges du Furon in Sassenage. Visitors are always impressed by the beauty of the place”.

Gratin dauphinois. Photo: Marylise Doctrinal

It’s a no-brainer really. Grenoble Life wants your comments about favourite things to see, do, eat and drink in Grenoble and its surroundings.

I have been asked by French Entrée to write a post on what to do and see in Grenoble. Upon tackling this in earnest I found myself baulking at the task. An increasingly poorly written list began with a walk to the Bastille, continuing through the various museums to barely legible mentions of the more attractive squares in the old town. Then, I thought, rather than regurgitating the generic Grenoble itinerary, I thought I would solicit a more idiosyncratic list of Grenoblois pleasures, open to suggestions from YOU. What and where do you like to eat, where do you drink and people-watch? Tell me about your favourite local walks, markets, parks, neighbourhoods.

Here is my idiosyncratic inventory of Grenoble favourites, a by-no-means-comprehensive list of reasons to be cheerful. I’m sorry if this heralds few surprises and all seems a bit generic … please use the comments box for your personal lists below.

• ‘Glacier Gonzales’ (Rue Servan). As good as ice cream gets, in my view.
• Driving along the Voie Sur Berge, with its colourful diaporama of the Quai opposite, reminds me of the climax of The Italian Job, even if my Citroën Saxo is not a Mini Cooper and I’m in the wrong country.
• Cycling the banks of the Isère, with its generous network of lanes.
• The crazy geometric paving stones on the University campus. Far out!
• The crumbling beauty of the St Laurent district.
• Drinking kirs and people watching on Place St André (aka Place du Trib) in the summer.
• Sitting on the sofas at the musée de Grenoble when it’s quiet, which it usually is.
• Tartes and hot chocolate at ‘Tarteline’ (Grande Rue).
• Fromage blanc at the dairy farm at Charmant Som, with bilberry coulis.
• Fondue at ‘A Confesse’ in St Laurent
• Parmigiana at ‘Ciao a Te’ (Rue de la Paix)
• Pizza in general. But if I am to be perfectly honest, my favourite pizzas come from a camionette in Montbonnot rather than one of the many along the Quai or elsewhere in Grenoble itself. However, it is my contention that you can find a good pizza more easily in Grenoble than in the tourist hot-spots in Italy itself.
• The tram. Being on the tram makes me happy, even it doesn’t go anywhere near my home. Watching it glide onto campus or snake through the old town makes me misty-eyed with pride and affection for my adopted home town.
• Bastille Day fireworks at Parc Paul Mistral.
• Being able to watch a football match at the Stade des Alpes and then stroll back into town for a beer. Even if the standard of football from the home side has been appalling this season.
• La Nef and Le Club. Old school cinemas with dependable art house programmes.
• Gratin dauphinois when it is freshly made (i.e., not resurrected after deep-freeze hibernation). To my memory, the best I’ve had in a restaurant was at the ‘Café des Alpes’ on the way up to Le Sappey ski resort.
• La Fête de la Musique. A nationwide event, admittedly, but one that impressed upon me something about the French. In England such an event could not happen without copious amounts of drink and drugs, and thus a heavy police presence – a sentiment echoed in Lucy Wadham’s The Secret Life of France (a book well worth reading by the way).
• The old town. I was surprised when I came to Grenoble how many French people – Grenoblois or not – were dismissive about the city, saying it wasn’t beautiful. It may not have great monuments of individual interest but I like the character of the old town and its attractive squares. You can give me this over the British high street, with its identikit shopping precincts, any day.
• The white-capped Belledonne massif, providing its luminous theatre scenery to the city.

Ok, your turn …

Villeneuve d’Uriage

Rebecca Skillman talks to residents of the hamlet Villeneuve d’Uriage, near Grenoble. She shares with us her discoveries about issues of sustainability and community in Alpine village life.

Perched above the thermal spa town of Uriage, the idyllically located hamlet of Villeneuve d’Uriage is home to around 150 people. I was curious about what attracts people to live here; how people relate to each other in the village; and whether there is more to the hamlet than simply “Grenoble satellite”? 

I talked to three couples who have made the village their home. The interviews reveal the similarities and differences in how we view “nature”, our overall need to connect with each other and our search for sustainability in the 21^st century. 

Kelli (Project Manager, HP) and Olivier (Sales Manager, HP)  

Kelli: I was born and raised in Boise in the US. The decision to move to France wasn’t difficult – this was the right place to be at this time in our lives. What was hard was leaving family and friends. I told myself: part of my cost of living is getting back to the US as often as possible. That’s how I talked myself into making it work, and it has. 

People here have been very kind. At the same time I miss the feeling of community I had back home. In Boise, when you do something like running errands, you have a list of people you’re gonna do things for. You walk in and out your neighbours’ homes – you don’t knock – and it’s very informal. You garden together and you build your houses together. One time my mother’s basement was flooded and suddenly there’s a whole crowd of people fixing the problem and drinking beer, making a party out of it. If there’s an issue, you sort it but have a good time doing it. But here in the village it’s just the two of us. 

I’m very happy here but if I could change anything it would be the distance between Boise and France!  And, day to day, I wouldn’t choose again to work from home. Much as I love our place it’s one of the things that’s slowed me becoming part of the community. 

Olivier: I was looking for a balance between proximity to Grenoble, for my job, and a village that is really alive – people working here, farmers, tractors passing the house. Other mountain villages may be pretty but at 9am they are empty. When I see a tractor here, I’m happy. And it’s the first time in my life I feel content coming back home after work. 

Living in this area, I’m ideally placed for my outdoor passions. I love wild places and I like to spend my weekends rock climbing and skiing. What drives me is being challenged by nature, having the feeling that it’s stronger than me. The down side is that it means I’m rarely home at weekends, and that doesn’t help for integrating with the community. 

Pierre Yves (Research Scientist, CNRS) and Françoise (Research Engineer, CNRS) 

Françoise: My husband, Pierre Yves, discovered the village 15 years ago – and I wasn’t sure, because the road gets very iced up in winter. But the spirit of the village worked its charm on me – even though I didn’t know the place at that time – and I was captivated. 

What appeals to me is that the people who live here are very close to the natural elements, flora and fauna and this closeness expresses itself in the way they rear their animals, and gives the village a special kind of energy. I love being able to walk in the streets in the evening and having nothing but pleasant surprises, and smiles, in my encounters with the neighbours. 

With regard to village life, when we first lived here I was involved with a village association. We organised several events to help people meet each other. As time went by that stopped because we ran out of energy. But now something similar is happening around Alain and Yvette’s farm. 

The people who work on the farm have an attitude and philosophy that’s a little different from mainstream agriculture. For several years they have produced organic wheat using an ancient stone mill to create flour. From this they make bread, the main source of income. Around the farm, there is a small kernel of people who have created an association, Grains de beauté, whose main aim is to promote contact, and a meeting place in the widest sense of the word. This word “meeting” is a common theme in everything organised. For example, it could be a willow basket or bread-making workshop, or the regular choral events.

Pierre Yves: This hamlet is probably unique in the Grenoble area: it is small, isolated and surrounded by nature. The thing that struck me when I first arrived, well before I knew people here, was the timelessness of the place. When you go to Alain and Yvette’s farm, you enter another age; the place feels unchanged in centuries.

Referring to what Françoise said about how people relate to each other …  she mentioned that everyone is friendly. This didn’t happen as easily as that. What’s interesting to me is that on the one hand – of course – there are different factions. The other side of this coin is that there is no such thing as anonymity in the village. 

In Villeneuve there are three broad groups of people: those who have always been here (mostly former farmers), new arrivals such as us (one is a “new arrival” for a long time!), and farmers actively farming. The fact that most of the farming around the village is organic, and connected with nature, contributes to the atmosphere of the hamlet and the area around it. 

The smallness of the hamlet, surrounded by nature, resonates very strongly with me. We aren’t going to be able to forever extend the metropolitan areas; towns, in general, are located in the middle of the richest agricultural land. So at some point this urban expansion will have to stop. Villeneuve feels like a potential model of how we will need to live our lives in the future. 

The development of non-agricultural activities around the farm is, for me, very much linked with the question of how we make the transition to sustainable development. The farm, and the activities linked with it, represents a local approach that restores a sense of collaboration, whether material or artistic, on a human scale and in sync with the rhythms of nature. What happens around the farm seems to me to answer a need that isn’t met in the way we currently organise society in terms of how we connect with each other. It is one way in which people are trying to satisfy this need. 

Yvette (agricultrice) and Alain (agriculteur)

Yvette: I’ve always worked on the land and my life in Villeneuve began when I found a small farm to rent, way back when was 17. I arrived on my own and, at that time, there weren’t many women farming in that way. Suddenly everyone was giving me a helping hand. 

I started farming with some goats and, at the same time, Alain started the vegetable garden. From that, he developed into market gardening. Little by little, I wound down the goats and both of us worked in market gardening. We began to integrate ideas from bio-dynamic agriculture – an organic approach using an awareness of the energies that govern the land, the animals and nature in general. 

We lived through a period that was challenging, economically. At that time the local farmers were amused by our way of doing things. But, when we bought the house, that changed our relationship. They saw that we were managing to make a go of farming and we became the enemy by virtue of the fact that, as people working in agriculture, we blocked land that they wanted to develop. Overall, we had 10 years of good relations, 10 of bad and now we have had 10 years of neutrality – but at least no tension. Our closest links are with people who have moved here from elsewhere. 

In terms of the farm itself, there’s potentail for our level of activity to develop. My personal project is to develop animal rearing: in addition to the cows that we already have, introduce a few goats again, some hens and turkeys. 

Alain: This work may evolve through the support of the association ; it isn’t necessarily a profit-making activity. But you or I, or any of the people at Villeneuve realise that it’s important to have animals in a village and it’s also important to have people to look after them. That’s where I see the link between the farm association and the people of Villeneuve and around. People need to realise that animals bring a particular type of energy which helps us to live. It’s not just the responsibility of farm workers, it’s for all of us, for the future, to realise that we have a role and that it’s important to maintain farm animals. 

In today’s society 9 out of 10 people are doing a job that has nothing to do with our physical world. They live in a virtual world in terms of computers and IT, producing things that we don’t need. This may create employment but it isn’t real in the sense that if this work were to suddenly stop … where would we be? We’d still need to feed ourselves, somehow. This way of living and working leads us to completely disconnected lifestyles where we travel and lead our lives in a complex way when there is a far simpler way of nourishing ourselves. This “virtual world”, on the other hand, generates ridiculous ideas … like that it’s ok to take a plane to the other end of the world for 20 euros. For me that is completely unreal! People want to live in a “green” way but they think it’s ok to buy a plane ticket at such a low price?! There’s hard thinking is needed there.  

I believe people have a fundamental need to regenerate, to get together and do things with others. I see an alternative way forward that contacts what’s deeply important for all of us. I mean, what’s fundamental in order for society to develop. For this we need to make contact with each other, starting with those of us who are able to meet around a place and try to move towards something better, socially. 

I think that a farm is the ideal place to start rethinking how society can work. There’s already a structure, and a sense of birth and creativity – animals, the food we produce. From here we can begin, gradually, a project to develop our society.

For further information about the farm association, Grains de Beauté, and its activities, contact the association: beaute.des.graines (at) gmail.com

p'tit vélo dans la tete on campus - photo: www.ptitvelo.net

Are you a student or a new arrival and want to know how to live in Grenoble on a budget? Expatriated Brit John Lubbock has learnt the hard way, and has kindly agreed to share his tips and experience with Grenoble Life readers.  

Grenoble is not a bad place to be poor. But, like a tramp with a favourite patch, you have to know your environment; or like a foraging bear, where the best pickings are to be had. You may need to change some of your bad, foreign influenced habits to make the most of your insertion into French culture (beer is expensive apart from Stella, which isn’t one of the best things about French gastronomy, is it?). 

Tourists, as we all know, are naive sponges who deserve to be squeezed dry, so try not to seem like one. People will often poorly attempt to converse with you in English when they realise you are not a native, but insist, “Je suis en France, il faut que je parle en français“, and they won’t despise you as much for usurping their language as the world’s Lingua Franca. It is mostly from lack of better information that tourists agree to pay higher prices, so I intend to give you some information to help you make better spending choices.

Accommodation

If you do not want to spend your first month in France on a sofa or in a hostel, it pays to research accommodation before you arrive. There is an association called OSE Club which you can join for €30 which will find apartments for you in a designated area of the city, if you want to be near to a university. Then there are websites such as www.appartager.com and www.vivastreet.com, which have petites annonces for flats, but these are generally only useful if you pay the €10 fee to see the telephone numbers of the advertisers and call them up directly as they don’t answer messages on the site.

Watch the French film L’Auberge Espagnole before you go to get an exaggerated idea of being interviewed by your future flatmates and the kinds of hilarious European stereotypes you are likely to be cohabiting with. If you are not a student, it is even more important to find a flat quickly, because without a rental agreement, you will not be able to get a French bank account or contract telephone, and will thus be considered a SDF (Sans Domicile Fixe) by the French. This will mean that you are forced to become a baba cool (hippy) and sit in the street with your dogs holding out a frying pan to ask for spare change.  

N.B. If you are staying for less than a year, it is worthwhile getting a contract phone, which will be cheaper than pay as you go, the phone will be nicer, and there’s little they can do about it when you tell them that you’re leaving the country before the contract finishes and close your bank account. But don’t tell anyone I told you.  

If you have never lived in the socialist paradise that is France, you may not be aware of the kinds of social benefits available to people living there. The CAF‘s housing benefit system could pay for some of your rent if you are a student or living on a low wage, although like most bureaucratic systems in France it takes about six weeks to get anywhere with it, and since these forms are all in French, it is more like a test of your reading comprehension which you need to pass to gain entry to French society.  

Learning French

If you are (un)lucky enough to be a political refugee, asking at the Préfecture (a big administrative building which makes you feel like Josef K from Kafka’s The Trial, wondering if you’ll ever be told what you’ve done wrong in order to end up there) or at the Conseil Général can get you free French lessons, which can otherwise be obtained by calling the ADATE organisation. I am not sure if you can get lessons with them without being a refugee, but I am considering telling them that I have been forced to flee from the UK as a result of the impending government takeover by a bunch of Tories with accents so posh and annoying that they constitute a form of social oppression. If you have to go to the Préfecture for any annoying bureaucratic reason, like to obtain a carte de séjour, don’t ask anyone which ‘queue’ you should stand in. The French for queue is pronounced like ‘que’, while saying ‘queue’ sounds like the French word for something rude.  

Transport  

When it comes to transport, if you are poor, the bicycle/vélo will become like your husband or wife, or perhaps the god to whom you pray for benevolence. If it works well, you love it and praise it, and if not you curse it. There are three main places I know of to obtain bikes cheaply. Firstly: on the street. I found three bikes lying in crumpled heaps on pavements in the first month I was here. The problem then is to take them to somewhere you can repair them. So either have a bike repair kit (Decathlon, around €15), or go to the second place to get cheap bikes – Un P’tit Vélo Dans La Tete meaning something like ‘A little bit biked in the head’.

This atelier (workshop) sells bikes that have been repaired for between €15-60, or you can go there to fix your own by paying a €15 abonnement (subscription). It is a good place to practice your French, as there are lots of guys who can help you to fix your bike, and they have a handy board on the wall with a picture of a bike and the French names for every part of it indicated. However, fixing bikes takes time, and if you have a second hand bike, or one you bought at P’tit Velo, it will break down roughly every two weeks. On the plus side, you will get very good at repairing bikes. The third option is Métrovélo, who will give you a generic yellow bike for €75 for six months (plus €50 deposit) and repair it for you if it breaks down.  

Of course, you can always chance a free ride on the tram, but getting caught by the officials will land you with a €65 fine, unless you can pretend to be a totally clueless foreigner. The tram tariff is €24 a month for students, but Grenoble is the flattest city centre in France, and waiting for a tram and slumming it with Joe Public are hidden costs not worth paying in my opinion. That’s why liberté comes before egalité and fraternité: because it’s more important.  

If you want to go further that the city limits, go to www.covoiturage.fr and find someone who is making the same journey as you to go with. It will be far cheaper than any other method of transport, and the people I’ve met doing it have all been nice.  

Food  

Although many people come to France for the food, as an impoverished young person, this will likely be one of the areas in which you sacrifice quality in order to live within your means. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, a man who lives within his means has no imagination; but you will likely be finding your culinary options limited by the exigencies of having little money to spend. Ed is a cheap supermarket, and it happens to bear the name of some of my friends, although since the name Edward doesn’t exist in French, they call it “Ee-de”, which sounds much more corporate and less friendly. It is worth taking a notebook around to the supermarkets to write down prices of items you buy regularly, because while vegetables may be cheaper in Ed, Géant may have cheaper milk, for example. Unfortunately, I have just been informed by my collocataire that Ed is closing down – evidently the world of modern commerce is too cruel for such friendly-named businesses – but Lidl is almost identical in that it has hardly any choice of products and brands you have never heard of, but they are all usually cheaper than the Géant/Casino equivalent.  

Yet if one just bought the budget Casino brand pasta/rice/couscous to eat with with vegetables every day, you might end up wanting to kill yourself. So for the minimum luxury of not cooking the food yourself, you can go to a CROUS canteen, near the gare, or in Domaine Universitaire. These are supposed to be for students, but you can just pay the €2.90 it costs for a meal there in cash without showing any student card as well. You get bread, salad or cheese, a main meal of canteen standard chips/pasta/vegetables/etc. and some meat served with customary indifference and a bad attitude by people who look deeply unhappy about serving ungrateful students who could pay their wages with their tuition fees (those who go to an École supérieure anyway).  

Working  

Of course, if you really want to make things easier on yourself financially, you could get a job. “A job? What’s that?” I hear you cry. “I am a student – they don’t work. Then I wouldn’t have time for all the drinking and Facebook which the energy I consume from crisps and Red Bulls goes into”. Well, you could work part time. If you are a native English speaker, you could get employed by a soutien scolaire company, telling kids what they did wrong with their homework. Believe me, it’s satisfying to be on the other end of this after receiving homework corrected in red-teacher-ballpoint ink for 10 or more years. Don’t be put off if you don’t have a TEFL or CELTA qualification, I didn’t find this a hindrance, though it may help to say you have experience of private teaching even if you haven’t.

If there’s one thing I learned looking for jobs here it’s that it doesn’t pay to be honest: always tell them you are available to work, always tell them you have the experience. It took me a while of offering my services to language companies (Grenoble Life already has a useful list here), universities and other places like the Chamber of Commerce and Rectorat before I was employed, but once you have your foot in the door, you will hear about other teaching  jobs that are advertised within teaching circles.  

The Pôle jeunesse on Avenue Agutte Sembat has a useful wall full of job and accommodation offers. But if you have a degree, they will tell you that they can’t help hoity-toity types like you and that you should go instead to AFIJ who have an office at 29 Avenue Felix Viallet near Cour Jean Jaurès. These guys mostly have offers for internships or well paid jobs, so if you are just looking for a petit boulot, the Pôle jeunesse might be more useful.

You could try working in a bar, but the French can be quite snooty if your linguistic skills aren’t up to scratch. This matters less when applying to one of the studenty bars like London Pub or Sun Valley, but you will invariably have to call a Frenchman ‘boss’ (and thereby lose all the nationalistic self-respect you have built up living in your own great land), and traipse around the campus putting up flyers just for the pleasure of sacrificing most of your evenings for €9 an hour. There are also lots of agencies you can work for who hire waiters and other restauration workers for company or other private functions, but I personally found them somewhat useless, though Adecco is worth a try. Then you can try the listings in Pôle Emploi, which is like the JobCentre in the UK, but with more paperwork.  

Of course one of the reasons why you came to Grenoble is to ski, so if you are a student, join the École de Glisse, and try to obtain some cheap equipment from one of the second hand ski places like Boite aux Skis. There is no way of getting around that skiing is expensive however you do it, but hopefully you will have saved enough money in other areas to afford the silly ski-pass prices. And if you injure yourself, just remember to have your European Health Card handy. Good luck, mes amis.

Mas du Bruchet, Meylan

Anne-Marie Ferguson and her husband run the Le Mas du Bruchet Bed & Breakfast in Meylan. Here is their story of how they set about restoring the building and its original vineyards. 

“In the upper reaches of Meylan, close to the slope of the mountain, there was a small white cottage, surrounded with vineyards and gardens, from where there is a plunging view on the Isère Valley”*, thus spoke Berlioz about this place in his memoirs. 

This is also how my parents discovered, when they bought the property in 1957, that they were the lucky owners of a very special place. When my husband Michael and myself took the place over from my family, the house and its adjacent barn were surrounded by five hectares of land covered with a thick forest. We found an old picture in the Archives of Meylan, showing the white house, surrounded by vineyards. It then went through our mind that we would rather have a view on a vineyard than a forest. And so started our adventure. 

To begin with, Michael took a correspondence course with the Wine School of Beaune in Burgundy, which he completed within two years. The academic part done, the land needed preparation. We hired a landscape company that spent three weeks cutting the trees, digging stumps out and burning them (we had a huge fire going on for all that time). He then levelled the land which was on a 14° slope, and finished preparing it for plantation. 

We then gathered a bunch of devoted friends over one weekend and in spring 1998, planted the first plot of 3,600 wine plants. That lesson learned, for the next plantation of 9,700 plants, we hired professionals, who spent three full days at their task. Michael chose the Verdesse grape varietal, a traditional and local plant that had nearly vanished, as it was considered as a capricious and irregular plant. Michael was convinced that this varietal had qualities that could be the basis for a great wine and set out to prove it. 

The first small harvest being scheduled for three years later, we had time to organize a cellar. We bought a second-hand wine press, a pump, and stainless steel vats from Teisseire in Bernin, from which emanated lovely lemon sirop flagrances! We have since invested in wooden barrels where our vintage is kept for 18 months. 

In 2003, we restored the adjacent barn and built a traditional vaulted wine cellar on its subterranean part. Above, we created four rooms that we turned into a Bed & Breakfast we named Le Mas du Bruchet. We welcome businessmen and travellers from around the world and if they happen to be with us during the harvest and fermentation time, they have the privilege of enjoying the sweet smell of fermenting must as they enter the building! 

In 2004 and again in 2009, our efforts were rewarded as our Verdesse won the gold and silver prize, at the concours des vins de l’Y grenoblois. We surprised many locals, who predicted that we could produce nothing extraordinary with the local grapes and terroir. We have now a regular following of people who come to our cellar on the property, and proudly introduce a bottle of Verdesse wine from Meylan on their table or counter!

* Translation © 2004-2010 Monir Tayeb and Michel Austin. All rights reserved. See the full text here.

Now that the snow in Grenoble has almost melted (insert a “boo!” or “hurray!” here, depending on your proclivity), here is a reminder of what you may or may not now be missing - some magical photos of the city under the snow from our resident photographer Suzanne Bonnefond.

Building work at Chamrousse

New from our partner Captiv Magazine, this comprehensive article details the recent investments – to the tune of 13m euro – made at the Chamrousse ski resort near Grenoble. Find out what has been done and why at www.captiv-magazine.fr

Saint Hugues Church, Chartreuse

 Cynthia Caughey is author of The Video Diary of an American in France – her adventures as an American woman starting life over at 50 in the French Alps … with videos, photos, regional recipes, travel tips, and a few laughs about adjusting to life in France. She has kindly agreed to share this video about a visit to the Chartreuse.

by Cynthia Caughey

“Chartreuse is a small region about 30 minutes outside of Chambéry in Isére. There are several quaint, mountain villages which are worth driving through, but what’s even more beautiful is the scenery of the mountains, hills, forests and pastures. It may be the most gorgeous scenery I’ve seen yet in the region which explains why we frequent it on our motorbike.

The main little town is called St. Pierre du Chartreuse; near the town are the museum and the Abby, which was first settled in the 1100s by a Monk who came to the area for isolation and solitude. The Abby is still occupied by monks who have taken an oath of silence. Visitors are usually not allowed. Their income is made from the liquor they produce which is also called Chartreuse. It’s quite famous in France. It has an herbal taste, and frankly, I don’t care for it, however you can take a tour of where they make it and other liquors in Voiron, which is a 45 minute drive away. The tour includes a tasting of the local liquors – some of the fruit flavored ones are excellent. The monks run almost the entire operation from their computers back at the abby and only two monks know the Chartreuse liquor recipe, which dates back to the 1700s.

For me, however, the best place to stop in St. Pierre du Chartreuse is the Saint Hugues Church. It is filled with contemporary religious art by Arcabas and is glorious to see. Most French people in Chambéry don’t even know about the church so this is truly a wonderful secret to discover.”

Hammam – Thermes Brides les Bains. Photo: S.Kempinaire

Check out this new article from our partner Captiv Magazine about the history and practice of hydrotherapy in France.  From water-massage to mineral baths and hammams, the article is a thorough exploration of the subject and includes a handy guide to the region’s finest spa retreats. Read the full piece here: www.captiv-magazine.fr

Bikes, St Laurent. Photo: James Dalrymple

New resident Shonah Kennedy – aka Miss Shonah – gets around Grenoble en vélo. She encourages you to do the same. Here is her guide to enjoying and surviving your daily bicycle commute in the Capital of the Alps.

by Shonah Kennedy

Did you know Grenoble is the flattest city in France? This is a statement that I have heard on more than one occasion in my two short months here – and it has indeed been verified by my favourite search engine! What does this fact mean for the residents of Grenoble and its surrounds – Get on your bike(s)!

What better way to commute in the flattest city in France than from the luxury of your own two-wheeler, two-leg-powered machine and – as an added bonus – breathing in the fresh air of the mountainous surrounds?  So, you want to commute by bicycle … there are a few essentials before you peddle off.

Essential 1: A Bike

You can go to the usual suspects – Decathlon, Go Sport etc. or you could try viable alternatives.  Quite by mistake I bought my bike from Carrefour – not even being aware that you could get bikes – and bikes of decent quality with any service – there.  However, my vélo de ville is strong, road-ready, equipped with a cute basket and warrantee to boot! There was even a very helpful bike technician there to tighten a few nuts and bolts before I rolled it through the cash register!

If you wanted to try to commute en velo, but without committing to a bike immediately – Métrovélo can help.  They are very informative and give assistance readily (they also have insider information on where is best to buy second hand bikes, if this is something you want to consider) and you can hire a bike from them for one day or one year!

Essential 2: Protection

So, now you have your machine of choice – be sure to be well equipped! When you drive, or catch a bus or tram to commute – you can run directly from your warm and cosy house into a warm and cosy vehicle (or, of course in the summer months, air-conditioned bliss). There is a layer of vehicle between you and the sometimes inclement mountain weather. Sadly, a bike does not offer this protection so you need to B.Y.O.

Therefore (and from experience of not donning these items) gloves, jacket, head gear and very thick socks will make your commute a more enjoyable experience.  And really, need more be said – it is cold out there (now) and all extremities are vulnerable. It is always better to be able to take layers off than be so cold you can’t operate your machine properly!

With regards to a helmet – there is no question, get one!  It is the only item that will stop you from hitting your head on anything harder than your head in the case of any type of accident. When sitting parallel to a big monster truck, or bus, human insignificance seems to be magnified and these moments make you realise that helmets are good ideas!

Thanks to daylight savings and another Northern Hemisphere winter quickly approaching, it is getting very dark “out there” very early – BE VISIBLE! Yes, look like the “stop/go person” at road works, get more lights than are necessary. Imagine a rolling Christmas tree and this should give you some indication of the level of illumination you need on the roads after dark – or pre-light depending on the hour you need to start commuting.

Essential 3: Know where you are going

There are over 280 kilometres of bike paths in Grenoble.  Not only does this make commuting extremely easy to do, it also allows for many opportunities to get lost! From the Tourist office, Métrovélo, or many online sites you can get a simple map and pre-plan your daily commute, until it becomes as easy and as simple as jumping on the bus.

Now you have your essentials – get on your bike! This is an exciting moment, so considering the following will make it really fun!

Enjoy your daily commute!

**Leave yourself plenty of time to get all your gear on (layers take time to put on and take off!).  Cycle at a steady pace (you don’t want to get to work everyday looking akin to “Mr Messy” because you had to cycle like crazy to get there on time!). For timing purposes I once tried to chase a bus. This little riding experiment resulted in the conclusion that it takes approximately the same amount of time to ride a bike as it does to take the bus. So, to be safe – as I was really pushing the leg power to its limits – perhaps a little extra time should be factored in!

**The road can be a veritable mine-field. There are cars, trucks and buses coming from all directions.  Once you are in town there are trams and pedestrian traffic to contend with. Wherever there is a bike path there are traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, one way streets, Give Way and Stop signs, puddles that cars will always run into just at the precise moment as to splash onto your newly ironed trousers – so all I can say is take it easy. Don’t get bike rage. Take a breather on the footpath and be aware that you and your bike are probably the most insignificant things using the road. The wonderful thing about commuting by bike is that you can go at exactly the speed you want. You want to stop and take a photo – there is no ringing the little green button, just put on the brakes!

**Know your limits.  The other day – in the pouring rain – I saw one brave soul riding along with her umbrella open. This is an absolute personal choice – however when it is a torrential downpour I am on any form of public transport that keeps me dry!

Remember – if it is difficult and you feel out of breath and the cars are just plain ignoring you and all the lights seem to be red – you are doing a wonderful thing for your own well-being, getting to see the city in a whole new light and also you are being very kind to the precious environment! So what are you waiting for – Get on your bike(s)!

Bioclimatic house, Isère. Photo: Christian Pedrotti

Home to painter-sculptor Bernard Roudet, this stunning bioclimatic house nestled in the hills between Vinay and Tullins faces the Vercors mountain range. Built in wood in the 1980s by architect Jean-Pierre Mercier, this energy-efficient home dominates the Isère valley. Find out more on www.captiv-magazine.fr

1. The plateau of St Hilaire, where the Coupe Icare takes place

Suzanne Bonnefond is an enthusiastic amateur photographer and contributor to the Grenoble Life gallery. In the first of a series of posts on local walks, she takes us to a ruined mill near St Hilaire du Touvet.

by Suzanne Bonnefond

An interesting place to go to on a fine autumn day, ideal for those who like unusual historical spots …

Near St Hilaire du Touvet, go to “Les Gaudes” and leave your car in the car park just nearby. It is next to the paragliding launch point – if the weather is fine you can watch them taking off (photos 1–3). Then, follow the yellow signs to “Porte Traine – Cascade des Dioux” a twenty-minute walk across the fields (photo 4). Next, take the little trail that goes down along the stream (photo 5) – be careful as it can be slippery – and admire the waterfall “Cascade des Dioux” (photos 6 –7). A bit further down, cross a bridge (photo 8), and there you will discover this strange place: old millstones covered with moss, a medieval oil mill (9 –13). We would like to imagine this place is haunted by Jacques de Porte Traine, the miller of the Bishop of Grenoble, who ran the place in 1275 and – with Photoshop – it’s possible (photo 14)!

2. Paragliders

3. Paragliding

4. Morning on le plateau des petites roches

5. the path

6. la cascade des Dioux

7. cascade des dioux

8. the bridge

9. le moulin de porte-traîne

10. le moulin de porte-traîne

11. Millstone

13. Ruined mill - we can imagine we were in the jungle

13. le moulin de porte traîne

14. Ghost of Jacques de Porte Traine

Par une belle journée d’automne, une promenade idéale pour ceux qui aiment les lieux insolites : le plateau des Petites Roches, la cascade des Dioux et le Moulin de Porte Traîne … un lieu historique et mystérieux

Prendre la direction de St Hilaire du Touvet,  puis les « Gaudes » . Se garer sur le parking des Gaudes … On est tout près du terrain de décollage des parapentes, alors s’il fait beau, c’est un plaisir de les voir décoller (Photos 1–3). Puis suivre les pancartes jaunes « Porte-Traine – Cascade des Dioux »  20 mn – c’est donc très proche – une courte ballade à travers les prairies (photo 4). Puis on emprunte un sentier (photo 5) – qui descend, et qui peut être très glissant car il longe le torrent, et admirer « la cascade des Dioux » (6 – 7). Un peu plus bas, on traverse un petit pont (photo 8) et voila un lieu mystérieux : un ancien moulin à huile qui date du moyen âge … Il reste quelques meules de pierre… (photos 9–13). On se plait à imaginer ce lieu hanté par Jacques de Porte Traîne, meunier de l’Evêque de Grenoble, qui exploitait ce moulin vers 1275 (photo 14). On en rêvait !! Photoshop l’a fait !!

A barn in Vercors

Suzanne Bonnefond is an enthusiastic amateur photographer and contributor to the Grenoble Life gallery. A long-term resident of the Grenoble who has also lived in Paris and London, she kindly agreed to share her sightseeing photos around Grenoble.

by Suzanne Bonnefond

Photography is my hobby. I like to take pictures of scenery, romantic places and close-up portraits of flowers. I always try to give my photos a poetic touch.

In Grenoble we can easily reach a lot of beautiful places without having to walk for a long time. These photos will show you wonderful places for family walks.

waterfall near la Grave

in summer … Lavaldens

Chartreuse, le Granier

la Meije

Fishing in a mountain lake in Belledonne

le Chazelet, Oisans

le Chazelet in July

Wild flowers in Oisans – Gentian

Just a leaf

le Chazelet

The glacier – la Meije (you can reach it by cable car)

la Meije

la Meije

The glacier – la Meije (you can reach it by cable car)

la Meije seen in summer from l’Alpe d’Huez

Welcome in seven languages

Marion Lhuillier is chief librarian of the International Public Library (Bibliothèque Municipale Internationale) in Grenoble. She kindly agreed to answer our questions about the library’s services, her background and why she loves Grenoble.

Grenoble Life: As chief librarian, can you explain a little your background?

Marion Lhuillier: In December 2000 I was hired by the Grenoble library network to work on the project of the international library, which opened to the public in September 2003.

My personal background would probably explain this choice: after a humanities-oriented school education (German language and literature, French literature and library sciences), I started my professional life first as manager of the information centre in a big French food company, then as a product manager. There I discovered marketing, promotion and advertising, which became very useful later for my job as a chief librarian.

Then, after the birth of my third child, I worked as a librarian in a middle school near Paris and followed my children’s father, who works for Carrefour, to Taipei, where my kids became true American Students at Taipei American School (TAS). Over there, I discovered the life “abroad”, the American way of life and the American way of education (the students worked hard!); as well as the Chinese one. I worked at TAS as a part-time French language teacher assistant and came back to France with my children in September 1997.

At that time I realized how rich this experience had been for my children and I, how deeply it had changed my own opinion on people and countries: how much it had broadened my horizons. The benefit of this experience remains with me now.

I have continued to practice English and German for my pleasure as well as for my professional needs. I also use it to travel and visit my children, and have been back to China several times to see my daughter, who studied and worked in Shanghai and Beijing, but now works in London. I have also travelled to Wellington, New Zealand, where the second of my children studied one high school term, and to Patagonia for my own pleasure. Certainly I’ve never forgotten Europe! Trekking and reading are two of my favourite forms of entertainment … the third one is to enhance my linguistic efficiency or, at least, to keep it alive: thanks to languages, it has been easier to make contact with foreigners, who are both similar and yet so different from us. Building such human links is very important to me.

GL: What and where is the International Public Library?

ML: The International Public Library is part of the Grenoble library network and hosts collections in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.

It is located in the brand new Europole area, near the train station, Grenoble Ecole de Management, Minatec and CEA, not far from downtown, close to the B line tram station “Cité Internationale” (see full contact and address details, opening times and membership info at the bottom of the article).

GL: Who is the library for, and what facilities and services do you offer?

ML: Open to children as well as adults, the International Library offers various materials in these seven languages: fiction and non-fiction books, picture and comic books, magazines, language learning CD-Roms, DVDs, audiobooks, music and ethnic song CDs.

Access to the library is free of charge. You can borrow materials in all seven languages: up to 15 documents per membership card (as follows: 15 books, 15 journals, six CDs, four audiobooks, three CD-Roms for four weeks, three fiction and three non-fiction DVDs for two weeks).

From home (thanks to the internet), you can find documents through the online network catalogue. With your PIN number and your password, it is possible to renew your loans and make documents reservations.

There is also a special room dedicated to Rosetta Stone, the famous American language-learning software. In this case, as well as for browsing the internet, reservation is needed by phone or at the library. Both services are free of charge.

Salle de Lecture

GL: What events take place at the library?

ML: We also organise multilingual storytelling – the next one on December 2 at 16:30 – in English, Portuguese and French.

There are also meetings with authors from other countries – the next ones are on September 16 at 18:30 at the downtown Library with Colum McCann, the famous Irish-American writer, and on October 8, at the International Library, with Alicia Dujovne Ortiz, from Argentina.

Consulting the cultural program of the Grenoble’s library network is easy on our website or on our magazine “les Rendez-vous”!

GL: What does Grenoble mean to you?

ML: Grenoble is the town where I decided to work because of its cosmopolitanism, which reminds me of my life abroad, particularly in the tram, when I listen to people speaking so many foreign languages, such as Arabic, Chinese, English, German and several others that I don’t know.

Grenoble cannot be separated from its wonderful sunrises, with mountains like a shadow theatre and sunsets with rose-coloured mountains: an unbelievable luxury!

Bibliothèque Municipale Internationale
6 Place de Sfax, 38000 Grenoble
04 38 12 25 41 (tel)
04 38 12 25 46 (fax)
email : bm.internationale@bm-grenoble.fr

Opening hours:

- During school time : on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 5 to 7 pm, on Wednesday, from 2 to 6 pm and on Saturday, from 10 to 12 :30 and from 2 to 5 pm.
- During the school holidays : on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, from 2 to 6 pm, on Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm.

Membership:

You can become a member while paying an annual subscription, depending on your age and place of residence:
-Under 18 or still at lycée: free of charge. From 18 to 25 : 7 € (Grenoble residents and non-residents)
-Adults : 14 € (Grenoble resident), 35 € (Grenoble non-resident)
-Over 65 : free of charge (Grenoble residents), 35 € (Grenoble non-resident)
-Unemployed people, minimum wage earners, and asylum seekers have free membership. Please show an identity document and a proof of residence (e.g., utility bill) when signing up for membership.
Children under 16 must have their parents’ authorization.
Come and join us !!

Testing the off-road performance!

Darren Moss is an experienced climber from Preston in the UK but has lived in Grenoble for the last two years. In summer 2009 he and his girlfriend Cecile took off for Corsica from Grenoble by scooter. They lived to tell the tale on Grenoble Life.

by Darren Moss

All she’d ever done since I bought it was take the mickey out of it. So it came as a bit of a surprise when Cecile, my better-half, suggested that for our August holidays we should ride my 125cc Retro Chinese scooter from our home in Grenoble to Corsica.

I bought it from a supermarket last September for a thousand euros, brand new. Cecile described it’s Italian retro styling as a cross between a Harley Davidson and a plastic bug. Undeterred, I named it Tian-Ma, after the legendary Chinese horses of unnatural power and agility.

We made a pile of only the absolutely necessary items: a fifteen kilogram bag of ropes and climbing equipment, tent, sleeping bags and mattresses, a cooking stove and pots and pans and cans of gas, beach towels, snorkels and masks, inflatable dolphin, swimming costumes and a parasol, warm clothes for the mountains, waterproof jackets, first-aid kit, headtorches, tool kit for the scooter … We looked at our mountain of absolutely necessary items and something had to go. It was painful, but we left the flippers.

With four bulky backpacks strapped to it and another between my legs, the handling wasn’t up to it’s usual Ducati-like standard. The suspension bottomed out over bumps and tight turns were difficult as the handlebars hit my knees. But eventually, in the early evening, doubting our legality, we wobbled onto the open road and kept our eyes peeled for Gendarmes.

Maximum uphill speed: 25kmph

As it only did sixty kmph flat out, maybe seventy downhill with a tailwind and the mirrors folded back and my head tucked behind the speedometer, the autoroutes were a no-go. Even the big Routes Nationales were scary, as cars whooshed past leaving us weaving in a whirlwind of dust and fumes. So we stuck to the scenic route. This was better anyway. On steep uphill sections we couldn’t shift faster than twenty kmph, so we could relax, admire the scenery and converse with passing cyclists. At ten-o-clock, we struck our first camp, under a viaduct near Monestier de Clermont.

The next day we made it to Orange, where we saw Buena Vista Social Club in concert and luxuriated in a three star hotel. On day three we had to make it to Toulon, six hours of scootering away.

What’s that bloke doing in the middle of the road? It was one of France’s finest, Monsieur Gendarme, signalling us, of course, to pull over. I considered gunning the throttle and burning past him, but he looked quite fit and could probably run pretty fast. There were two of them. While the serious one scoured the bike for socially endangering infringements, the friendly one chatted about rugby and his elbow injury and how we reminded him of when his dad had travelled to Corsica on a motorbike when he was a kid and how we should mind out for people driving round the bends on the wrong side of the road, and the pigs – watch out for the wild pigs. By the end we were all laughing like a bunch of mates and they let us off scott free. We warbled away, riding proud and righteous.

On the afternoon of day four, we trundled down the ferry ramp amidst and the roar and growl of a squadron of brother-bikers. Corsica. We’d made it. For the next two weeks we swam in crystal seas, marvelled at the blood red sunsets, climbed the sculpted granite spikes high on the Massif de Bavella. We lazed naked in sun warmed mountain pools. And Tian-ma powered onward, over the highest of passes, along the roughest of roads and around the wildest of pigs.

Sunset, Col De Bavella, Corsica

Amazingly, someone nicked our reg. plate! We crawled out of the tent one morning and there it was; gone. It was undoubtedly already in Italy stuck to the back of a stolen motorbike. The thief obviously had too much respect to steal the whole bike. We reported the theft and fashioned a stylish cardboard replacement.

Then the back tyre developed a crack an inch long down the sidewall, which though not leaking air, could’ve exploded at any moment. Perhaps the designers envisaged that the tyre would last longer than the bike because to remove the rear wheel you have to remove the exhaust pipe, which requires the removal of the plastic fairings, which requires the removal of the seat, the rack, footrests … I’m convinced that manufacturers the world over have a competition to produce “The world’s least user-fixable vehicle”. This thing would’ve done well. So we nervously continued until the sad day that we had to leave Corsica.

On hearing of our epic voyage, the garage owner we found in Nice, his son, the mechanic, administrative assistants and several passing locals shook our hands in congratulation and admiration. He said that as a salesman of this model he knew how bad they are and that we’d made him very proud. He took photos to send to the manufacturers in China. Maybe there are already huge billboard advertisements all over China showing me and Cess astride their trusty steed.

Three more days of butt-numbing trek followed. We even grovelled our way up to Col de la Cayolle on the border between the Alpes-Maritimes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, all two thousand three hundred and twenty six metres. Some of the last bikers to fire past us beeping and waving, took our photo when we arrived.

Grenoble. Home. One thousand eight hundred and forty three kilometres and exactly three weeks later. The following Monday I rode the scooter to work. People still laugh at it, but they don’t know anything. Even Cecile is convinced. They’ve never known the joys of warm summer wind breezing through your Bermuda’s, the sweep and swoosh of the mountain roads, the joyful burble of a little low polluting cheap as chips motorbike, Tian-Ma.