September 23, 2012 Onward
After leaving Greece we headed back to France and decided to check out Grenoble – the “Capital of the Alps”. We read about Grenoble in our France tour book, and thought it sounded like a city we might really like. We decided to spend 2 weeks getting a feel for the city, and even within a couple days we knew this was a place we could definitely live in! We eventually found an apartment, and have been living here for over 4 months now! Here are some of the photos we’ve accumulated over the last few months – hopefully they will give you a bit of a feel for the city we have come to know and love!
Grenoble is surrounded by 3 different mountain ranges, so from most spots in the city (including out our apartment window) you can get a glimpse of the Alps!
We rented bikes using the Grenoble "Metrovelo" system, and checked out the city on wheels.
The first apartment we stayed in was an Airbnb apartment owned by a man named Jacques. He offered to take us into the mountains one day, which we gladly accepted! En route, we stopped at this church - the Eglise du Saint Hugues. Although its more modest than many of the churches we've seen, it was one of the most memorable, since inside was a collection of interesting contemporary art.
Jacques and Marie-Claire invited us to their beautiful house in the Chartreuse mountains, where we enjoyed lunch on their patio over looking the area.
Then they took us on a hike to check out some more spectacular views of the mountains.
Their hospitality and friendliness made us feel very welcome in Grenoble, one reason we got such a great impression of the city!
On another day we hiked up to the Bastille - an old fortress up on a small mountain overlooking Grenoble. There's a Gondola that can also take you to the top, which everyone refers to as "Les Boules" (The Balls!).
From the top you can see all the way across Grenoble to the mountains beyond.
Being at the top of a mountain overlooking the city with a Gondola that can take you up and down was oddly familiar... very reminiscent of another city we love... no wonder we felt to drawn to Grenoble!
Here's another perspective of "Les Boules" in action - making their way over the river that winds around Grenoble.
After a couple weeks we finally started making some friends. The first party we were invited to was a superhero theme party - and for Halloween-aholics like us who enjoy dressing up in ridiculous outfits, we fit right in!
The best part about Grenoble is how close it is to the mountains. In addition to lots of snowboarding, we've also gotten into Cross Country skiing!
We’ve found Grenoble to be a little gem of a city and are settling in nicely to this very international and outdoorsy place, where we’ve already met tons of great people!
You guys do look very at home in Grenoble! It’s a beautiful city and your pictures are awesome! We are REALLY looking forward to visiting you in August!