Between Savoie and Hautes-Alpes, the Isère offers nature lovers very contrasted landscapes where valleys, plateaus and high summits meet. Ideal for the practice of all the outdoor leisure activities, the department will also seduce you by the Charm of its cities and the splendor of its heritage.
With 23 ski resorts, 30 Nordic sites and four mountain ranges, the Isère is distinguished by the variety of its winter sports sites. In a mythical resort such as Alpe d'Huez, Les Deux Alpes or Chamrousse, a more family resort like Lans en Vercors or Autrans, you can practice all kinds of skiing : downhill, nordic, freestyle, snowshoeing , Luge, sled dogs... During the summer, these large ski areas reveal their verdant relief and invite you to experience new sensations. On the program : hiking in the heart of grandiose landscapes, mountain biking, cycling on the famous passes of the Tour de France, horseback riding, rafting, climbing, paragliding...
After getting full of adrenaline, treat yourself to some city breaks. In the center of the Isère, Grenoble seduces by the beauty of its site and by the richness of its heritage. Explore the pedestrian streets of its historic district and let yourself be seduced by the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the former Episcopal Palace, the Dauphiné Parliament Palace and the numerous mansions built between the 15th and 18th centuries. Then visit Vienna, the Roman monastery, to admire its many historical monuments : the temple of Augustus and Livia, the ancient theater, the cathedral Saint-Maurice, the abbey Saint-Pierre or the castle of Bâtie, dating from the thirteenth century.
Then take advantage of the wide open spaces offered by the Isère natural parks : Écrins, Chartreuse and Vercors. Walking or mountain biking, you will discover prodigious natural sites such as the Malleval Circus, the Dent de Crolles, Mount Aiguille or the Bruyant Gorges. But do not forget to take a few visits to some of the most important places such as the Grande Chartreuse monastery, the medieval city of Saint-Antoine l'Abbaye, the Notre-Dame de la Salette basilica and the castles of Vizille, Bressieux and Virieu. Along the way, take the time to taste the local products and dishes : ravioles du Royans, gratin dauphinois, blue Vercors, Saint-Marcellin, walnut Grenoble, Chartreuse...