Chamrousse offers trails 40min. from Grenoble during the summer. The buses (6 per day, €4.30) take you to the four bike paths the mountain has to offer.
Skiing And Snowboarding
Grenoble’s biggest ski areas are to the east of Oisans. Alpe d’Huez is where Lance Armstrong kicked ass in the mountain portion of the Tour de France, and where you can ski 250km of trails, ranging from bunny slopes for beginners to balls-to-the-wall vertical drops (Tourist office:}04 76 11 44 44wwww.alpedhuez.com Ski area}04 76 80 30 30.`Lift tickets €40.50, students €36 in late Dec-early May, €25/ €22.50 Mar-Dec). For those who left the bunny slopes long ago, head for Les Deux Alpes, the largest skiing glacier in Europe (Tourist office:}04 76 79 22 00;wwww.les2alpes.com. Ski area:}04 76 79 75 01.`Lift tickets per day in winter: €38.90, summer €33.50). Belledonne Devoid of the towering heights and pristine conditions of Oisans but boasting lower prices, Chamrousse offers 90km of downhill trails and 40km of alpine skiing. With a FUAJ youth hostel nearby (}0476 89 91 3), the atmosphere is more lively for those interested in a less intense introduction to skiing or snowboarding on easier trails. (Tourist office:}04 76 79 22 80;wwww.chamrousse.com`Lift tickets €17/ €14 for students/ €5 seniors over 70). Vercors South of Grenoble, and more popular with the locals, the resort Grass-en-Vercors boasts a 1000m vertical drop. The dirt cheap prices here are difficult for students to take advantage of, since the lodge can only be reached by car (~40min from Grenoble. Tourist office:}04 76 34 33 40wwww.gresse-en-vercors.com`Lift tickets: €17, under 18 €14).
Hiking
The hikes that depart from the Bastille range from romantic strolls to adrenaline fixes. Mont Jalla (~30min, 1.5km) is among the less strenuous. The trail is about as wide as a car, and is all switchbacks. A memorial to the fallen of WWII is situated at the top of the trail, where hikers are treated to panoramic views of the local city and the rivers. On a clear day you can see Mont Blanc, France’s highest mountain. Only .4km from the Bastille, the Grotte de Mandaran features a long and exciting (read: dimly lit and slippery) series of tunnels carved out of the mountain, which loop back around to the Bastille after reminding you why you were so afraid of the dark as a kid (lit until 9pm Apr-Sept, 7pm Oct-Mar). If that’s not enough of to curb your death wish, Via Ferrata is an Alpine climbing wall an hour up from the Bastille (Porte closes at 6pm Sept 16-Mar, 8pm Apr-Sept 15). Let’s Go advises that you rent your equipment at Barel Sport (42 rue Alcase-Lorraine}04 76 46 47 46`Also offers ski and snowboard packages for €13/17, weekly €67/90~Open year round M-Sa 9am-noon, 2-7pm. Nov-Mar open Su 8-11am) The Parc Guy Pape is a relaxing cool down after a day of bandeliering, and the easiest way to walk down from the Bastille for free. Be careful on this trail when it’s raining— the trail is mostly dirt and slippery concrete steps. To keep from getting lost, walk towards the signs to Porte deFrance or Jardin de Dauhpin, then follow the signs to Grenoble once about 20 minutes down the hill (closes at 5:30pm Sept 16-Mar, 7:30pm Apr-Sept 15). For more information on your Bastille hiking pleasures, hit the Maison de la Montagne and pick up a copy of the free and useful Carte des Sentiers des Franges Vertes, which will direct you to the most scenic trails at the top of the Bastille.
Though the Bastille trails are among the most easily accessible, Grenoble is surrounded by mountains, which provide both the casual hiker and the granola-munching BAMF with a diverse range of hikes to choose from. Chamechaude is among the most strenuous. The first section of the hike follows GR9 “Tour de Chartreause,” marked with red and white lines on trees and rocks. At Habert Chamechaude, take trail B on the climb up a near vertical rock face using a wire cable for assistence; it can be dangerous, especially when wet. Descend along same route. (14.2 km, 6-7 hr. roundtrip, 1068m elevation change. Take VFD bus #7140 to Le Sappey-en-Chartreuse (30 min. 2-3 per day, €1.40). The bus stops after the church; follow the street to the right downhill. The trailhead is marked with yellow signs on the left.) We recommend that the less hard core try Le Moucherotte. Follow the road to the left of the church and cemetery to the trailhead of the GR9, across the street from the panoramic viewpoint. This leads to the summit marked by red and white lines. A red and white “X” indicates you’re leaving the route. Descend by the same route. (8.4 km, 4 hr. round trip; 731m elevation change. Take Transière bus #5110 (dir. Lans en Vercors) to St-Nizier du Moucherotte (40 min, 1-3 per day, €3.20) and turn right toward the church). Almost all of Grenoble’s hiking trails canbe reached by public transport, and are free. The #31 bus takes you out to the the trailhead of an Alpine pass. More isolated hikes are accessed by car or infrequent buses. While the trails are well marked, we suggest splurging on a IGN hiking map at any bookstore or news stand in France for around €8. All bus schedules are available at the TAG info desk at the Maison du Tourisme.
Biking
Chamrousse offers trails 40min. from Grenoble during the summer. The buses (6 per day, €4.30) take you to the four bike paths the mountain has to offer.