Grenoble Bastille

The Bastille is a fortified hillside above Grenoble, built up over centuries and given its present form by General Haxo in the 1820s, running up the slope in tiers of walls, tunnels and batteries. Since 1934 it has been reached by cable car from the town centre, and since 1976 the cabins have been transparent spheres, which is how most people know it: five bubbles crossing the Isere in about four minutes. The view takes in three mountain ranges meeting around the city, the Vercors, Chartreuse and Belledonne, with Mont Blanc visible on clear days. Tunnels and stairways lead back down on foot.

What you actually see

• The bubble cable car - transparent spheres crossing the river to the fort.
• The three ranges - Vercors, Chartreuse and Belledonne around the city.
• The fortress tiers - walls, batteries and tunnels up the slope.
• The walk down - stepped paths and galleries back into town.

When to go

Year-round; the cable car closes for maintenance in January and in high wind. Clear winter days give the best mountain visibility. Evening runs make the city lights worthwhile.

Honest expectations

The cable car queues at weekends and closes in bad weather. The fort itself is largely open ground and walls rather than exhibits. The walk down is steep with loose sections.

Nearby

The Vercors plateau lies southwest; the Chartreuse massif is north.