This destination, long symbolic of skiing and mountaineering, has diversified. Of course, theAlpe d'Huez and the Deux-Alpes, continue to attract lovers of skiing, the Ecrins massif is a delight for climbers and those who prefer the cow mountain can enjoy the Chartreuse and the Vercors. But if the massifs are the charm assets of the Isère, beautifying the landscape from one end of the department to the other, they are not the only attractions. Developing a gentle tourism, Isère offers its natural environment with the presence of a national park (Les Ecrins), two regional parks (Chartreuse and Vercors), numerous nature reserves and many sensitive natural areas, particularly remarkable wetlands. The capital of the Alps, Grenoble, is not lacking in charm with its old centre, its quays, its Fine Arts Museum and its student atmosphere. Other cities to visit include Vienna, the ancient and Roman city, and among the jewels of Isère, the musée d'Art sacré contemporain of Saint-Hugues-en-Chatreuse which houses the breathtaking work of Arcabas, the Grande Chartreuse museum below the monastery which has made a liqueur and a massif famous in the world. Families in Isère have two essential attractions: the Magie des Automates site (Lans-en-Vercors) and the Walibi amusement park (Les Avenières). Your tour guide will inform you about the great moments and the great sites of Isère.
Come in winter for the snow, you are sure to find snow in altitude. As soon as the weather is fine, you can walk on the many hiking trails in the mountains and valleys. Even if the high tourist season is winter, Isère is a destination that can be enjoyed all year round. In town, there is no closing time for museums and other cultural sites and monuments to visit. Only the ski resorts are empty in the off-seasons, except for the small village resorts which are alive all year round. A tramway trip to discover the street art spots of Grenoble is all year long, for example. But for the Vienna Jazz Festival, one of the most important in Europe, it is at the end of June/beginning of July. A word of advice however: avoid Grenoble in the height of summer, it's really hot there, so just go up to the surrounding peaks or dive into a lake.
The Isère is subjected to a patchwork of climates diversified according to altitude and exposure. From north to south, from the plain to the peaks, the influences of the Atlantic, continental, alpine and also Mediterranean are mixed. Sun in the south and mountain weather in the alpine massifs which rise to an altitude of more than 4,000 m (Ecrins).
