Enjoy the calm of a suburban bike path
From downtown Grenoble, over 170 miles of bike paths fan out into the surrounding valley. The Alpine city presents some fantastic bike routes for seeing this part of France, at the foot of the French Alps. For visitors, it's possible to take advantage of both the natural and urban landscapes thanks to Métrovélo, a bike rental system that preceded even Paris' famous Véli'B.
With two agencies, one at the train station, the other on the university campus, visitors can easily and cheaply rent a bicycle for half a day or as long as a year, with prices starting at just 2 euros! And what's more, the price includes a bike lock, helmet, and child seat (if needed). Métrovélo also rents electrically assisted bicycles, for cyclists who want to enjoy the outdoors with minimal effort.
For visitors and newcomers, a map of the city's bike tracks can be picked up at either Métrovélo agency, the tourism office, and at some bicycle shops. For a real treat, check out the website for a few destination ideas (in French). A ride to nearby Sassenage's chateau and natural underground cisterns will enchant cyclists of any age. Further south, one of the seven wonders of the Dauphiné region awaits--Lesdiguière's bridge in Pont-de-Claix, opened to traffic in 1611.
With the Urban Cyclist's Guide, Métrovélo's map, and their bike rental service, anyone visiting Grenoble, even for just a weekend can take advantage of the network of bike paths that stretch in an around the city.
For everything you need to know about renting a bicycle in Grenoble, visit the Metrovélo website.
More about: Grenoble's guide to city cycling : Boating down the Tarn gorges : Hiking on the Larzac plateau : Tour de France : French culture and travel : Christina Rebuffet-Broadus
Comments
So, are some of these bike pathways for lazy people, or are they all tough uphill/downhill? The electrical assist bikes make me think...
Ha! Surprisingly, Grenoble is one of France's flattest cities, which encourages roughly 43,000 people to use the bike for their daily commute. Even the laziest of the lazy can enjoy cycling in Grenoble. The same can't be said for the surrounding mountains, however...
Does anyone know of a good bike shop in Grenoble in which to buy a good road bike?
Hamish, try Decathlon (my husband and I bought our road bikes there), Veloland (in St Martin d'Hères, a suburb of Grenoble), or Cycles Pinsello (in St Martin le Vinoux, another suburb). I've never actually been to that last one, but the others I know have a pretty good selection of bikes.
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