News and Events in Isère this summer
News:
Chef Christophe Aribert, 2* Michelin, opens La Maison du Chef in Uriage Les Bains in Isère
Three years after opening the successful restaurant, La Maison Aribert, in the town of Uriage-Les Bains, chef Christophe Aribert is embarking on a new adventure by opening a boutique hotel in the heart of Uriage Park in May 2022. The Maison du Chef is designed and built around a tree theme, which is dear to the chef’s heart. The roots symbolise a connection to source; the sap, the essence of life, climbs up to the roof and the five new bedrooms on the top floor. The green spaces of the La Maison hotel will highlight the surrounding nature with an enchanting garden laid out as a path of discovery, awakening the senses, as well as fruit trees, a greenhouse, an educational vegetable garden, and a walking path. The project will meet environmentally responsible criteria by focusing on geobiology (a field of scientific research that explores the interactions between the physical Earth and the biosphere). The building will also house a quirky wellness area with two hot-and-cold-water pools, renowned for their ability to help the body recover. Christophe Aribert will also be inviting holistic practitioners from the region to offer individual or group sessions that promote healthy eating and well-being for both body and mind. Prices start from £200 / €242 per night. www.maisonaribert.com Isère: www.alpes-isere.com
Discover nature and biodiversity in Grenoble in Isère
In the heart of south-eastern France, Grenoble in Isère is celebrating an exceptional year and is using this opportunity to highlight its attractiveness as capital of the Alps and European Green Capital 2022. As part of the European Green Capital celebrations, Grenoble Alpes Tourisme has created a dedicated programme of guided-tours: nature and biodiversity in the city, Grenoble’s eco-neighbourhoods, landscape talks, themed bike rides, and family tours. To complete the offering, Grenoble Alpes Tourisme has also created a new walking theatre production, connecting mythology and nature in the city. This flagship experience for the summer season in Grenoble is going green in 2022: Les Racines du Futur (The Roots of the Future), written, directed and performed by actor Pascal Servet, tells the story of a tree that returns to Grenoble to regain its vegetal state and report on humanity. www.grenoble-tourisme.com Stay at Gîte d’étape du Néron, one of the rare urban gîtes in France, constructed from wood, hemp and lime. Situated at the foot of the Vercors Regional Natural Park, and the edge of Fontaine and Grenoble, it is only 25 minutes from Grenoble station on foot. A double room starts from £25 / €31 per night for two people. www.gitedetapefontainegrenoble.com Isère: www.alpes-isere.com
Escape into the wild and unusual Chartreuse in Isère
This new six-day hike in the Chartreuse offers a beautiful, easily accessible, and timeless route. A qualified guide leads the tour, introducing walkers to the secrets of the Chartreuse: see unique landscapes including the Entremont valley, spot traces of Carthusian monks history, listen to tales of life in the past, visit the Grande Chartreuse Museum, explore the Echelles caves, look out for the Sardinian Way mapped by Napoleon, plus a whole host more. A medium level of hiking fitness is required. Try the comfort trip and stay in cottages and small hotels where accommodation providers will transport luggage. Price: seven days from £700 / €849 pp www.alpette.com Isère: www.alpes-isere.com
Enjoy Tour de France day trips by bike in Isère
Straddling the Alps and the Rhône valley, the department of Isère offers a new France Bike Experience. The 21 Tour de France day trips for cyclists follow the route from Briançon to Alpe d’Huez. The 109th Tour de France is passing through Alpe d’Huez this summer. With an instructor, an accompanying minibus, and refreshments, outings run from July to September one or more times a month or on request (prices TBA). In June, the team also offers courses for anyone preparing to join the amateur L’Étape du Tour on 10 July 2022, costing from €250 / £208 pp. Isère www.alpes-isere.com
FESTIVALS:
Street Art Fest Grenoble – Alpes: 27 May to 25 June 2022
Watch urban art creations come to life as local street artists rub shoulders with the world’s best to tag monumental works of art onto the walls of Grenoble. The unmissable Street Art Fest Grenoble – Alpes transforms the entire city into an open-air museum for a month. Watch the renowned street artists gather to create large-scale displays with exhibitions, films, guided tours, and workshops. www.streetartfest.org Isère www.alpes-isere.com
41st Jazz à Vienne: 29 June to 13 July 2022
Head to the picturesque Ancient Theatre, Jardin de Cybèle and more venues for some incredible jazz. Jamie Cullum, Nate Smith, Michael Kiwanuka, Black Pumas, George Benson, Cory Wong, Herbie Hancock, Thomas de Pourquery, and Maceo are just a few of the headliners who will make the old foundations of the ancient theatre resound. Don’t miss the “All Night Jazz” experience on Wednesday 13 July from 8.30 pm to 5 am, with the first three names out of six for this crazy night under the stars including American funk and soul jazz saxophonist Maceo Parker, the Brazilian singer Flavia Coelho, and the Nubiyan Twist collective. And don’t miss jazz in the city: discover Vienne’s secret and surprising locations by following the red thread of jazz through the city. One-off concerts are performed in the marketplace, in a square, at a church, in a neighbourhood, in museums etc. Bands perform either solo, in large groups, acoustically, or while strolling around – with about 20 concerts in total. www.jazzavienne.com Isère www.alpes-isere.com
Festival of Wood in Chamrousse: 13–14 August 2022
Don’t miss the 69th edition of the oldest lumberjack competition in France. The aim is to chop up as many pieces of wood as possible with an axe. The event is made up of elimination rounds with fallen logs and the final with standing trees. The “Passe-Partout” association organises the oldest wood festival in Chamrousse 1650, with entertainment throughout the weekend, demonstrations and activities related to the wood industry including rustic methods, sheepdogs, and a craft fair. Free admission. www.chamrousse.comIsère www.alpes-isere.com
Echappée Belle, Ultra Crossing of Belledonne: 19-21 August 2022
An adventure that starts from Vizille (Isère) and arrives in Aiguebelle (Savoie). A magnificent trail of 149 km and 11,400 m of ascending gradient, which takes participants from 250 m to 2,950 m above sea level. A crossing of all the Alpine levels from lodge to lodge, from forests to high-altitude lakes, from scree to moraines, from glaciers to torrents. Échappée Belle traverses right through the Belledonne range, which is characterised by its high technicality and its commitment to difficult-to-access trails. This sporting event immediately established itself in the world of “ultra” trail rides.
www.lechappeebelledonne.com Isère www.alpes-isere.com
For more information about the activities and region of Isère (including environmental information, sports, gastronomy, events, accommodation, and more) please see the press pack here.
For more information about Isère, please visit: www.alpes-isere.com
About: Isère is a department in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It extends from the banks of the river Rhône to the summits of the French Alps. The region is easily accessible from Lyon airport all year round, including numerous flights from London and other major cities in the UK. With mountain ranges, preserved countryside, cities and vast plains, Isère is a popular destination for walking, running, cycling, gastronomy and wine as well as breathtaking scenery.
