Grenoble

The known history of Grenoble covers a period of more than two thousand years. During Gallo-Roman times, the Gallic village was named Cularo, then that of Gratianopolis. Its importance increased during the eleventh century when the counts of Albon chose the city as the capital of their province, the Dauphiné. This status, consolidated by annexation to France, allows it to develop its economy. Grenoble then becomes a parliamentary and military city, in the immediate vicinity of the border with Savoy.

In 1788, the population mobilized to defend their parliamentarians during Tile Day by attacking the royal troops. Antoine Barnave and Jean-Joseph Mounier, representatives of the Third Estate, at the origin of the famous Jeu de Paume oath, were famous Grenoble actors of the French Revolution.

The industrial development of Grenoble really began in the 18th century with glove-making and was accentuated in the second part of the 19th century, with the discovery of white coal. But Grenoble experienced its strongest growth during the Thirty Glorious Years.

The organization of the Winter Olympics (1968) symbolizes this period of great upheaval for the city. As its development continues, Grenoble is today asserting itself as a major European scientific center