TGV and Grenoble (10/29/1981)

Thursday, October 29, 1981

Awakened by train crewmen banging on the door. We were already in Paris. Bought more TGV postcards, and when the tourist office opened at 7:00, I got some TGV brochures. When I went to get a TGV reservation, there were no more First Class seats. I ended up in 2nd Class on the 8:15 train to Lyon. Still had to pay the 8FRF/$1.50 fee.

Paris to Lyon TGV ticket

TGV locomotive

TGV entrance at Paris Gare de Lyon

Watched the 7:15 TGV leave, as well as one for Geneva. A large group of Asians were photographing each other in front of a TGV locomotive.

I was in car #15, which meant I had to walk past one complete 10-car train, and go to the middle of the second train coupled on. Second Class is definitely not as classy as first, and I never did appreciate French design. The seats were randomly colored in pairs of green, blue, and dark blue. I was at least able to ride facing forward.

We were really moving along. It was obviously the fastest I had moved in a ground vehicle, but things weren’t quite the blur I expected.

Arrived in Lyon-Brotteaux and switched right over to a train leaving for Grenoble. I couldn’t stay awake on this train. Arrived in Grenoble about 13:00. I got a city map from the tourist office and found the five squares that a Travel Magazine article suggested to visit. I left the modern copper and glass train station and followed Rue Casimir Brenier which led me straight to Place de la Bastille. It was busy with automobile traffic. There was a view of the muddy green Isère River below and the fortifications of the Bastille above on the hillside. Looking up river I could see the Téléphérique in the foreground and the snow-covered Alps in the background.

Téléphérique and Alps

La Bastille

Walking along the river, I discovered I had lost my map in a camera shuffle, and went back to find it. Continued along the river to the base of the Téléphérique/aerial tram way (established 1934, new gondolas in  1976).

Téléphérique base station

Téléphérique gondolas

Téléphérique gondolas entering station

Bought a round trip ticket for 15 FRF/$2.70 from a man in a sphere.

Téléphérique ticket

Four gondolas travel together along the aerial cable way, and I was directed to enter the 2nd car. The doors opened automatically and there were six little fold up seats circle around the central pole. The doors closed and we headed up to the ruins of the Bastille.
At the top there were hazy views into the sun of the city below. But it was clear in the direction of the Alps and you could see the slightly rosy-colored Mont Blanc.

View of Grenoble with Alps

View of the old town and gondolas

View of the Isère River

View towards Mont Blanc

More Alps

Zooming in on Alps

Above La Bastille

Heading down

Took the Téléphérique back own, passed the Jardin de ville/City Garden to Place Saint-André with its statue (1822) of Chevalier de Bayard, a French soldier whose remains are buried in the church here.

Place Saint-André

Made my way through numerous empty café tables and chairs to walk up Grande Rue to Place Grenette with its fancy fountain with dolphins by sculptor Victor Sappey.

Place Grenette fountain

Turned left on Rue de la République to the tourist office which didn’t have much to offer. A couple turns later I was at the edge of Place Verdun, a large green park.

Place Verdun

Grenoble trolley bus

Turned right on a side street to Boulevard Agutte Sembat to Place Victor Hugo, a park with benches, statues, and fountains.

Place Victor Hugo with statue of Hector Berlioz erected 1953

Returned to the train station on Avenue Alsace Lorraine. Used the last of my French coins for Tic Tac mints and caught the 15:14 train to Geneva. Arriving at 17:30, I had time to run to McDonald’s for a meal before the 18:24 train to Biel. Walked home and fell into bed.