Grenoble City Map Poster

About Grenoble

The inhabitants of Grenoble are known as "Grenoblois". The many communes that make up the metropolitan area include three suburbs with populations exceeding 20,000: Saint-Martin-d'Hères, Échirolles and Fontaine. The first human settlement on the territory of Grenoble dates back to prehistoric times. Remains from this period were found in the caves of St Marcel and in a more recent cave called La Balme de Sillingy (a few kilometres west). In 1968, archaeologists discovered remains of hunter gatherers from the same era in what is now St Martin's Cave under Rue Pierre Curie. It was at this time that it was decided to build a scientific laboratory dedicated to prehistory within an artificial cave; today it houses one if France's most important paleolithic collections for its size – over 130 skeletons – including some 21 complete or partial skulls which have been reconstructed using 3D technology by Patrick Périnet (see below).