Grenoble-Bastille Cable Car (Les Bulles)

Iconic transparent bubble cars rising to the Bastille fortress above the city

Address Quai Stéphane Jay

The Grenoble-Bastille cable car rises from the Jardins de Ville on the banks of the Isère to the Bastille fortress 476 metres above the city. The journey takes less than five minutes and the panoramic views begin almost immediately: the Chartreuse to the north, the Belledonne to the east, the Vercors to the southwest, and Grenoble spread out below in the flat valley floor.

The cable car runs from early morning until late evening, with extended hours in summer. You can buy a round-trip or one-way ticket — many people ride up and hike back down via one of the marked trails through the forest, which takes about 45 minutes and is well worth doing if the weather is clear.

At the top, the Bastille complex has restaurants, terraces, and exhibits on the fortifications' history. The views at sunset are exceptional. On clear days you can see Mont Blanc.

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A story
The cable cars are known locally as "les bulles" — the bubbles — because of their spherical transparent gondolas. When they were installed in 1934, they were the first urban cable car in France. The current bubble design dates from 1976 and has become one of Grenoble's most distinctive sights: watching the spheres rise silently above the Isère River toward the hilltop fortifications is a pleasure whether you're inside one or watching from the quay.