The G-SCOP laboratory is located in Grenoble in the Rhône-Alps Region.
The Rhône-Alps Region:
- 6,2 million inhabitants - 15% of the French economy (except for Paris) - Competitor with Ile de France - Economy superior to Portugal or Ireland - 2nd regional economy after Paris - 4th position in Europe in terms of researchers - 7th economy in Europe - Among the 5 most visited destinations in Europe
Grenoble, at the heart of the Rhone-Alps region in Southeast France, is located in the Isère department and holds a strategic position as the crossroads between Northern and Southern Europe. The city is surrounded by three mountain chains: Chartreuse, Vercors and Belledonne. It is the flattest city in France and its height reaches 213m! Welcome to the Bastille, a small fortified mountain at the crossroads of three Alpine valleys, 263m up. Its cable car was the first in the world to be located in a city (1934).
Naturally built like a Y due to the 3 mountains chains, Grenoble is reachable through 3 different ways: 1 through Valence and Lyon, another via the South and Napoleon road and the last via Chambery and Italy.
At the heart of Grenoble lies the historical city (200 years of history !) to the West, a worldwide scientific centre to the South, a city growth that boomed from the winter Olympic games in 1968 and to the East lies the University campus.
With one half million inhabitants and 65 000 students, 15 000 researchers, a 120 000 m2 campus spread among 4 sectors and 6 universities, Grenoble is the 2nd scientific pole in France with its 4 European Research centres: - European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) - Institut de Radioastronomie millimétrique (IRAM), the international millimetre radio astronomy facility - Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), neutrons source - European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF)
Grenoble also offers a large choice of sport and outdoors activities.
On the cultural side, you will find the Grenoble Museum and the Magasin' (National Centre of Modern Arts), The Dauphinois Museum, the Ancien Evéché' which all have splendid exhibitions. The first culture house, created in 1968 by André Malraux (current MC2: Grenoble) welcomes a large variety of activities and concerts.
On the sport side, Grenoble is a few minutes away from the first ski stations, and the trekking stations are directly accessible from the city centre (through the Bastille). Grenoble also has the privilege of having the first urban via ferrata.
With its 300 km flat bicycle paths, Grenoble is described as a real paradise for cyclists. The city also encourages people to take public transportation (buses and trams) via different administration programs.