Ecological Neighborhood
The Quartier de Bonne, also called the Eco-Quartier, gets its name from the late 19th century military barracks, the Caserne de Bonne, that occupied the site until 1994. This small neighborhood, in between the Grands Boulevards and the historic center, is noteworthy for its cutting edge ecological features. The project broke ground in 2003 and in 2009, it received the National Grand Prize for Ecological Neighborhoods in France awarded by the country's Ecology, Energy, and Sustainable Development Minister.The Ecological neighborhood is near the Jean Bron swimming pool and a small skate park where you can sometimes watch young skaters practicing their tricks. In September 2010, a shopping center is set to open with 30 to 40 shops and eateries such as H&M, Quicksilver, Le Vieux Campeur, and Ayako Sushi. This means that Grand'Place will no longer be Grenoble's only shopping mall. The neighborhood will also include a three-star hotel so that visitors can experience this unique living area.
The Ecological neighborhood, which for now is the only one of its kind in France, aims to solve several problems of urban living and growing cities. Thermal solar captors fulfill half of the area's hot water needs. Solar panels provide electricity for the commercial and residential buildings. The buildings' shapes are also compact to reduce urban sprawl—in a city surrounded by mountains, space quickly becomes limited.
Inhabitants will be able to enjoy the five hectares of public parks. With 850 apartments—40 percent of which will be social housing for low-income families—the Ecological Neighborhood is set to become one of Grenoble's most popular residential areas.
Hotels
