Mountain Troops Memorial
NileGuide Expert Says:
A moving monument that looks over Grenoble and can be reached in a short hike.Address:
Grenoble,
NileGuide Expert tip:
If you want to see the memorial but two hikes is too much, take the bubbles to the Bastille and hike from there.Description:
If hiking up to the Bastille just made you want more, continue the trek up to the Mountain Troops Memorial atop the Mont Jalla. The summit stands at 630 meters in altitude and can be reached in about a 30-45 minute hike. Although the terrain is not too difficult, it is best to wear walking shoes with good grip.The memorial was inaugurated in June 2000 in recognition of the mountain troops who fought in 18 different battles. These include the Battle of the Alps in June 1940 and the Italian campaign that lasted from 1943 to 1945. It serves as a memorial site, but also as a sort of museum, with informational panels (in French) retracing the history of the mountain troops.
Part of the memorial site can be seen from Grenoble and looks more like ruins than a monument. These parts are indeed the remnants of the Vicat cement cable cars, which were built to transport rocks extracted from the nearby mines.
From the summit, visitors can of course look down onto Grenoble, but they will also have a direct view of the Mont Blanc when the weather is clear.
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