Grenoble Airport Guide
Situated 40km northwest of the city, Grenoble Alpes Isere is a medium size commercial airport which is well positioned for many of France’s most popular ski resorts.
Grenoble airport originally started as a military aviation field in 1930 but was developed in to a commercial airport in 1968 for the Grenoble Winter Olympics. This was a unique Olympics at the time as nearby resorts were used for different sporting activities, rather than one city hosting all the activities. Alpe d’Huez was the venue for the bobsleigh event while Chamrousse hosted the downhill skiing. It was also the Winter Olympics where Frenchman Jean-Claude Killy won three gold medals which led to Val d’Isere and Tignes’ Espace Killy ski area being named after him.
Grenoble is relatively small for an international airport and facilities can be a little limited, but are mostly of good quality. Over 500,000 people pass through Grenoble airport each year, and the majority of them are skiers and snowboarders travelling during the winter months. The airport services can be pushed to their limits during peak periods but the staff deal with things well for the most part.
A range of well-known European and International airlines fly in and out of Grenoble airport during the winter season including British Airways, Jet2, EasyJet & Transavia. Cheap flights can usually be purchased for Grenoble airport from countries within Europe, but be aware that weekends, and particularly Saturdays tend to be busier and more expensive during the winter months.
Grenoble is the closest airport to the French resorts of Alpe d’Huez and Les Deux Alpes with a transfer time of just over 1.5 hours for both. Although not the closest transport point, it is also a good choice for resorts like Meribel, Courchevel, Val Thorens & Les Arcs – and transport connections are excellent with a range of travel options for skiers and snowboarders.
