"La Vallée de l'Or Gris" a Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux Travel Page by JLBG

Saint Martin le Vinoux is the western entrance into Grenoble. Where the autoroute from Lyon arrives, stands a huge monument that was build in 1967 for the Winter Olympics, during a sculpture symposium by Morice Lipsi, called "Ouverture dans l'Espace" (space opening) but more often called Olympic column. This 85 tons, 12.50 meters high signal, made of blue granit from Brittany, is a welcome sign to visitors. The central pillar is topped by handles directed towards four directions. It hugs both the mountain and the visitor

Another sculpture by Lipsi, La grande vague (1978) is on show in the park Albert Michallon, behind the Museum of Grenoble.

Before the Olympic column was built and a little further upstream along the Isère river, the entrance in Grenoble has long been the Porte de France. On the limit between Grenoble and Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux, it is one of the few remains of the city walls built by Lesdiguières. A 1620 carving in Latin reminds that this entrance was first called Porte Royale : it was dedicated to Louis XIII and François de Bonne, duke of Lesdiguières, peer and marschal of France. It was restaured in 1847-48. In 1932, it was turned into a "Monument aux Morts" to honor the dead of 1914-1918 World War.

La Vallée de l'Or gris

I will explain under "things to do" why and how Saint Martin le Vinoux and the whole Grenoble area are linked to the history of concrete.

The Casamaures is the master piece of that industry and in this case, it is worth the name of art and is a must visit for those who are interested in architecture.