2023 - La Bastille

Since April 2022, a series of heritage enhancement works have been done at the Fort de la Bastille, as a listed Historic Monument.

In order to preserve and highlight our Grenoble heritage, significant investments are necessary. As part of the Grenoble Capitale Verte 2022 year, this work is designed in the spirit of environmental concerns and issues, favoring reuse and energy-efficient materials, and short circuits.
After a first phase of work on the facades of the upper station of the cable car (structural and aesthetic work), it’s the sealing of the the casemate’s extremities that is treated: the Musée des Troupes de montagne but also the festive rooms Lesdiguières and Dutrievoz will be a lot less subject to water infiltration!

Why is this sealing work necessary?

The Fort de la Bastille, built between 1823 and 1848, is made up of several military defensive elements including the casemate, the highest military building in the fortification. It constituted a defensive rampart to the north of the site. Composed of several levels in order to adapt to the rocky roof, the upper part of the casemate housed the artillery pieces dominating the glacis, to face the enemy. Today, it houses the Lesdiguières room to the west and below the Musée des Troupes de montagne; and to the east, the Dutrievoz room.

Sealing repairs has been done in 2005, but these points are now showing signs of weakness. On the east side, no sealing work has ever been carried out. Repeated water infiltrations compromise the operation of the rooms, but above all damage masonry elements. The treatment is therefore necessary to avoid threatening the integrity of the building.

What form does this work take?

On the eastern part of the casemate, the sealing work will be resumed with the help of a waterproofing complex by geomembrane which will be buried under topsoil. Rainwater will be directed to peripheral drains and evacuated by gargoyles. This sealing repairs will not be visible, and the roofs of the casemate will return to their natural state.

Thanks to the intervention of skilled craftsmen artisans, certain historical masonry points have been taken over, in order to restore the original state of the cannon embrasures for example.

A final phase of work planned

To complete these embellishment works at the Fort de la Bastille, repair works on the Place Tournadre (main square) are planned by the end of 2023. It will consist of repairing the ground and restoring the separation of underground networks.

An innovative method for reusing existing materials will be implemented, which limits a lot the transport of materials between the Bastille and the valley.

In 2024, a new but true to itself Bastille is waiting for you!

Project contractor: Régie du Téléphérique Grenoble Bastille
Project management Main contractor: Cabinet d’architectes Paul & Seguin
Budget excluding VAT: (excluding project management) €995,000
With the support of the State (DSIL), the Isère Department, the City of Grenoble and the Régie du Téléphérique Grenoble-Bastille.