Not far from the city of Grenoble, Chateau de Vizille is nestled in lush greenery. In Roman times, the fortified town served as the primary stronghold blocking the route to Grenoble. Today, the Vizille castle houses France’s only Museum of the French Revolution. The castle stands on the grounds of a vast park, a place so stunning and serene that it offers pure relaxation. The park features neatly manicured lawns, a quaint old mill, and a lake filled with ducks. Erika couldn’t tear herself away from them, standing by the water for a long, long time just watching them swim. Arian taught her how to tell ducks and drakes apart.
“That’s a girl, and that’s a boy,” she said, pointing her finger and asking her brother if she had guessed right.
Arian unexpectedly remarked that if ducks were a bit smarter, they could have easily become the pinnacle of creation instead of humans.
“They fly, swim, and walk without needing any extra gadgets or exertion,” he explained.
The symbol of Grenoble itself is the Bastille fortress, perched on a dramatic mountain peak directly opposite the Old Town. For centuries, this cliff served as an exceptional lookout post guarding the valley against enemies. The present fort atop the mountain was built in the mid-19th century, though fortunately, it was never targeted in battle. Much later, in 1944, it suffered an airstrike, yet sustained no major structural damage. The summit of the Bastille offers breathtaking, dizzying views of the city below. Right at the cliff's edge sit a few benches where I took a commemorative photo, holding my children firmly by the hand so they wouldn’t run off.
We reached the fort via the “Téléférique” cable car, an experience that completely thrilled Erika. She clapped her hands in delight and cheered, “We’re riding in giant bubbles!” There are five of these cable cars in total, and she carefully counted each one once we reached the top. To round off our visit, we strolled through the historic old town, taking in sights like the local Notre-Dame Cathedral. It feels as though every town in France boasts its own Bastille and Notre-Dame, much like every city in Spain has its own alcazaba.
The text was originally written in Ukrainian translated with the help of Google Translate.