Logo Musée du Patrimoine

All French heritage classified by regions, departments and cities

Mountain Troop Museum à Grenoble dans l'Isère

Musée
Musée de l'armée Française
Isère

Mountain Troop Museum

    Fort de la Bastille
    38100 Grenoble

Timeline

XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1900
2000
1888
Origin of Alpine troops
1988
Creation of the museum
2002
Temporary closure
24 avril 2009
Presentation of the keys to the fort
1er octobre 2009
Inauguration at Fort
2010
Record attendance
17 septembre 2012
Ministerial visit
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Key figures

Général Druart - Commander of the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade Receives the keys to the fort in 2009.
Capitaine Yann Domenech - First curator of the museum Head of Planning in 2009.
Général Elrick Irastorza - Military Representative Present at the 2009 inauguration.
Michel Destot - Mayor of Grenoble Reissues the keys to the fort in 2009.
Jean-Yves Le Drian - Minister of Defence Visit the museum in 2012.

Origin and history

The Mountain Troop Museum is a space dedicated to the history of alpine hunters, nicknamed the Blue Devils since World War I. Created in 1988 to mark the centenary of the Alpine troops, it was first installed in the governor's hotel in Grenoble, before closing in 2002 for security reasons. Its reopening in 2009 at the Fort de la Bastille, after restoration work, brought this emblematic place to life 70 years after the departure of the army from the site.

The museum extends over 600 m2 and presents, through weapons, uniforms, maps and testimonies, the key moments of these soldiers specialized in mountain combat. Reconstituted scenes illustrate their daily lives during the two world wars. Multilingual audioguide and temporary exhibitions, such as those dedicated to Afghanistan or mountain artillery, enrich the visit. The museum also plays a symbolic role: it welcomes new hires during their integration ritual and publishes a quarterly magazine, Les Cahiers des troupes de montagne, to spread their history.

Inaugurated on 1 October 2009 in the presence of General Elrick Irastorza, the museum quickly enjoyed a popular success, reaching 59,383 visitors in 2010 thanks to its free offer. It closes every January for the maintenance of the Bastille cable car. The site maintains a strong link with the national memorial of the mountain troops, located 150 meters above Mount Jalla, highlighting the historic anchoring of Grenoble and its Bastille with these elite units. Defense Minister Jean-Yves The Drian visited in 2012, marking its national importance.

Beyond its heritage vocation, the museum is a meeting place between civilians and military personnel. It recalls the engagement of mountain troops outside France, from conflicts that have passed to recent operations, while highlighting their historical relationship with the Alpine populations. Temporary exhibitions, such as Le mule conquerant des montagnes (2022-2024) or 1944-1945: the 27th Alpine Division (2025), illustrate this thematic diversity.

External links

Conditions of visit

  • Conditions de visite : Ouvert toute l'année
  • Contact organisation : 04 76 00 92 25