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Origin and history

The Pavillon de la Porte de France, located at the west entrance of Grenoble, was built in 1620 as part of the fortifications of the Bastille hill by the Duke of Lesdiguières. It replaces an old gate, the Porte Perrière, dated 1533, and marked access to the city from the Lyon road. The door, decorated with military bas-reliefs carved by Jacob Richier, was initially used as a defence before losing this function in 1880, with the construction of a new urban enclosure.

Since 1935, the monument has been dedicated to the deaths of World War I, commemorating 1,722 Grenoblus soldiers who fell between 1914 and 1926. It was renovated in the 1970s and remains a major historical symbol of the city. The Porte de France is also related to art, having been designed by William Turner in 1802, and classified as a historical monument in 1925.

Architecturally, the pavilion is distinguished by its military trophies in bas-relief, typical of emerging baroque art. Close to an ancient limestone quarry, which has been used since the Gallo-Roman era, it is also located a few metres from the A48 motorway, which opened in 1968. Its location, at the corner of the quay de France and the road to Lyon, makes it an emblematic crossing point between the city and its surroundings.

The Porte de France also has a royal dimension: Louis XIII passed there several times between 1622 and 1630 during his stay in Grenoble. This link with the monarchy reinforces its importance in local and national history, while illustrating the strategic role of Grenoble as a fortified city under the Ancien Régime.

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