Gate of France

The Porte de France is a city gate at the western entrance to Grenoble. It was erected in 1620 as part of the fortification of the Bastille hill by the Duke of Lesdiguieres. Succeeding the Perriere gate built in 1533, it was erected in 1620 as part of the fortification of the Bastille hill by the Duke of Lesdiguieres. King Louis XIII came under the door several times during his visits in Grenoble between 1622 and 1630. Its defensive function ended in 1880 when the last wall of the city was built to close the entire northern part of the city, bordering with the village of Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux.

Renovated in 1970, the monument of the Porte de France is official since 1935 the war memorial in the city for the period 1914 to 1926 totaling 1722 names. The Porte de France is located near an old quarry that provided limestone white patina but dark color to build. This quarry has been used since the Gallo-Roman era and other buildings in Grenoble such as Notre-Dame cathedral in Grenoble have used these stones in their construction. In 1968, the A48 motorway completes its course a few meters from the Porte de France.