Persons of nationality other than that of European Union countries, the USA or Japan are advised that a visa will probably be necessary to enter France.

The Invitation Letter from the ESRF or ILL may NOT be enough to obtain a French visa. Contact your nearest French Embassy or French Consulate for information on documents to provide.

Bear in mind that you must apply for a visa at least one month before your expected departure for Grenoble. If you require a French visa we can supply you with a special Form called CONVENTION D'ACCUEIL D'UN CHERCHEUR OU D'UN ENSEIGNANT-CHERCHEUR ETRANGER provided you communicate to the user office by e-mail the following information:

• First name
• Surname (family name)
• Gender (M - F)
• Nationality
• Date of birth
• Private address
• Position
• Employer's name
• Employer's address
• Experiment Number & Instrument
• Dates of the stay
• Address during your stay in France
  

Please note that it takes 7 DAYS to obtain the Convention d'accueil which will be sent by DHL courier or normal mail, to your LABORATORY ADDRESS.

The ESRF/ILL/EMBL site can be easily reached by car using the motorway connections.

When coming from Geneva, Chambery or Turin, on the A41 motorway, take the "Rocade Sud" (the ringroad, direction "Lyon") which takes you onto the N87 and subsequently the A480.
Leave the Rocade Sud at exit N°1 (i.e. of the A480) towards "Polygone Scientifique". At the first roundabout turn right, then drive about 1 km and turn right again at the two next roundabouts. The ESRF/ILL site is clearly indicated at both roundabouts.

When coming from Lyon or Valence, first keep to the A48 (direction "Grenoble Bastille-Gares-Europole"), then take the exit N°16 of the A48 ("Polygone Scientifique"). After crossing the bridge, continue straight on at the first roundabout and then turn right at the second roundabout.

Geneva International Airport is more than a two-hour drive from Grenoble. Bus and train connections to Grenoble exist but are not very frequent. Visit the website of Geneva International Airport for more details (or telephone +41 22 7177111).

The bus from Geneva-Cointrin Airport (timetable) will drop you off outside the ESRF/ILL/EMBL site.

Lyon's International Airport (St Exupery Airport, formerly Satolas Airport) is the closest to Grenoble. Visit the Lyon St Exupery website for more information (or telephone +33 (0)4 72225000). Lyons St Exupery Airport is a one-hour drive by car from Grenoble and regular bus shuttles (called 'Satobus', operated by "Faure Vercors") operate to and from Grenoble bus station (Gare Routière) (timetable).

New: You do not even have to go as far as the bus station since the 'Satobus' shuttle stops near the ESRF/ILL/EMBL site:

Use the bus stops called 'Place de la Resistance' and marked 'Satobus' situated close to the roundabout at the 'Pont d'Oxford' (suspension bridge) motorway exit (these are also stops for the n°30 and n°715 local buses.)

You must tell the Satobus driver when boarding at the airport that you want to be dropped off at "Place de la Resistance". Otherwise, despite it being an official stop, the driver may not stop!

On your way back to the airport, be sure to use the bus stop on the roundabout and not the bus stop (also called 'Place de la Resistance'!) in front of the CNRS entrance (see map).

There is also a regional airport at St Geoirs (Grenoble Isère Airport, 40 minutes from Grenoble) that you may use if you are flying from London (one flight a day from London's Stansted airport). For further details visit the airport website.

A bus from Grenoble St. Geoirs Airport to Grenoble is provided after every plane landing and stops at Grenoble bus station, which is next to the railway station. The return bus from Grenoble leaves approximately 2h30 minutes before the departure time of each flight. This information is subject to change, please check the airport website for precise times.

There are very good train connections from Lyon (100 km) and Paris (450 km) by TGV, the direct, high-speed train.

Please note that seat reservations on the TGV are obligatory and should be made when you buy your ticket.

There are also ordinary train connections with Geneva, Chambery, Turin, Valence, Marseilles, Barcelona, etc. Visit the SNCF website for more details (or telephone +33 (0)8 36676869).

Bus connections from Grenoble railway station to the "POLYGONE SCIENTIFIQUE".

There are two buses (TAG) you can take from the city centre to the site. For both bus routes, the journey takes approximately 10 minutes. There is a bus every 10-15 minutes throughout the day until about 8pm, the exact times depend on the period of the year so check the timetable at the bus stop. Tickets can be purchased singly from the bus driver or as a booklet ('carnet') at tobacconists and major tram stops.

Bus 34

• In front of the Grenoble railway station, cross over the road and take the N°34 (timetable) marked "Polygone Scientifique" or "Sassenage Château" which takes you to the site entrance (bus stop "Polygone Scientifique").
  

Bus 30

• Behind the railway station (Europole side) take the N°30 (timetable) direction "Saint-Egrève Cap des H – Saint-Egrève Gare" to the "Place de la Résistance" stop: you then have a 10 minute walk to the site entrance.
  
  

Local taxi service: Taxis Grenoblois: +33 (0)4 76 54 42 54