Park of the Dauphins

In 1785, Jean-Baptiste Dolle, a Grenoble merchant, was the first to have the idea of implanting a park within the fortifications that Lesdiguières had built. He set up six superimposed terraces with support walls, stairways between the terraces, and foot paths. He planted tress and carved out hills. Near the rampart, he built a Roman-style house, furnished it through the woodworker Hache, created a rich library, built greenhouses, and dug wells. The locals called it the chateau of utter madness for the extravagant parties that took place there.
The park was abandoned during the French Revolution and damaged throughout the 19th century by the activities of a nearby stone quarry and bullet factory. It was renovated at the beginning of the 20th century by the landscaper Ginet, who expanded it to include a pedestrian link to the Bastille cable car. The park offers a resolutely Alpine atmosphere, but with a Mediterranean character, as it faces south and is protected from the wind. Pomegranate, banana, boxwood, and medlar trees take root here.