The Olympic Village and Media Centre

Located in the south of town, both the Olympic Village and Media Centre used at Grenoble 1968 formed part of the city’s long-term development plans. They were built specifically with the idea of providing accommodation for students and local residents after the Olympic Winter Games were over.

The opening of a shopping centre in the area has led to many small retailers leaving the Village, while the population has declined from more than 6,200 in 1975 to the current figure of just over 3,300. This decrease has been caused in part by people leaving for newer residential areas nearby. Plans for the renovation and renewal of the Village are in place, however, with EUR 191 million to be invested over a ten-year period.

Constructed on the site of an airfield that was closed down for redevelopment, the Village is entirely pedestrianised and comprises eight 15-storey tower blocks and 11 smaller three- and four-floor buildings. After the Games, 1,000 of its apartments were made available as social housing and 300 for co-ownership, while 1,800 rooms were set aside for university students, young workers and immigrants.

Situated in the nearby district of Malherbe and built on a disused industrial site, the Media Centre comprises seven eight- to 10-storey buildings with 512 apartments. Complete with a gymnasium, cultural centre, village hall and shopping centre, it offers both social housing and apartments for sale. To mark the 50th anniversary of the Olympic Winter Games, a giant mural covering an area of 300 square metres was painted on the side of one of the buildings. It features scenes from the Games, including a portrait of the great French skier Jean-Claude Killy, the winner of three Alpine skiing gold medals.