The French Alps boast some of Europe’s most idyllic alpine scenery. This lofty landscape of craggy peaks, pristine lakes, open meadows, glaciers, and deep forests is now part of this massive trek that has been called the Pacific Crest Trail’s “hotter French cousin.” It’s also home to a number of historic settlements set in jaw-dropping surroundings, including the city of Grenoble, which has been touted as one of the nation’s best places to live.
This southeastern destination of just over 500,000 residents sits in the shadow of the Alps and is known for its natural beauty, great winter sports, and laid-back lifestyle. In recent years it has attracted plenty of tech startups and the young, educated workers that come with them, earning it the moniker “France’s Silicon Valley.” The city is also an innovation and research hub for sustainable energy and was crowned European Green Capital in 2022.
However, there is trouble in paradise. The city — especially in the suburbs surrounding it — has been plagued by a recent spate of violence, making it among France’s most dangerous destinations. This flies in the face of Grenoble’s supposed livability, and would certainly make someone think twice about visiting this gem of the southern Alps.
Drug violence on the front porch of the Alps
In the summer of 2024, Grenoble was rocked by seven separate shootings in 21 days, a dizzying number for a city of its size in France, where gun ownership is strictly controlled. By September, the number of firearm attacks had spiked to 19. Most of these took place in the suburb of Échirolles, and have been attributed to the gangs who control the local drug trade, many of whom are said to be linked to international syndicates such as the Albanian mafia and Colombian cartels.
How does this other picture-perfect Alps city find itself with a drug violence problem? Some point to its proximity to the port of Marseilles, France’s second biggest city and another center for organized crime and drug trafficking. Grenoble lies 169 miles straight up the road from the country’s biggest big port, making it a vital distribution point for the contraband flowing in. This, in turn, leads to turf wars, which means violence.
According to recent crime statistics, Grenoble now sits in the top 10 of France’s most crime-ridden cities. Police are seemingly powerless to stem the epidemic of gang violence, and many local residents — some of whom moved to the area to enjoy a stress-free lifestyle — now live in fear.
Part of a bigger picture
