Isère
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| Isère | |
|---|---|
| Image:Blason38.PNG | |
| The Isère coat of arms | |
| Location | |
| |
| Administration | |
| Département number: | 38 |
| Région: | Rhône-Alpes |
| Préfecture: | Grenoble |
| Sub-Préfectures: | La Tour-du-Pin Vienne |
| Arrondissements: | 3 |
| Cantons: | 58 |
| Communes: | 533 |
| Conseiller Général: | André Vallini |
| Statistics | |
| Population | Ranked 16th |
| -1999 | 1,094,006 |
| Population density: | 147/km² |
| Land area¹: | 7431 km² |
| ¹ French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km². | |
| Image:Flag of France.svg | |
Isère is a département in the east of France named after the Isère River.
Contents |
[edit] History
Isère is one of the original 83 départements created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Dauphiné. Its area has been reduced twice, in 1852 and again in 1967.
Isère was also the name of the French ship which delivered the 214 boxes holding the Statue of Liberty.
[edit] Geography
Isère is part of the current region of Rhône-Alpes and is surrounded by the départements of Rhône, Ain, Savoie, Hautes-Alpes, Drôme, Ardèche, and Loire.
Isère includes a part of the French Alps. The highest point in the département is the summit of La Meije at 3,987 meters. The Vercors Plateau dominates the west of the département.
[edit] Demographics
Inhabitants of the département are called Isérois.
[edit] Culture
The Grande Chartreuse is the mother abbey of the Carthusian order. It is located 14 miles north of Grenoble.
As early as the 13th century, residents of the north and central parts of Isère spoke a dialect of the Franco-Provençal language called Dauphinois. It continued to be spoken in rural areas of Isère into the 20th century.
[edit] Tourism
Isère features many ski resorts, including the Alpe d'Huez and Les Deux Alpes. It also hosts Coupe Icare, an annual festival of free flight, such as paragliding and hang-gliding, held at the world-renowned paragliding site at Lumbin.
[edit] Miscellaneous Topics
Isère produces the following cheeses: Bleu du Vercours-Sassenage, an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée cheese, and Saint-Marcellin.
[edit] See also
- Grenoble - Capital
- Arpitan language (also known as Franco-Provençal language)
- Cantons of the Isère département
- Communes of the Isère département
- Arrondissements of the Isère département
- French language
[edit] External links
- Conseil Général website (in French)
- Prefecture website (in French)
- Encylopedia article about the Grande Chartreuse
cv:Изер (департамент) da:Isère de:Isère (Département) es:Isère eo:Isère eu:Isere fr:Isère (département) gl:Isère it:Isère nl:Isère (departement) ja:イゼール県 no:Isère oc:Isèra nds:Isère pl:Isère (departament) pt:Isère ro:Isère ru:Изер (департамент) sk:Isère (departement) sl:Isère (departma) sv:Isère zh:伊泽尔省
