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Departments Isère 38 · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Dept 38 Rank #10 / 96
69

Isère

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · Nearest city: Grenoble TGV
🚄 TGV ⚠ High variance

Vercors, Chartreuse, Belledonne, Oisans glaciers

Why this score

Isère pairs Alpine scenery, strong sunshine and a solid tourist draw with cool winters and higher crime as its weaker points. L'Isère associe paysages alpins, bel ensoleillement et attrait touristique solide, avec des hivers frais et une délinquance plus marquée comme points faibles.

Communes

Loading commune-level data…

Climate

Sunshine
2,235h/yr
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
p83 of 96
Sunny days
187/yr
days >50% sunlit
p82 of 96
Rain days
113/yr
Trend 2015-2025: about 0.5 fewer rain days each year.
p32 of 96
Annual rainfall
981mm/yr
total volume
p89 of 96
Heavy rain
12/yr
≥ 20 mm/day
#4 most heavy-rain of 96
Torrential
0.5/yr
≥ 50 mm/day
p80 of 96
Hot days >30°
30/yr
Trend 2015-2025: about 1 fewer hot days each year.
p76 of 96
Winter mildness
2/10
0.2 °C avg Jan low
Trend 2015-2025: January warming 0.4 °C per year.
p11 of 96
Wind
2.1m/s
annual mean
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
p6 of 96
Muggy days
4/yr
TG≥22°C & HU≥70%
Trend 2015-2025: about 0.5 more muggy days each year.
p57 of 96
Avg max temperature · °C
6
J
8
F
12
M
15
A
19
M
23
J
26
J
26
A
21
S
16
O
10
N
7
D
2050 outlook TRACC +2.7°C · vs 1976-2005
Hot days ≥35°C ~+3 days · +3 so far
Tropical nights ~+10 nights · +3 so far
Frost days ~-31 days · -24 so far
Dry-soil days ~+30 days

Landscape

Landscape score
8/10
p91 of 96
Max elevation
4,088m
#3 highest peak of 96
Forest cover
51.3%
p84 of 96
Characteristics
Mountains🏞 Dramatic landscape

Vercors, Chartreuse, Belledonne, Oisans glaciers

Identity

Isère is the birthplace of Stendhal (historien).

Notable figures born here

Terroir & appellations

Isère lies within protected appellation areas, including Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage, Roussette de Savoie, Noix de Grenoble.

Distinctions

Plus Beaux Détours de France (1)
Station classée de tourisme (16)

Risks

Safety score
5/10
Flood risk
High
% communes flood-exposed (GASPAR union)
p68 of 96
Fire risk
Low
Copernicus FWI · fire-weather index
p22 of 96
Seismic exposure
Very high
% in a seismic zone (most of France is)
p80 of 96
Major risks present
Nuclear nearby

Share of the department's communes listing each risk category

Earthquake Very high 100% p80 of 96
Flooding Very high 86.9% p79 of 96
Ground movement High 68.8% p47 of 96
Subsidence & cavities High 68.8% p56 of 96
Hazardous-materials transport Moderate 50.4% p52 of 96
Dam failure Low 34% p93 of 96
Avalanche Very low 19.3% #4 most exposed of 96
Industrial hazard Very low 18% p92 of 96
+2 more
Wildfire Very low 7.2% p55 of 96
Nuclear Very low 0.2% p64 of 96

Transport

Transport
9/10
3.0 h to Paris · TGV + closeness
TGV access
Yes
Direct TGV station
Highways
8
A7 · A41 · A43 · A48 · A49 · A51 · A432 · A480
Work locally
25.3%
work in own commune
Nearest hubs
🏙 Nearest city
Grenoble TGV
Airport
Grenoble Alpes Isère Airport (GNB) · ~22 km
🚄 To Paris via TGV
3.0h direct
🛣 Highways
A7, A41, A43, A48, A49, A51, A432, A480

Services

Healthcare
6/10
APL 3.8
p63 of 96
Schools
6/10
Brevet 87%
p51 of 96
Fiber coverage
97%
p62 of 96
Intl schools
14schools
International programmes available
p90 of 96

People

Population
1,276,937
p86 of 96
Density
162/km²
Urban
+101% vs median 81
32 387
Pop trend
+0.5%/yr
+0.3 pts vs median · p72
Median income
$27,600
standard of living · $/yr
p88 of 96
Poverty rate
11.8%
below 60% of median living standard
p14 of 96
Unemployment
9.5%
active population out of work
p18 of 96
Tourism
1 bed per 31 residents
p54 of 96 · 40,674 beds
1/92 1/9
Age distribution · % of population
0-14
18%
15-24
14%
25-39
15%
40-54
14%
55-69
18%
70+
21%
Office professionals
21.7%
cadres · engineers, managers, professionals
p88 of 96
Remote work
3.9%
télétravail · works without commuting
p24 of 96
Socio-professional mix · % of occupied workers
Office
Managers & professionals
21.7%
At-home trades
Farmers
0.7%
Artisans & shopkeepers
6.8%
On-site · services, health, teaching, manual
Intermediate professions incl. nurses, teachers
28.1%
Clerical & service staff
23.7%
Manual workers
19%

Real estate

Median
$2,870/m²
$1,460 $4,700
House $2,990 Apt $2,830
-1.7%/yr 2023–25
Median surface
Taxe foncière
44.92%
typical commune rate · TFPB
p52 of 96
Price distribution across communes · $/m²
Loading commune price distribution…