Isère facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Isère
Department
Prefecture building of the Isère department, in Grenoble
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Isère in France
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Département	1790
Prefecture	Grenoble
Subprefectures	La Tour-du-Pin, Vienne
Area
• Total	7,431.5 km2 (2,869.3 sq mi)
Population  (2014)
• Total	1,243,597
• Density	167.3413/km2 (433.4120/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Isérois or Iserans
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code	FR-38
Arrondissements	3
Cantons	29
Communes	521
Website	www.isere.fr

Isère is a special area in eastern France called a département. It is part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The département is named after the Isère River, which flows through it.

The capital city of Isère is Grenoble. In 2014, about 1.2 million people lived here. The people from Isère are called Isérois (for boys and men) or Iséroises (for girls and women).

History of Isère

Isère was one of the first 83 départements created in France. This happened during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. Its first capital was Moirans.

The area used to be part of an old province called Dauphiné. In 1790, the capital was moved from Moirans to Grenoble.

How Isère's Districts Changed

In 1800, France created new administrative areas called arrondissements. Isère was divided into four of these: Grenoble, Saint-Marcellin, La Tour-du-Pin, and Vienne.

However, in 1926, the arrondissement of Saint-Marcellin was removed. Today, Isère has three arrondissements.

Geography of Isère

Isère is located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. It covers an area of about 7,431.5 square kilometers (2,869 square miles).

Neighboring Departments

Isère shares its borders with seven other départements from two different regions:

• From the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region:
  • Ain (to the north)
  • Savoie (to the east)
  • Drôme (to the south)
  • Ardèche (to the west)
  • Loire (to the west)
  • Rhône (to the northwest)
• From the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region:
  • Hautes-Alpes (to the southeast)

	Rhône	Ain
	Loire Ardèche		Savoie
		Isère
		Drôme	Hautes-Alpes

Mountains and Rivers

The highest point in Isère is a mountain peak called Pic Lory. It stands at 4,088 meters (13,412 feet) tall.

The main rivers flowing through the département are the Rhône River and its smaller rivers, called tributaries. These include the Isère River and the Bourbre River.

Climate in Isère

The climate in Isère, especially around Grenoble, is known as an "Oceanic climate". This means it has mild temperatures and rainfall throughout the year, similar to many coastal areas.

Government and Administration

Isère is governed by the Departmental Council of Isère. This council is based in Grenoble, the capital city. The département is also part of the larger Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

Administrative Divisions of Isère

Isère is divided into smaller administrative areas to help manage it. These include:

• 3 arrondissements (which are like large districts)
• 29 cantons (smaller administrative areas)
• 521 communes (which are like towns or municipalities)

Arrondissements of Isère

Here are the three main arrondissements in Isère, along with their capitals and populations (as of 2014):

Cantons of Isère

After a change in March 2015, Isère now has 29 cantons. These are smaller areas used for elections and local administration.

Population and Major Cities

In 2014, Isère had a total population of 1,243,597 people. This means there were about 167 people living in each square kilometer. The arrondissement of Grenoble is the most populated, with over 750,000 residents.

Population Growth Over Time

The population of Isère has grown steadily over the years.

Largest Communes in Isère

Here are the cities and towns in Isère with the most people, based on 2014 data:

Gallery

• 

  Fountain in Grenoble.

• 

  Saint-André square, Grenoble.

• 

  Cathedral of Tour-du-Pin.

• 

  Vienne and the Rhône river.

• 

  The Isère in Gières.

Related pages

• Arrondissements of the Isère department
• Communes of the Isère department

Images for kids

• 

  The Château de Vizille, where important meetings took place after the 1788 Day of the Tiles in Grenoble. It is now home to the Musée de la Révolution française.

• 

  The Grande Chartreuse monastery.

• 

  The Grand Veymont mountain.

• 

  The Dent de Crolles mountain.

• 

  Le Haut-Bréda area with a lake and mountain.

• 

  A view of the Queyras Valley.

• 

  Lac de Monteynard-Avignonet, a beautiful lake.

• 

  The village of Saint-Christophe-sur-Guiers in Chartreuse.

See also

In Spanish: Isère para niños