Paul Mistral Park 3.35

Paul Mistral Park is an urban park located in Grenoble. It is 67 acres and it holds important sportive facilities and the city hall. Placed inside an old military engineering ground, it was created thanks to the International Exhibition of Hydropower and Tourism which took place in 1925.HistoryIn 1836, after the general Haxo achieved to build the city's ramparts, the current area of the park is used as a military engineering place outside the town for shooting training. So, this area is reserved for the military needs only and none building is allowed. At this location was also the door, one of the five city's gates, the door of the Alpes ("Porte des Alpes" in French) which allowed people to go to Eybens or Vizille.The 1925 exhibitionIn 1919, an ambitious mayor, Paul Mistral wished to open the city by destroying the Haxo ramparts. From 1921, thanks to the economic rising due to the use of hydropower, he planned to organize in Grenoble an international exhibition about hydropower and tourism. However, a such exhibition needed a vast ground near the city center and implied to destroy the southern ramparts.Once the ramparts destroyed, the military engineering ground could be used and the new Alpes boulevard (became Jean Pain boulevard since 1944) is created at the North. The Eybens avenue is straighten up to go along the West side of the exhibition site.