Yvonne C. lived not far from Paul-Mistral Park and fondly remembers her family trips to the top of Perret Tower.
“I lived on the Place Joseph-Riboud, in the Abbey district, from 1951 to 1961. We walked to the Parc des Expositions, as it was still the name of the Paul-Mistral park at the time, to spend some of our free time. I was ten years old at the time and I went there with my older sisters, I went along Avenue Jeanne-d’Arc, for sure because there were still very few cars. The park retained several elements from the International Exhibition of 1925. It was not as accessible as it is today, working hours had to be respected.»
Admire the mountains
Yvonne climbed the Perret Tower several times, most of the time on foot. “When we reached the top, we admired the mountains for a long time. The view was magnificent and stretched far and wide. The feeling was exceptional. The whole part of the city south of the Grands Boulevards was still the countryside, with a few mansions.»
An activist since the beginning for the reopening of the monument, Yvonne is impatiently waiting for the year 2025. “I am so proud of this tower! When I see tourists approaching it and taking photos of it, I say to them: “Isn’t our tower beautiful?”, people nod enthusiastically. It is like a lighthouse over our city, changing color during the hours of the day. If I have great memories of my ten years in this beautiful Abbey town, it is also thanks to Perret Tower and the International Exhibition! I am sure that it will be the same for all residents of Grenoble when it is again available to the general public, fully restored.»