Grenoble Isère Airport - Spotting Guide

Grenoble Isère Airport – Spotting Guide

June 21, 2015 - last modified on November 20, 2023

Grenoble Isère is a small airport mostly used during Winter seasons by British & Russian people because the airport is located next to mountains and lots of ski resorts. The airport operates with one single runway with 2 civilian parking. This airport is good if you stay near Geneva and you have time to go there and make a stop for winter charter.

The most interesting traffic at GNB are the winter charter flights mostly during Saturday and a few on Sunday. The only operators are Jet2, easyJet, British Airways, Ryanair, Wizzair and Norwegian. Keep in mind that there is no schedule traffic on weekdays!

A useful link for movements which can be used : https://lfls-spotting.webnode.fr/gnb-news/

Written by Jeremy Denton & Remo Garone (Last update November 2018)

Rating (for the winter season only)
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
09L/27R	3.050m (10’007ft) Asphalt
09R/27L	900m (2’953ft) Grass
Terminals
Terminal A	Arrivals
Terminal B	Business
Terminal D	Departures
Spotting Information
Ladder	Recommended at most spots. See detailed description.
Car/Public Transport	Car is neccesary to get around. Almost all locations are in the middle of nowhere.
Restrooms	Nothing at the spots. Only inside the terminal
Drinks/Food	Supermarket and Gas Sation are just south of the terminal.
Hotels	There are no hotels directly at the airport. Dozens of hotels can be found in the city of Grenoble about 30mins drive from the airport.
Season	Saturday and Sunday during the winter season
Runway Usage
General Info	Depends fully on the wind but 09 is in use the most.

	Spot #1 – Landing & rolling rwy09
WHERE	From the airport, take the road D119 “Axe de Bièvre” until the first roundabout. Then, take the fourth exit to D518 until the first intersection, turn left and then the next left again. Drive straight ahead, cross D119 and finally take the first way on the right and drive until you find a good position to spot.

WHAT	This is GNB’s main spot because most of the time it’s runway 09 in use. Landing, very short final, rolling and alignment of dawn late afternoon. Ladder needed near the fence but final approaches can be shot without one.

TIME	All day during the winter.

MISC.	Nothing close to this spot, bring with you what you need

FOCAL LENGTH	18-250 mm

	Spot #2 – Alpes – Lineup
WHERE	Its just next to spot 1 so take the same direction. You have to leave your car next to spot1 and walk on the field.

WHAT	The end of the runway. You can take terrific pictures of planes on line up for RWY09 with the Alps in the background – compulsory ladder if you don’t want to have hidden wheels.

TIME	Good location in the afternoon.

MISC.	Nothing close to this spot, bring with you what you need

FOCAL LENGTH	70-200mm

	Spot #3 – Landing rwy09
WHERE	From the airport, take the road D119 “Axe de Bièvre” until the first roundabout. Then, take the fourth exit to D518 until the first intersection, turn left and then the next left again. Drive straight until the bridge and park your car on the small path in order to disturb the traffic.

WHAT	Landing on runway 09 and possibly some lines-up too.

TIME	All day during winter.

MISC.	Nothing close to this spot, bring with you what you need.

FOCAL LENGTH	Airbus 321 = 95mm

	Spot #4 – Plane parked
WHERE	From the airport, take the first exit of the roundabout on “Rue Jacqueline Auriol”, then about few meters stop and check for a good angle to make pictures of aircraft on the ramp.

WHAT	Possibility to take pictures of planes parked there. Bu you need a ladder!

TIME	All day during the winter.

MISC.	Nothing close to this spot, bring with you what you need

FOCAL LENGTH	70-200mm

	Spot #5 – Arrivals & Departure rwy 27
WHERE	From the spot 4, continue until airport terminal direction. Once you are at the first roundabout, take the 4th exits to your right onto D1540. Strait after the roundabout take the first exit on the road named “Vieilles Routes” and follow this road until the next roundabout. Then take the second exits on the right and follow the road named “Avenue Louis Blériot” until the end. You will see a sight “Parachutisme Aéroclub” follow it into the fields and finally take the first path on your left.

WHAT	Arrivals/Departures runway 27 as well as some arrivals from runway 09.

TIME	All day during the winter.

MISC.	Nothing close to this spot, bring with you what you need

FOCAL LENGTH	18-300mm