Science user portal

FAQs

Practical Information:

  • Is there funding/support for my travel? No, there is no financial support for travel nor accommodation expenses.
  • Is there a school fee? No, there is no registration fee, no school fee.
  • Who is invited to apply for the school? It is intended for PhD students, post-docs and active astronomers who have little or no experience in millimeter / submillimeter astronomy.
  • Is there an age limit? No.
  • What can I do in order to increase my chances to be accepted for the school? Explain your research interests and, in particular, your interest in millimeter/submillimeter astronomy.
  • Are lunches provided? Yes, lunches and coffee breaks will be provided everyday during the school in the hotel, offered by IRAM.
  • Is dinner provided? No, dinner will not be provided. Come speak to us, we are happy to recommend places for various tastes.
  • Am I obliged to stay in the same hotel as the school? Not at all, you are free to choose where to stay. (Below we suggest different accommodations around Grenoble.)
  • Do I have to organize / reserve my accommodation? Yes, all participants should organize their stay.
  • If I need a letter of invitation to request for a visa, who do I contact? Please write to school2026@iram.fr to obtain it.
  • Can I get a certificate of attendance? Yes, you can write to school2026@iram.fr AFTER the school event to request it.

Getting to Grenoble:

  • Grenoble has excellent train connections. Travel times are 3 hours to Paris, 6 hours to Barcelona, 7 hours to Mannheim. Book your international connections e.g. via trainline.
  • Flying, you may go to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport (LYS). There is a shuttle by FlixBus / train regularly (1h15 minutes one-way). Make sure you select Aéroport de Lyon Saint-Exupéry to Grenoble-Gare Routière.
  • Or you can choose to fly to Geneva Airport (GVA). Then take a shuttle by BlablaBus / train (2h45 one-way) to the Grenoble Central Bus Station. Make sure you select Aéroport Genève-Cointrin to Grenoble-Gare Routière.
  • (Note) that there is the Grenoble Alpes Isère Airport, at 45km outside Grenoble. We do NOT recommend you to consider this airport because you can only rent a car or take a taxi (40 minutes) to Grenoble city centre. There is no connection by shuttle available outside winter ski period.
  • When should I arrive? We highly suggest you to arrive to Grenoble at least one day before the school event : Sunday 27 September, 2026.
  • When should I return? If you are planning to join the visit to NOEMA on Saturday, reserve one full day for this visit. We strongly recommend you to stay the night as well, which means checking-out the next day : Sunday 4 October, 2026.

Accommodation / Hotels / Appart-Residence in Grenoble:

You are responsible to reserve your own accommodation. Below listed various places to stay with different price range. We suggest you to proceed to the booking once you have been accepted with a confirmation mail from us.

Victor Hugo area:

Central Train/Bus Station area:

Caserne de Bonne area:

 

Getting to the school venue @ 11 Rue Général Mangin:

  • The hotel of the school venue locates on 11 Rue Général Mangin. Grenoble city has good public transportation (Bus & Trams) network. Click here to get find your way round.

 

NOEMA Visit checklist:

  • When is the visit to the NOEMA interferometer? It is planned on Saturday 3 October, 2026. The visit is subject to favourable / suitable weather conditions on the day.
  • How long is the visit? It will be a full-day trip. It takes about 1h30 to get to the cable car station from city center by shuttle bus. Then going up to NOEMA observatory by cable car in groups. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you stay for the Saturday night and return on the next day.
  • Do I need to pay for my seat in the car for the visit? Not at all, it is free. IRAM will arrange shuttle bus for participants who signed up.
  • Do I need to bring my own lunch for the visit? No, IRAM will provide lunch for participants of the visit.
  • What is the weather like up at the NOEMA observatory? The NOEMA interferometer is situated at 2550m altitude. Weather conditions can be quite chilly and cold up there. There is the risk of snow at this period of the year. Check out the weather forecast at Super Devoluy.
  • How should I dress up to visit NOEMA? We recommend warm clothes (layering), good walking / mountain hiking shoes, sun glasses, sun screen, scarf, beanie / winter hat and gloves.
  • What is the weather like in Grenoble? Check out the weather forecast before coming to Grenoble, Isere.

Computer capabilities:

  • Should I bring my laptop? Yes, please bring your own laptop. If needed, bring a power plug adapter.
  • We suggest you to install GILDAS before coming to the school. Mac OS or Linux operating systems are preferred.