Échirolles

History

A former industrial village had the majority of its inhabitants work in the viscose factories, a fabric that was invented in Échirolles in 1884 by the French scientist and industrial Hilaire de Chardonnet, before becoming universally famous. The process for manufacturing viscose was then patented by three British scientists, Charles Frederick Cross, Edward John Bevan and Clayton Beadle, in 1891.

The Hôtel de Ville was completed in 2006.

Population

| graph-pos = bottom |1836 |735 |1841 |702 |1846 |715 |1851 |639 |1856 |634 |1861 |615 |1866 |642 |1872 |652 |1876 |682 |1881 |619 |1886 |679 |1891 |633 |1896 |600 |1901 |574 |1906 |582 |1911 |572 |1921 |597 |1926 |838 |1931 |2765 |1936 |2520 |1946 |2825 |1954 |3762 |1962 |7111 |1968 |15429 |1975 |33288 |1982 |37360 |1990 |34435 |1999 |32806 |2007 |35383 |2012 |35826 |2017 |36840

Criminality

Located just next to Grenoble, Échirolles doesn't escapes to the growth of criminality, especially since the 2020s. It is mainly related to drug traffic.

2023

Two men are hit by bullet at Échirolles and Le-Pont-de-Claix, on 21 August.

2024

On August, France 3 Rhône-Alpes says that "a new shooting happened at Échirolles, the seventh one in less than two weeks." A month later, a whole building is evacuated due to "the massive drug traffic exposing its inhabitants to huge and immediate danger".

2025

This new year doesn't starts better : on January 4 evening, at 23:30, a new shooting happens. A teenager girl, walking with another teenager, and her dog, was hit on the leg. She says few days later to the newspaper Le Parisien that she will have to "live with a bullet into the leg for the rest of [her] life".

Few months after, on April, a new shooting happens. The next month, on May, as well as Grenoble and Saint-Martin-d'Hères, Échirolles is one more time under criminal shootings.

On 2025 December, two killings happens : in the night, from 2 to 3 of December, at Georges-Meliès street, and died just after emergency services found him. Few days after, the 6th of December,, at 11PM, another one, 22 years old, located 8 May 1945 Avenue, took in charge by emergency services, died at hospital shortly after ; at the same evening, nearby of Échirolles, at La Bruyère park of Grenoble, another man, 18 years old, dies by bullet, the same night. Both were harmed by at least several bullet injuries, probably due to drug traffic, says France Bleu.

Personalities

• Thernand Bakouboula footballer
• Seynabou Benga handball player
• Stephane Biakolo footballer
• Talel Chedly (b. 1978), footballer
• Vincent Clerc (b. 1981), rugby footballer of Stade Toulousain and of the France national team.
• Mélissa Theuriau (b. 1978), journalist and television producer.
• Calogero (b. 1971), pop/rock singer, composer and songwriter.
• Laure Péquegnot (b. 1975), skier.
• Gérald Hustache-Mathieu (b. 1968), film director and scenarist.
• David di Tommaso (1979–2005), football player.
• Sami Bouajila (b. 1966), actor.
• Guilbaut Colas (b. 18 June 1983), freestyle skier.
• David Lazzaroni (b. 4 February 1985), ski jumper.
• Sandrine Aubert (b. 6 October 1982), alpine skier.
• Jonathan Tinhan (b. 1 June 1989), footballer.
• Kévin Aymoz (b. 1 August 1997), figure skater
• Matteo Tomasi (b. 16 October 1998), footballer.

International relations

Échirolles is twinned with:

• Italy Grugliasco, Italy
• Benin Honhoue, Benin
• England Kimberley, England

References

References

1. (16 April 2024). "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises.
2. [https://www.insee.fr/fr/metadonnees/geographie/unite-urbaine-2020/38701-grenoble Unité urbaine 2020 de Grenoble (38701)], INSEE
3. "Hôtel de Ville d'Échirolles". Architectes pour tous.
4. {{Cassini-Ehess. 12421. Échirolles
5. [https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/4515315?geo=COM-38151#ancre-POP_T1 Population en historique depuis 1968], INSEE
6. (25 August 2023). "Métropole de Grenoble. Deux hommes blessés par balles à Echirolles puis au Pont-de-Claix, lundi soir".
7. (2024-11-07). "Guerre des gangs : nouvelle fusillade dans la nuit à Echirolles, un homme blessé".
8. (25 September 2024). "Trafic de drogue. Exposés à un « danger de mort permanent », les occupants de l'immeuble le Carrare, à Échirolles, doivent évacuer les lieux".
9. (10 February 2025). ""Je priais pour ne pas recevoir de balle": le témoignage d'une ado de 16 ans, victime collatérale d'une fusillade".
10. (15 January 2025). "Zora, victime collatérale du narcotrafic : « Je vais devoir vivre avec une balle dans la jambe » – Le Parisien".
11. (28 April 2025). "Métropole de Grenoble. Un homme grièvement blessé dans une fusillade à Échirolles".
12. (3 May 2025). "Agglomération grenobloise : une nouvelle fusillade fait quatre blessés près d'un point de deal – ici".
13. (2025-12-03). "Échirolles : un homme tué par balle en pleine rue - ICI".
14. (2025-12-07). "Un jeune homme de 22 ans meurt, touché par plusieurs balles à Échirolles - ICI".