Chess clubs in Grenoble, Isère and Hautes-Alpes: from the Échiquier Grenoblois to Gap
Updated 18 October 2026 · Échecs en Savoie, independent guide
The Échiquier Grenoblois, founded in 1962, is the biggest chess club in the French Alps: 289 licensed players in October 2026 and a team in Nationale 2. Isère has sixteen clubs affiliated to the French Chess Federation in all, and Hautes-Alpes three, including the Échiquier Haut-Alpin de Gap, in Nationale 3.
All the data comes from the FFE club lists for the committees of Isère (38) and Hautes-Alpes (05), and from each club's page, surveyed on 18 October 2026. The licence figures are those of the 2026-2027 season, still being renewed.
The Échiquier Grenoblois, Grenoble's big club
Échiquier Grenoblois: Grenoble's chess club, an association registered on 10 April 1962 (published in the Journal officiel on 15 April 1962). FFE-affiliated, it plays in Nationale 2 in the adult league and in Nationale 1 for juniors and women. It holds the federation's Club formateur (training club) label.
With 229 A licences and 60 B licences, the Échiquier Grenoblois is by far the leading club of the three départements covered by this page, and the largest of all those listed in this guide. Its playing room is at 5 rue de l'Ancien-Champ-de-Mars, 38000 Grenoble. Its federation page gives two main sessions, Wednesday evening and Saturday afternoon, outside school holidays; the reference remains its website, echiquiergrenoblois.org.
Its junior and women's teams in Nationale 1, the top level of those competitions, make it a recognised training club in the region. The Palais des Échecs directory has a page on chess clubs in Grenoble, useful for comparing addresses across the conurbation.
The other clubs in the Grenoble area
Where can you play chess in Grenoble if you live to the south, the east or in the Grésivaudan? The conurbation has several smaller clubs, often closer to home.
| Club (FFE name) | Town | A + B | Team league |
|---|---|---|---|
| Echiquier Grenoblois | Grenoble | 229 + 60 = 289 | Nationale 2 |
| La Diagonale - Eybens | Eybens | 23 + 21 = 44 | Nationale 2 |
| La Reine Blanche de Sassenage | Sassenage | 10 + 20 = 30 | Regional |
| Echirolles-Alekhine | Échirolles | 13 + 5 = 18 | Nationale 4 |
| Grenoble Bayard Echecs | Grenoble | 14 + 0 = 14 | Nationale 4 |
| Gresivaudan Echecs | Crolles | 14 + 0 = 14 | Nationale 4 |
| L'Echiquier Martinerois | Saint-Martin-d'Hères | 6 + 8 = 14 | Regional |
Of note: La Diagonale d'Eybens also plays in Nationale 2, despite a much smaller membership than the Échiquier Grenoblois. The Grésivaudan has two clubs: Grésivaudan Échecs in Crolles and the Échiquier du Grésivaudan, in Chapareillan and Allevard, a stone's throw from Savoie.
The rest of Isère: Voironnais, Nord-Isère, Rhône valley
| Club (FFE name) | Town | A + B | Team league |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Tour de Chartreuse | Saint-Étienne-de-Crossey | 89 + 16 = 105 | Regional (youth N2) |
| St Clair Echecs | Saint-Clair-du-Rhône | 27 + 22 = 49 | Nationale 4 |
| Echiquier du Gresivaudan | Chapareillan, Allevard | 17 + 29 = 46 | Nationale 4 |
| La Dame Blanche Bourgoin-Jallieu | Bourgoin-Jallieu | 31 + 12 = 43 | Nationale 3 |
| Echecs et Abrets | Les Abrets en Dauphiné | 5 + 29 = 34 | Regional |
| Le Cavalier de Joud | Saint-Marcellin | 8 + 24 = 32 | Regional |
| MJC Echecs Côtois | La Côte-Saint-André | 19 + 3 = 22 | Regional |
| La Tour de Vienne | Vienne | 14 + 1 = 15 | Nationale 4 |
| Heyrieux Echecs | Heyrieux | 9 + 0 = 9 | Regional |
In the Voironnais, La Tour de Chartreuse, in Saint-Étienne-de-Crossey, is the second-largest club in Isère by number of licensed players, with youth and women's teams in Nationale 2. For a chess club in Voiron, it is the nearest address listed by the FFE. In the Nord-Isère, La Dame Blanche of Bourgoin-Jallieu plays in Nationale 3.
The Hautes-Alpes clubs: Gap, Briançon, Laragne
Échiquier Haut-Alpin de Gap: a Gap chess club affiliated to the FFE, which meets at the young workers' hostel, 73 boulevard Georges-Pompidou. With 55 licensed players and a team in Nationale 3, it is the flagship club of the Southern Alps. Website: gapechecs.fr.
| Club (FFE name) | Town | A + B | Team league |
|---|---|---|---|
| Echiquier Haut Alpin de Gap | Gap | 45 + 10 = 55 | Nationale 3 |
| Grand Roc Briançon | Briançon | 25 + 2 = 27 | Regional |
| Diagonale du Fou Echecs - Laragne | Laragne-Montéglin | 9 + 1 = 10 | Regional |
The Gap club has its own website, gapechecs.fr, and the Palais des Échecs directory has a page devoted to chess clubs in Gap and Hautes-Alpes. In Briançon, Grand Roc Briançon meets at the école du Prorel. Hautes-Alpes belongs to the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur league, not the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes league like Savoie and Isère: regional competitions are therefore not the same.
Grenoble and the Alps, championship country
Grenoble hosted the French Championship in 1966, won by Volf Bergraser. It is one of the many editions played in the Alps, from Chamonix in 1927 to Alpe d'Huez, in Isère, in 2023 and 2024. Find the full table on our page on French Championships in the Alps, and the story of the last two editions in French Championships at Alpe d'Huez.
Which club to choose?
- For an ambitious child in Grenoble: the Échiquier Grenoblois, with its juniors in Nationale 1, or La Tour de Chartreuse in the Voironnais.
- For an adult who wants to play in a team: Grenoble or Eybens in Nationale 2, Bourgoin-Jallieu or Gap in Nationale 3.
- For enjoyment close to home: neighbourhood and valley clubs, often more intimate.
- To play rated tournaments: an A licence is required, see our page on the chess licence.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I play chess in Grenoble?
The main club is the Échiquier Grenoblois, at 5 rue de l'Ancien-Champ-de-Mars, which plays in Nationale 2. Grenoble Bayard Échecs is the town's other club; Eybens, Échirolles, Sassenage and Saint-Martin-d'Hères also have clubs.
When was the Échiquier Grenoblois founded?
The Échiquier Grenoblois was registered as an association on 10 April 1962, with publication in the Journal officiel on 15 April 1962. The club also uses “1962” in the names of its social media accounts.
How many chess clubs are there in Isère?
In October 2026 the FFE lists sixteen clubs in the Isère committee. The largest is the Échiquier Grenoblois, with 289 licensed players.
Is there a chess club in Gap?
Yes, the Échiquier Haut-Alpin de Gap, which plays in Nationale 3 and meets on boulevard Georges-Pompidou. Hautes-Alpes also has clubs in Briançon and Laragne-Montéglin.