Pontcharra is a French commune located in the department of Isère, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
The city is particularly known for being the birthplace of the knight Bayard who participated in the Italian wars in the 16th century.
Its inhabitants are called the Charrapontains.
With Crolles, Pontcharra is one of the most important towns in the Grésivaudan valley (valley located between the Chartreuse massif and the Belledonne range). It occupies the northernmost part of the valley (Haut-Grésivaudan), on the border with Savoie. Pontcharra is located at the crossroads of three valleys: the Trouée des Marches, the Grésivaudan and the Combe de Savoie.
Unlike most of the other surrounding towns which were built on the hillsides, Pontcharra is mainly built on the plain. The city is spread out between the Brame-Farine mountain (Belledonne range) to the east and the Isère river to the west, on the course of the Bréda, at the outlet of its gorges.
The town offers a panorama of the Bauges massif and Mont Granier (Chartreuse massif). On a clear day, it is possible to see the massifs which surround the Grésivaudan valley as far as Crolles.