Saint-Etienne: from industry to design

Until a few years ago, this town 60 km from Lyon was the capital of the Loire department in the Auvergne Rhone-Alpes (External link) region, and a very important mining (coal and metal) and industrial town, particularly focused on the manufacture of weapons, bicycles, fabrics and belts for all of Europe. Your first stop should be the Musée d'Art et d'Industrie. Located in the heart of the town, it presents various collections of these products throughout Saint-Étienne's history. This museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, activities and workshops - something for everyone.

Some factories are still operating today, and others have changed and made room for new creations. Today, over fifty local companies are at the forefront of their industries, including pedals for bicycles supplied to the Tour de France, teats for baby bottles, and curtains that adorn important places like the White House in Washington, USA, among others.

Location: 2 Pl. Louis Comte

After your visit to the Musée d'Industrie, continue your stroll through the historic centre of the Loire capital. In 2000, Saint-Étienne was awarded the title "Ville d'art et d'histoire" by the Ministry of Culture in recognition of its heritage, from relics of antiquity to twentieth-century architecture. You can see the Droguerie de la Tour, the Bourse du Travail, the Mairie, the Préfecture, the Opéra, churches, mansions, squares and the oldest railway bridge in continental Europe, a historical monument.

To make your itinerary even more convenient, you can stay at the City Loft Hotel, a historic building located in Saint-Étienne's most famous and lively shopping street, which has been completely converted internally into apartments (the street has different names depending on where you are and tram 1 runs all the way through it from north to south). Around it are pleasant pedestrian areas and terraces.

Location: Historic Centre of Saint-Étienne

Now we see what the power of this French town is, for it is a living example of how any place in the world can be given a second chance. After almost thirty years of industrial decline, Saint-Étienne is looking optimistically to the future and has become a leading city in the field of design.

The 'Cité du Design' is taking shape, a huge space of several hectares, buildings and industrial premises that used to house the National Arms Factory. Old and new buildings stand side by side here, under the motto "less smoke and more culture."
The Cité du Design is one of Saint-Étienne's most iconic "neighborhoods": the district is planned not only to provide space for artistic expression, but to involve the entire community. Thus, it contains a school for the very young, and space for startups, and a high school is currently being built. You can also eat at La Fabuleuse Cantine and enjoy fresh local produce, prepared with great imagination.

In the old factory, you can study every aspect of design, both architectural and engineering, and urban and interior, something UNESCO recognized when it was named France's first "ville de design" in 2010.

In the surrounding area you can see some monumental buildings such as the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium, the Fil, the Zénith and the Comédie and in other areas you will find the Puits Couriot Musée de la Mine, cinema Le Camion Rouge, cultural centre Amicale Laïque Chapelon, office building Îlot Grüner and the Musée d'art contemporain. It's worth planning your route to see as much of it as possible.

Location: historic centre of Saint-Étienne

Thanks to the initiative that led to the Cité du Design and the organization of the International Design Biennial, Saint-Étienne (External link) has embraced design as a means of urban renewal and economic development. Small and medium-sized local businesses and civil society organisations in general actively participate in the Biennale, which attracts more than 200,000 visitors each year, to renew and improve the quality of life of the surrounding area, taking into account sustainability and solidarity.

Streets, squares, parks and green spaces (especially the Place Jean Jaurès, Place de la gare Chateaucreux, the Jardin des Plantes, the Parc d'Europe, the Parc Montaud and the Parc de la Perrotière) are full of sculptures, works of art and street furniture that are replaced every two years on the basis of a vote by the local population. Examples include benches and playgrounds for children. Participating shops and restaurants can also receive a recommendation, such as Le Verre Galant which recently won an award for its decor and home-cooked food.

Location: 6 Rue François Gillet

Saint-Étienne and the surrounding area has a great culinary tradition. If you like eating well, the gastronomy and cuisine of this area of France will be a great attraction of your trip.

You can enjoy a wide selection of quality cheeses like the Fourme de Montbrison, the Fourme d’Ambert or the Fourme d’Yssingeau, among others. There are also products from the river as the Gorges of the Loire are only 15 kilometres away, products of the land such as watercress, lamb’s lettuce and potatoes, and all pork and chicken products. Don’t forget to try the Rapée (a potato cake), the bugnes (a type of doughnut) and the exquisite Weiss chocolate.

We can recommend La Pampille for lunch and Un Eléphant dans un Jeu de Quille for dinner, two very central restaurants, with much charm and excellent produce from this French department.

Location: La Pampille (10 Rue Denis Escoffier) and Un Eléphant dans un jeu de quille (16 Rue Léon Nautin)

Another visit you must make during your stay in Saint-Étienne is to Firminy, a dormitory town ten kilometres away, to see the work of Le Corbusier, an internationally famous architect who is considered one of the founders of modern architecture. It will take your breath away.

The enclave of the master of architecture begins with a block of apartments built in the 1960s, with 414 homes arranged in 20 floors he called 'streets'. Over one thousand families had the benefit of them and many continue to do so today. The last level was for the school and leisure areas for the neighbouring community. Everything was very carefully thought out (light, dimensions, position, colours, windows, bedrooms, communal areas, etc.) for the convenience, efficiency and comfort of everyone.

The accommodation building is the last of only five such constructions in the world; the others are in Marseille, Nantes Rezé, Briey-en-Foret and Berlin.

Your visit should continue to the Maison de la Culture, the centre of the neighbourhood of Firminy Verde - the name of the district - for leisure, music and theatre. It also functions as an information centre to find out about and understand the philosophy of the famous twentieth-century architect. Then look over to the sports stadium and the swimming pool and finish at the Church of Saint-Pierre. This religious building has a square base and then evolves into a truncated cone, 33 metres high, with classical Le Corbusier elements such as the three “cannons of light” set into the ridge.

Location: Boulevard Périphérique du Stade, Firminy