Saint-Etienne: what to do, what to see...

The creative city of Saint-Etienne is a hotbed of design, evidenced by a centre devoted to this, the boutiques at the foot of Crêt-du-Roc hill and, above all, by the architectural genius on display at the unique Le Corbusier Site. The Musée d’Art Moderne or the countless contemporary art galleries further reinforce this creative spirit, which is also reflected in its gastronomy, and most notably in the city’s real speciality: Weiss chocolate.

WHAT TO SEE

• The Cité du Design in the former Royal armaments factory
• Site Le Corbusier, the biggest complex designed by the architect in Europe
• A guided design tour through the city to understand its creativity
• The MAMC modern and contemporary art centre, housing collections of design objects
• The Musée d'Art et d'Industrie, showing the links between industry and design

WHAT TO DO

• The International Biennale of Design, held every two years around a specific theme
• Attend an ASSE football game and sing along with the supporters of Les Verts
• The local contemporary music scene with a gig at Le Fil
• Crêt-du-Roc hill, offering amazing views of the city and its surroundings
• The lively atmosphere of the city centre on a night out at Les Contrebandiers bar

WHAT TO TASTE

• The fine bubbles of internationally-renowned water, Badoit
• Grêlon du Pilat milk chocolates, encasing an alcohol-immersed hazelnut
• A variety of coffees from all over the world at Cafés Chapuis
• Local dishes at an award-winning design restaurant
• Local cheese, like Fourme de Montbrison or Rigotte de Condrieu, with a glass of French wine

WHAT TO BRING BACK

• A tailor-made bar of chocolate from the Weiss Workshop
• A variety of design objects from the Cité du Design
• A gift from the design boutiques at the foot of the Crêt-du-Roc hill
• A ribbon bracelet from the Musée d'Art & Industrie
• A souvenir from the gift shop of the Tourist Office

Getting to Saint-Etienne