In the doors of Forez and of Pilat, seven centuries of history cycles and weapons have faconné the charming face of Saint-Etienne, the mining city and worker, the capital of the rubanerie.

In the XIII-th century, Saint-Etienne is only a peaceful hamlet in the walking(stairs) of the Central massif, renowned for its abbey "Valbenoite". But the basement of Saint-Etienne is rich and the coal appears, transparent waters of Furan.

The rubanerie makes(does) its appearance and in the XVIII-th century, 23 000 inhabitants work in the expension of this industrious village. Then it is the industrial explosion. The bourgeoisie shapes the city.

During your stay, please, admire the buildings of the ornamented rubaniers and, in the course of routes, follow in the track the pioneers of the weapon, the ribbon and the appearance(mine). To discover : the Museum of the Arts and the industry, Museum of the Appearance(mine) and the Museum the Best Workers of France without forgetting the Museum of Modern Art.

With 800 hectares of spaces greens, parks, gardens and golf, the green city offers you a front life-size taste of the regional natural reserve of Pilat or the Gorges of the Loire which make(do) of Saint-Etienne a city in the middle of nowhere.

For any information or demand of documentation, please, contact the Office of Tourism of Saint-Etienne, at your disposal all year.

Text : Extracted from the Brochure "City, Patrimony in Rhone-Alps" CRT - Photos : "Guide of the city"