Capital of the Loire department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Saint-Étienne, or "Sainté" for those who are familiar with it, is a student destination and has been designated by UNESCO as a "creative city for design". As the former industrial capital of Europe (19th century), the city was the cradle of many innovations that changed the world in the last century. The first railway line was laid here and one of the first tramways was installed. Manufrance and its catalog, the pioneer of mail order, was born here. The water wheel, an energy source on an industrial scale, was invented in Saint-Etienne... A whole heritage still testifies to this today throughout the city's districts. But today is the era of design in Saint-Etienne. You have to see the Hôtel des ingénieurs and the fresco of La brosse à dents qui fait rire, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, the Mine Muséum and the Museum of Modern Art, the Cité du design and the Manufacture creative district. You must go on the lookout for the contemporary artworks that adorn the city. Look for Philippe Million's multi-colored tree , Assan Smati's blue horses . Stock up on local products at the Halles Mazerat. The renovated Place de l'Hôtel de Ville gives a new cachet to the city center. A trip to nearby Mont Pilat is a must during a stay in Saint-Etienne. In the meantime, take a walk in one of the city's green spaces, sit at a café, or take the time to choose a good restaurant. Your favorite tourist guide will help you.
When to go to Saint-Etienne? A student, commercial, cultural and dynamic city, Saint-Étienne can be visited all year round. Prefer spring and autumn, as summer can be very hot and winter very cold. In addition, there are many tourists in the summer and prices tend to go up in both accommodation and restaurants. However, the end of year celebrations offer magnificent decorations and magical animations. All year round, cultural events are offered to you: Jazzeries d'hiver in January, Arts burlesques in February, Paroles et musiques, Fête du livre in October and Sainte-Barbe in December. As for the International Design Biennial of Saint-Etienne, it takes place in odd years, during a month in April/May.
At the foot of the Pilat massif, on the ubac, and spread out from 530 m to 700 m of altitude, Saint-Etienne has a semi-continental climate with a mountain influence. In winter, snowfalls can be abundant. The Mediterranean influence is reflected in occasional Cevenol-type episodes and sunshine that is often higher than the national average. The average temperature varies between day and night from 2/8 °C in January/February to 15/26 °C in July/August.
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