THE CONURBATION

Second largest conurbation in the Rhône-Alpes region, Saint-Etienne Metropole consists in 43 communes, representing around 400,000 inhabitants.
Key figures
  • 43 communes
  • 391,612 inhabitants
  • 11,000 companies: France’s largest network of SMEs and SMIs
  • 18,000 students, 5 universities, 5 higher education institutes, 6 high schools
  • France’s leading collection of Modern Art outside Paris at the Musée d’Art Moderne
  • the Musée d’Art et d’Industrie (art and industry museum) and the Musée de la Mine (mining museum)
  • a National Drama Centre
  • a hundred-year-old tramway
  • a water sports centre 14km from the town centre
  • a downhill skiing facility 18km from the town centre
  • an 18-hole golf course within the town itself
  • the Geoffroy Guichard stadium

The local area

Close to the Pilat National Park and the Loire Gorges, the conurbation’s surrounding provides a natural environment of high quality and diversity. Saint-Etienne Metropole is ideally located; less than two hours from Alpine ski resorts and three hours from the Mediterranean.

The presence of equipments and infrastructures makes it easy to indulge in a wide range of sporting activities such as downhill skiing, snowshoeing, mountain hiking, off-road biking, golf and water sports. More than 600 associations offer some sixty sporting disciplines. The richness and variety of Saint-Etienne Metropole’s cultural heritage has been confirmed by its status as a Ville d’art et d’histoire (‘town of art and history’), which was offered to the town centre in 2000.

The conurbation is particularly well equipped as far as culture is concerned: theatres, operas, museums, media activities centres, etc. Cultural events on a local, regional and national scale cover all types of expression. Highlights in the conurbation’s festive and cultural events programme include the international biennial event of design in November (it plays host to 200,000 visitors, 760 designers and 100 countries), the "Fête du Livre" (book show) in October (100,000 visitors, 500 authors) and the music festivals "Paroles et Musiques" in June and "Massenet" in November.

With its tradition of industrial innovation and its rich economic heritage, Saint-Etienne Metropole is really looking for the future. A proof of that : the large-scale projects are undertaken by the conurbation… (more about large-scale projects).
 
 
 
 
 
© Saint-Etienne Metropole
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