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 The Bold "Green" City A city rich in skills inherited from its industrial past, Saint-Etienne ranks today as the second largest urban conglomeration in the Rhône-Alpes region. With its ambition to conduct extensive economic projects, the city is banking on the World Football Cup to demonstrate its vitality and know-how. Birthplace of the industrial era
A successful conversion The city of art and culture An exceptional environment to live in
Saint-Etienne IN THE RUN-UP TO THE WORLD CUP From the very outset, Saint-Etienne grasped the importance of hosting the Football World Cup in 1998, and was quick to involve its whole population, making the success of the event a goal for everyone. Living the World Cup Image-building... Know-how And for those who can't wait until 1998, Saint-Etienne promises to rise to the occasion. A village set up in the downtown area is to host a permanent celebration, with activities, meetings with well-known personalities, and exclusive shows, while the city's neighbourhoods will dress up in the colours of the qualifying countries, as impressive parades file down the main streets, bringing a feeling of cheerfulness and fun to everybody's hearts. |
POPULATION |
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 of football since the epic of the "Greens" in the seventies, Saint-Étienne will once again renew its close ties with the round ball in 1998. |
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 The Saint-Étienne Museum of Modern Art, inaugurated in 1987, is one of the biggest in France. It will exhibit a retrospective of 20th century art. |
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 The Museum of Art and Industry perpetuates the industrial memory of the city with a Jacquard ribbon-weaving loom, the origin of local prosperity, a room devoted to the permanent display of arms, and a cycle exhibition. |
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 people flock to Saint-Étienne every year in October to attend the Book Fair. For three days, visitors can fulfill their passion for books in all forms. |
aint-Etienne started booming right back in the 16th century, becoming prosperous through the manufacture of furnishing trimmings and weapons. Then, in the 19th century, the city really began to build its industrial reputation, largely through coal-mining, and the industrial revolution turned Saint-Etienne into one of France's leading cities. The famous "Ecole des Mines" (national school of mine engineering) was founded there in 1816, and it is no coincidence that France's first railway line had a terminus in Saint-Etienne in 1827. In the mid 19th century, the city prudently began to diversify its activities and develop new industries. It was then that the mass-distribution specialist Perrachon, today known as "CASINO," was founded, as well as the famous "Manufrance" company selling arms and cycles. Coal-mining was at its peak. With the 20th century emerged new economic models: the leisure industry was born, and .Saint-Etienne built its theatre, stadium and museums. Building on its past heritage, the Saint-Etienne of the year 2000 is developing by adjusting to the new demands of the present.
ormer capital of the arms, fashion accessory and cycle industries, Saint-Etienne has rapidly built up a reputation for its expertise in sub-contracting and mechanics. Today, close to 400 small and medium-size businesses, grouped in industrial "poles" (including industrial automation, medical technologies and optical engineering) make up the city's economic fabric and provide its driving force. With top-class higher education institutions (Ecole des Mines, and colleges for fine arts and architecture), the city is also home to 700 researchers and is a major venue for scientific conventions.
nown in the past for the expertise of its craftsmen, Saint-Etienne is now a lively artistic centre. A large number of shows are held every season at the Comédie Jean Dasté and the Esplanade Opera House. The Modern Art Museum houses the second largest public collection of French contemporary art, after Paris. The Museum of Art and Industry is about to receive a unique collection of weapons, while the Coal-mining Museum and the Planetarium, among others, constitute cultural landmarks in a city that also welcomes nearly 400 authors every year at the Book Fair.
ut Saint-Etienne is also known for its natural environment, and has received much acclaim for its quality of life. With 60,000 hectares of protected green areas, the region offers a wide range of outdoor activities for nature buffs.
he first symbol of this goal has been the founding of an association entirely devoted to preparing for the big event: thanks to SECOM (Saint-Etienne Coupe du Monde), the whole city lives and breathes the World Cup. The countdown has already started, as evinced by three giant clocks, placed at the gates of the city and along the highways, that are measuring the time left before Saint-Etienne welcomes the games. At 365 days before kick-off, this is truly "a countdown that counts": this was the message in the city's press campaign, where it stressed its determination to mobilise the entire population to ensure the success of FRANCE 98.
ooking beyond its regional borders, Saint-Etienne has also embarked on a billboard campaign in six French cities, with a view to enhancing its image and restoring its reputation as a city of grandeur and excellence.