I invite you to continue exploring France. The small but charming town of Saint-Étienne delights with its historic castles, museums, vegetation and beach.
Saint-Étienne is a town and commune in France, in the eastern part of the Massif Central, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, in the Loire department.
Drive: By plane – The closest airport is Lyon. By rail – There is a train station here. By car – Saint-Étienne is an important road junction.
The main attraction of Saint-Étienne is the local Museum of Modern Art, which houses the largest collection of works by artists of the 20th and early 21st centuries in France. The city is also the seat of The Mining Museum located in a former coal mine. It includes both exhibitions in the above-ground part and the opportunity to visit mining galleries.
Museum of Modern Art
Parc-Musée de la Mine – Ville de Saint-Étienne
Chateau de Chambord Loire Valley
The surroundings of Saint-Étienne are very picturesque. There is the Loire Gorge, a deep river valley with forests. In its surroundings you can visit small, historic towns and villages as well as several medieval castles. Among others: Castle of Meung Sur Loire, Castle of Beaugency, Castle of Talcy, Castle of Vendome, Castle of Lavardin, Blois, Castle of Chambord.
Place Jean Jaurès – Saint-Étienne
Place Jean Jaurès – This square with trees and flowers has a pool, games, a carousel and a bandstand created by Louis Mazerat, rebuilt in 1914, and classified since 1987. The two nude statues were made by Paul Belmondo and the nymphs at the fountains are signed Albert Ernest Garrier Belleuse.
Plage des Stéphanois
There is a beach 1.4 km from Saint-Étienne on the Loire – Plage des Stéphanois. The route is generally considered easy and takes an average of 18 minutes to complete. This is a popular route for bird watching, fishing and running, but you can still enjoy the peace and quiet. It can be accessed year-round and the experience is worth it at any time of the year.
Where would you start your tour? Sightseeing by car or maybe on foot? Either option is good.
