About Saint Etienne
Located in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region in eastern central France, Saint-Etienne is the capital of the Loire department. The city is situated along the coast of the River Furan, a tributary of the Loire. It is one of the most important historic, cultural, and art centers of the Massif Central region, which is formed by high mountains and plateaus. Saint-Etienne was the first French city on the UNESCO ‘City of Design’ list. City of Design is a title given by UNESCO to cities that adopt creativity and urban transformation design that can be used in an economic way within the city. Design Cities increase the quality of social and economic life in the city through design and creativity. The city’s industrial history is full of stories of the rise and fall of industries.
The biggest example of this would be the ribbon industry, an indispensable part of French fashion in the 18th century. Until the beginning of World War I the city was a center for ribbon production, which began to rapidly decline due to the effects of the war. Today there are only a small number of ribbon factories left. Another important industry that showed great fluctuation in the city’s industrial history is the arms industry.
The weapons manufactured in this city met the firearm needs during the French Revolution. In fact Saint-Etienne was nicknamed ‘Armeville’ at that time. With the reduction of the colonial territories the city, which was the center of small arms production, lost this branch of industry as well. The coal mining industry is another industry that increased in the city but within a certain amount of time that too ended.
Saint-Etienne is quite developed in the field of tourism thanks to the advantages of having the title of City of Design. The city’s main attractions include the Saint-Etienne Cathedral, the Art and Industry Museum, Mining Museum, and the Planetarium de Saint-Etienne. The city has a warm and temperate climate. The Saint-Etienne Boutheon Airport is located 12 km northwest of the city.
Transportation to Saint Etienne City Center from Airport
Saint Etienne Boutheon Airport
There is a rapid access to the city center via the train and taxis from the Boutheon Airport in the northern part of Saint Etienne, the heart of the French industry. Those who want to travel by car can easily rent a car from companies located at the airport.
Taxi
The taxis stand out as the most appropriate alternative for the ones travelling to Saint Etienne for the first time. You can travel the distance of approximately 15 kilometers between the airport and the city center with the taxis that specially trained drivers on passengers’ satisfaction and traffic rules.
High-speed Train
You need to reach the Boutheon Train Station just outside the airport to use the fastest and most economical alternatives to reach the city center. The trains that open their doors to the passengers at 09:52 in the morning continue to serve until 21:22 in the evening. You can get your ticket from the station. To get to the city center, you need to get off at the Chateaucreux station.
Car Rental
There is an opportunity to book a car online from Avis and Europcar companies which are experiencing a demand explosion in the summer season. While you can rent a car at a more economical price in early reservations, you may have to pay more for renting a car at the offices in the airport.
