ST ETIENNE, FRANCE | By a Stéphanoise: a big thread

[Border City Boy]

It looks much nicer now:



Than it did when I was there last...

[Sandy]

Sure!! the building has been renovated a few month ago, I managed to go inside just before they finished (normally forbidden to public but... ) last floor appartments were amazing, with terrace, I would have love to live there but it was too late, all of them were already sold.

[Sandy]

Cité du Design, small update:

[Fabb]

I like the nice, vivid color.
Thanks for the update !

[Sandy]

Few pics taken yesterday : St Roch Place

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[Sandy]

The main entrance of 60th Foire de St Etienne which openned yesterday for 10 days:

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As I was near the Zénith, I can't resist taking some more pics, I love it , it's a really impressive building, now completed (openning October 12th)

On the way...

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[Sandy]

First, another view of the Zenith which will open in just one week

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A small zoom on the hyper center of St Etienne where I live :

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And as bonus, a big pano I've just made this afternoon :

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[Sandy]

Now the Cité du Design with a construction update, the 10th International Design Biennal is coming soon, November 15th to 30th(http://biennalesaint-etienne.citedud...dex.html#/home), and the Platine has to be completed, at least the cladding... which is, actually not so bad! I would have prefered much more glass panel, but maybe it will look nice too like this, hoping materials used will last over the years.

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Inside the Platine

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Still lot of works...

[Fabb]

It seems like you have access to the construction site.
Good progress since last month !

[Sandy]

Yes, even if access is forbidden, nothing is closed, amazing because it could be dangerous, but if you want you can I went inside the old building when the renovation began, just about 1 year ago, from the last floor just below the roof (pics on this same page, building with the grey circle which closed the hole since the old clock as been stolen!!), there's a nice view of the construction site and I took many pictures inside and outside.
At this time, there was no worker the week end, but with the Design biennal deadline... things changed.
Last sunday, there was only 2 people working on the cladding, they didn't speak french, only english and german and they just didn't care! so I could shoot the Platine from the inside.
Same easy access in the building at the beginning of this page, with the old factory chimney, a former administration building which has been renovated in very nice appartments, each ones on the last floor have roof terrace.
The Zénith is an exception, I tried many times but I didn't manage to get in. At the end of this week, and for 2 days, it will be opened to public, I hope I'll have time to go there and take some pics.

[Fabb]

What you do seems a little risky.
I bet you don't even wear a hard hat

[Sandy]

No, really this is not risky, just watch your steps and it's ok, could be dangerous only for children, if they play without looking around, sometimes there's some hole or stairs without railing...

[Sandy]

The Zenith was opened yesterday for visit, here's some pics I made (after these ones, I promise, I stop taking picture of this building!! I guess everybody has enough with it )

31. 10 AM big queue for the tour



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Inside

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40. Artist's lounge



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[Sandy]

A nice building renovation which has just been made.

Before it looks like this : from live maps: http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=...cl=1&encType=1





It was a former medical center renovated to office building:

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Good work!!

[Fabb]

This was a quality renovation... but they failed to make an inviting plaza in front of the main facade.

[Sandy]

Yep, but it's not totally completed, the offices seem to be empty, according to Zoom42 (sorry in French, http://www.zoom42.fr/actu/ACT_detail.asp?strId=21985) this building is the new headquarter of EOVI medical insurance but IMO, most of employees didn't move yet, and maybe the building is still empty, it doesn't even have the EOVI logo, so we could hope that a plaza will be made.
Anyway, thanks for your comments

[Sandy]

St Etienne Book Festival, these last 3 days, nothing really interesting this year but as I just bought a wide angle for my camera I walked around to test it

46. City Hall Plaza



47. 48. Inside the city hall





The Book Festival

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A small walk in the city

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Nice church

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Walking near the railroad station to see the construction site of the Administrative city...

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64. zoom



65. Administrative city: a 27000 m2 building designed by Manuelle Gautrand will be completed at the end of 2009 and will gather IRS department, St Etienne Métropole (cities community) offices, Road Department and others...

Renderings (http://manuelle-gautrand.p8.siteinte...home/home.html)







The construction began about 1 year ago and today, it looks like this:

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Just in front of it, the former Casino (supermarket chain) headquarters, I think it will be rehabilated in the months to come:

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[Border City Boy]

Super photos!

The photos of the Foire, makes me smile. I was at the Foire in 2006.

Looks like things are booming.

[Sandy]

Remember these 2 "crassiers" (hill of waste from the old coal mine) :



Today, I've decided to climb to the top of one of them to show you a 360° pano from there.

Still working on my pics but it'll come soon...

[Sandy]

The other side, easier to climb

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75. Zoom



The No Trepassing sign:

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78. I found a way to get behind the fence...



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80. The slope is really steep



81. Here we go, the top, looking down



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86. The Zénith



87. The Cité du Design



88. Other work in progress



89. The 3 domes of the church I posted just before on this page



The black point on the top, it's me!

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Hope you enjoyed, thanks for viewing