Skip to content
Voykit
Set your trip — dates, party, bagsPlanner

Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · France

Saint-Étienne

Give Saint-Étienne one full day from Lyon (45–55 min by TER) for the Cité du Design and the modern art museum; sleep in Lyon unless you are here for a match.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (inland heat), mid-Dec–early Jan
Airports
EBU · LYS
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • France and Monaco ↗France has run temporary identity checks at its internal Schengen land borders since 2015; carry a passport or EU/EEA national ID on trains and buses from Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg.
  • France and Monaco ↗Nights in France and Monaco draw on the same Schengen 90-in-180-day allowance as the rest of the area; Monaco does not reset or pause it.
  • France ↗France is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors' fingerprints and photo at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
  • France ↗TGV (including the low-cost Ouigo) and Intercités night trains need a seat reservation: a rail pass alone does not let you board.
  • France ↗Paris, Lyon and other large cities run low-emission zones that require a Crit'Air sticker on cars; check before you drive a hire car or your own car into a city.
  • France ↗Carry your passport or national ID card: police can ask for identification, and hotels register foreign guests.

Saint-Étienne is a former coal and arms city in the Massif Central, 60 km southwest of Lyon, that rebuilt itself around design: it is a UNESCO Creative City of Design, and its Museum of Modern Art holds one of France's largest modern collections. Sights are spread between the centre and two outlying museum sites, so a car or the tram matters. Most travellers see it as a day trip from Lyon; football fans come for Ligue 2 matches at a 42,000-seat ground.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Saint-Étienne, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee at a café€1.50–3 (≈ US$2–4)
  • Sit-down mealDinner main course€15–25 (≈ US$18–30)
  • Beerdraught in a bar / can at a shop€4–7 (≈ US$5–9)€1–2 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Metro or bus rideSTAS tram or bus ride€2 (≈ US$3)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week€10–20 (≈ US$12–25)
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (MAMC+, Cité du Design, Mine Museum)€5–9 (≈ US$6–11), some free
  • Budget bedFamily room (up to 4), a night, per room€95 (≈ US$120)
  • Mid-range bedMid-range double room, a night, per room€85 (≈ US$100)
  • High-end bedMid-range double room, a night, per room€130 (≈ US$160)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €55 (≈ US$65) · Mid €95 (≈ US$120) · High €180 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Cité du Design and the Manufacture districtMuseum of Modern Art (MAMC+)Museum of Art and IndustryCoal mining heritage at the Puits CouriotAS Saint-Étienne football
Airports
EBU Saint-Étienne–Bouthéon (About 10 km north of the centre; very few scheduled flights, so check before booking.) · LYS Lyon–Saint-Exupéry (Main gateway: about 1 h 30 min to Saint-Étienne by Rhônexpress plus train, or about 1 h 15 min by road.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Saint-Étienne: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

6°C

−1°C

9 rd

Feb

8°C

0°C

8 rd

Mar

12°C

2°C

8 rd

Apr

15°C

4°C

9 rd

May

19°C

8°C

10 rd

Jun

23°C

11°C

8 rd

Jul

26°C

13°C

7 rd

Aug

26°C

13°C

7 rd

Sep

22°C

10°C

8 rd

Oct

16°C

7°C

9 rd

Nov

10°C

2°C

9 rd

Dec

7°C

0°C

9 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

STAS runs trams, trolleybuses and buses across the agglomeration; buy a ticket from the driver or a machine and validate it. The T1 and T3 trams link Châteaucreux, the centre and the northern museum sites. Vélivert bike share needs a smartcard. The centre itself is small enough to walk.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Firminy (Le Corbusier site)

go

Door to door: About 1 h

TER train from Châteaucreux or Carnot to Firminy, about 20–25 min, then a walk or short bus

The Saint-Pierre church and the Firminy-Vert housing unit are part of the UNESCO-listed Le Corbusier works; check site hours.

Lyongo

Door to door: About 1 h

TER train from Châteaucreux or Carnot, about 45–55 min

Trains run through the day; the return leg is the easy way to end a Saint-Étienne day.

Pilat Regional Natural Park

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

Car, about 30–45 min to the main trailheads

Hiking and views over the Loire; public transport to trailheads is thin, so a car helps.

Pérouges

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

Train to Meximieux then a taxi or a long walk, or car via the A47/A42

Medieval hill village; easier by car and best combined with Lyon.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Centre / Place du Peuple–Hôtel de Ville

Walkable old town, cafés and the Carnot station; best for one night without a car.

Châteaucreux station area

Main station for Lyon and Paris TGV; practical for early departures, quiet at night.

La Terrasse / Geoffroy-Guichard

Match nights only: walk to the stadium and the La Terrasse station.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€55–85 (≈ US$65–100) excl. bed
Mid
€85–140 (≈ US$100–170) excl. bed
High
€140 (≈ US$170)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range double room1 × 1 night × €85€85
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × €95€190
STAS single tram or bus ticket2 × €2€4
STAS day pass2 × €6€12
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €15€30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€32
Trip total≈ €177 per person per day, bed included€353≈ US$450

2026 estimate in euro; travel to and from Saint-Étienne excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee at a café€1.50–3 (≈ US$2–4)
Lunch menu (plat du jour)€13–18 (≈ US$16–25)
Dinner main course€15–25 (≈ US$18–30)
Beer: draught in a bar / can at a shop€4–7 (≈ US$5–9) / €1–2 (≈ US$2–3)
STAS tram or bus ride€2 (≈ US$3)
Museum entry (MAMC+, Cité du Design, Mine Museum)€5–9 (≈ US$6–11), some free
eSIM or data SIM, about a week€10–20 (≈ US$12–25)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Central Saint-Étienne is fine by day; at night stay on lit streets around Place du Peuple and the Hôtel de Ville, and avoid the station approaches after the last trams. Petty theft and rowdy match nights are the main issues.
  • Museum of Modern Art and the Mine Museum sit outside the centre: check opening days before you go, and note many French museums close on Mondays or Tuesdays.
  • The Mine Museum is largely underground and unheated: bring a jacket.
  • Match days around Geoffroy-Guichard fill trams and bars; book a bed early.
  • Some budget hotels near the stations are basic; read recent reviews before booking.

Emergency numbers

European emergency (police, fire, ambulance)
112
Ambulance (SAMU)
15
Police
17
Fire
18

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Saint-ÉtienneSaint-Étienne

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

À cette adresse, s'il vous plaîtTo this address, please

Emergency

  • European emergency112
  • Ambulance (SAMU)15
  • Police17
  • Fire18

Embassy

No embassies here; the US, UK and most others are in Paris, with consulates in Lyon (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Train Lyon → Saint-Étienne, TER: about €12–15 (≈ US$14–18), 45–55 min
  • Train Saint-Étienne → Paris, TGV: about 2 h 45 min–3 h; fares vary, book ahead
  • Taxi across the centre: €10–15 (≈ US$12–18)

Say or show

  • Bonjour — Hello / Good day (bon-ZHOOR)
  • Merci — Thank you (mair-SEE)
  • S'il vous plaît — Please (seel voo PLEH)
  • C'est combien ? — How much is it? (say kom-BYEN)
  • Je peux payer par carte ? — Can I pay by card? (zhuh puh pay-YAY par KART)
  • Où est l'arrêt de tram ? — Where is the tram stop? (oo ay la-RAY duh tram)

Service is included by law in French cafés and restaurants; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Saint-Étienne. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (inland heat), mid-Dec–early Jan · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for EBU and LYS: last connections field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Place du Peuple and the old town, Châteaucreux, the Cité du Design, and the northern museum sites.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (MAMC+, Cité du Design, Mine Museum, Museum of Art and Industry) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Match-day and hostile arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to France

Sources