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

[Fugacious]

looks fantastic! love the tram photos

[The Dear Leader]

Looks pretty nice, certainly much better than the German coal mining cities.

[TinChelseaNYC]

Great tour of a very attractive city!

[Sandy]

Here is some new pics, taken this week, trees have green leaves, water jets and fountains are now working,
we begin to see some customers on the Jean Jaurès plaza where cafés and restaurants have installed their terrace.

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75. Small pano


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80. This yellow uggly thing behind the tram, in the background, is the Carnot railroad station, I'll take some pics to show you...


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and the Zénith (music hall designed by Foster) ... works still in progress, they're now cladding the roof:

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[Minato Ku]

I miss these pictures.

[Sandy]

Hello

Yesterday was the first day of summer, but also the Fête de la musique, the music day, created by a French Minister, Jack Lang, 26 years ago
Through the years, this event has spread all around the world, the music is in the streets everywhere

Here is some pics to show how it was in St Etienne:

In the afternoon: Sunny and warm 32° C / 89° F

Place Jean Jaurès, water jets are stopped

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75. City Hall Plaza


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7.30 PM

Rue St Jean

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Rue des Martyres de Vingré

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79. Back to Jean Jaurès Plaza : terraces are full


.../...

[Sandy]

9 PM Music all around the city

Jean Jaurès Plaza

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Walking to City Hall Plaza

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Here we are

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Look at this man behind the singers, Hey!! be happy!! this is The World Music Day!!!

... / ...

[Sandy]

Dorian Plaza

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Up St Jean Street

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Various streets

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The end, I hope you enjoyed the tour!

[OhioGuy]

I like what I'm seeing.

[kanhawk]

I have never seen a city tram with grass covering the tracks before! Interesting landscaping.

[Minato Ku]

Most light rails have grass in France, unlike many European countries, only few lines of three tram network remain in the 1960's (St Etienne, Marseille and Lille), in the end oof the 1980's Nantes and Grenoble opened their new tram system since this the tram is popular.

You just need to know that the tram unlike Netherlands, Belgium, Germany... but like U.K are recent.

[Sandy]

Zenith (N. Foster) construction update, taken last week end :

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And talking about music halls, here is Le Fil (the wire) a smaller brand new auditorium which openned just a couple month ago :

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123. A bar inside:

[Sandy]

Other construction update : Cité du Design (see p1 for more details)

What is called The Platine is still under construction :



03.26.08

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131. This pano looks weird but I like it


The work is so slow... this is depressing!!!

[Fabb]

I thought the Tramway des Maréchaux in Paris was being innovative with the lawn around the tracks.
Apparently, it just imported the idea from St-Etienne...

[Sandy]

I thought the Tramway des Maréchaux in Paris was being innovative with the lawn around the tracks.
Apparently, it just imported the idea from St-Etienne...

Yes I think we were among the first ones, the photos show the second line which has just been finished, but we already had lawn on the 1st line since it was been renovated at the end of the nineties or 2000, I don't remember because tram is no big deal here, it has been operating for more than a century! we had it before it become a fashion in France! seems that Sarajevo was the pioneer (English readers sorry french link: http://www.dzana.net/162-tramway-sarajevo.html)

[10101000]

neat-o speed-o!

[Sandy]

Originally Posted by (Tim)

neat-o speed-o!

I don't understand what you mean what is neat???

[Border City Boy]

Super photos!

Is the music festival an annual event?

[Sandy]

Originally Posted by Border City Boy

Super photos!

Is the music festival an annual event?

Yes every first day of summer, the first one was in 1982, that day everybody can play music or sing in the street, big band or smaller ones, noise and music are allowed all night long.

If you don't know this event then probably it didn't cross the atlantic ocean, or not in the same proportion than in Europe, according to the French media, it's worldwide known and celebrated, but as it's a french idea, I think they just oversized the fame of this event!
Anyway this is a nice day with a good atmosphere

[Fabb]

So, St-Etienne got its Foster-designed building.
It seems like every city in the world wants its own.