This great manufacturing town, cold and muddy in winter, and dusty in summer, was founded by the Romans B.C. 56, and from a very early period became famous for forges and the manufacture of cables, ribbons, firearms, and “faïence” or crockery. It is situated in the long narrow valley of the Furens, amidst productive coal-beds. One long street, bearing the names of the Rues de Roanne, Paris, Foy, St. Louis, and Annonay, extends from west to east, dividing the city into two nearly equal parts. Off this street are the principal squares or “Places.” In nearly the centre of this street, where it is intersected by the Rue des Jardins and the Rue Royale, leading northwards to the railway station, is the Hotel de Ville, with, at the west end, the Post
and Telegraph Offices. On the south side of the part of the street called the Rue St. Louis are: the Theatre, and on the hill behind, the Ecole de Dessin, reached by 53 steps, passing an artificial grotto. Above the Ecole, in the Rue St. Barbe, reside some of the many weavers of ribbons, who exhibit their looms with pleasure to visitors. On the summit of this hill is a Capuchin convent and church, surmounted with a gilded image of the Virgin. The road from this convent, down the hill, passes the church of St. Etienne, built in the 12th cent., containing some beautiful glass, and a relief representing the martyrdom of St. Etienne.
St. Etienne: Museums.
A little to the east, and also on the side of the hill, is the [PALAIS DES ARTS], open from 10 to 12 and from 2 to 4. It contains The Picture Gallery, The Museum of Natural History, and complete collections of specimens of the manufactures of St. Etienne. On the ground-floor are the fire arms, labelled and ranged in rows. Under glass-cases are the separate pieces, from the smallest screw to the barrel; including locks, triggers, cartridges, percussion-caps, shot, and balls. The centre room upstairs contains the Picture Gallery, nearly all modern. The most striking is, “Nero beholding the effect of poison on slaves.” On one side of the Picture Gallery is the Natural History Museum, and on the other, collections of ancient tapestry, enamels, cabinets, and furniture. In a separate saloon is the faïence, consisting chiefly of plates. In the second storey is the MUSEE DE FABRIQUE. In the centre of the room are models of the ribbon-looms, and round the walls, under glass, specimens of the ribbons, which, from their small size and arrangement, do not show to advantage. Even the portraits, although most remarkable specimens of silk-weaving, are apt to be passed by, as simply very good engravings. Among them is a group in a sitting posture representing the Queen, Prince Albert, and the Prince of Wales, woven by Carquillat, who has several other works of art in this room. In the lower cases, in pattern books, are specimens of all the varied fabrics from the looms of St. Etienne. [ St. Etienne:
Manufactures.] The annual value of the silk manufactures is estimated at £3,300,000, employing 40,000 workmen and 280,000 spindles (broches), of which 165,000 work organzines and trames, and 114,000 work the silk intended for crapes and gauze ribbons. The number of looms has been estimated in all at 65,000 for weaving silks, and 80,000 for ribbons. The coalfields occupy nearly 85 square miles, employ 5000 miners, and produce on an average annually £1,600,000 worth of coal. At the west end of the long street, opposite the gas-works, are the Manufacture d’Armes of the Government, and adjoining their coal-pits (puits). This large establishment is under the superintendence of artillery officers of high rank, and employs about 2800 men. There are, besides, several private gun manufactories throughout the town, which turn out annually as many as 300,000 stand of arms, including pistols and revolvers. The Promenade of St. Etienne is the Cours Fauriel. It adjoins the Jardin des Plantes, and is north from the Place du Palais des Arts, by the straight street, the Rue de la Badouillière.
Rochetaillée.
Excursions.—Nearly 2 m. S. is Valbenoite, pop. 7000, with large hardware manufactories, and the great reservoir of the city called the Gouffre d’Enfer. 2½ m. farther by the same road is the village of [Rochetaillée]. This is also the road to take to ascend Mont Pilat. A carriage-road reaches the length of Bessat, 10 m. from St. Etienne. Thence a path leads to the farm of the Perdrix, 7 m. farther, where pass the night. Mont Pilat has two peaks—the Trois Dents, 4480 ft., and the Crête de la Perdrix, 4705 ft.
14½ m. by rail from St. Etienne is the [St. Galmier] station, 1260 ft. above the sea (see [p. 346]). An omnibus awaits passengers for the town, 1½ m. distant, on a hill 200 ft. above the station. It is a poor place with poor inns, the Commerce and Voyageurs. At the foot of the hill are the mineral springs and the establishments for bottling the water. The springs are at a considerable distance below the surface, reached by deep shafts, like the “Source Remy,” cased with masonry, and furnished with spiral staircases.
From [Roannes] (p. 346), on the St. Galmier branch line, an omnibus starts for St. Alban, 6¼ m. distant, with a hotel and bathing establishment possessing cold acidulous chalybeate springs.
Nearer St. Germains, at the station of St. Martin d’Estreaux, a coach awaits passengers for Sail-les-Bains, 3¼ m. from the station. The bath-house has a hotel of its own. The establishment is supplied by six springs containing bicarbonate of soda, sulphur, and iron.
St. Germains is the station for [Vichy] (p. 358).