La Charpiniere - Saint-Galmier, Rhone - Alpes

Chain:

RDS

Facilities:

• Air-conditioning - Cooling only or Reverse cycle
• Disabled independent access
• Fitness centre/gym
• Internet access
• Meeting facilities
• On-site manager
• Restaurant
• Sauna
• Swimming pool

Single room

Double / Twin room

Triple room

Check-in Time:

15.00

Check-out Time:

12.00

Children & Extra Guest Policy:

Free extra bed for 1 child under 12 y.o. sharing room with parents. Meals to be paid locally.
2 children under 12 y.o. sharing room parents = triple room. Meals to be paid locally.

Things to do:

- Tennis court - Table tennis - Petanque - Volley ball - - Billard room - Sauna - Turkish bath - Fitness centre

Local Attractions:

- Modern Art Museum - Saint-Etienne
This huge museum provides an incomparable panorama of the art of the 20C and forms one of the most attractive public collections in France in this area. The period 1900-1945 shows the evolution towards the abstract through the works of Monnet, Kupka, Rodin, Auguste Chabaud, Magnelli, the Dadaist movement, Braque, Picasso, Delaunay and Leger. Abstract art is represented by Helion and Freundlich, while the surrealists include Brauner, Ernst, Miro and Andre Masson. Art since 1945 is exhibited in the central part of the museum, behind a huge white ceramic composition by Jean-Pierre Raynaud, Space Zero. You will encounter the abundant trends of the 1950s with the geometric abstract (Herbin, Sonia Delaunay, Bram Van Velde, Atlan) as against the lyric abstract defended by Hartung and Soulages. The 1960s saw the discovery of everyday objects for the nouveau realist trend: Arman assembled them, Cesar mounted them and Hains chopped them up! Klein defended the monochromatic, while the experts in narrative figures, such as Monory, Rancillac or Admai utilised techniques borrowed from cartoons. You will discover Pop Art (Warhol, Lichtenstein), Povera Art (Mario Merz, Penone), the Supports/Surfaces group represented by Viallat and individual artist such as Georg Baselitz (Ele VI) and Jean Dubuffet, who started gross art in 1942.

- Puits Couriot (Mine Museum) - Saint-Etienne
The hard lives of the Miners from Saint-Etienne. This old mine (which operated from 1913 to 1973) produced up to 3000 tons of coal a day and employed 1500 miners. Today it plays host to the industry and mining museum and has many reconstructed galleries ( atmosphere, noise and machinery), and to the famous hanging gallery, the entrance where miners used to hang up their clothes, which is incredibly striking.

- View Point de Guizay - Saint-Etienne
A view over Saint-Etienne. Opposite you at the foot of the statue of Sacre-Coeur, looking down the famous Grand-Rue, you have a view over the whole of the town. To your extreme right Rochetaille crowns the town up high. Near the television mast you will see the Ondaine corridor - : the Chambon-Feugerolles, Firminy and the Forez mountains . As you make your way down you will have beautiful glimpses of the St-Etienne conurbation and the Ondaine vallley.

- Museum of old St Etienne
The history of an industrial city. There is a map here dating from 1258 which gives the first mention of the name St Etienne. There are plans and engravings illustrating the history of the town. There is also a recreation of the first railway line ever opened in France. This was in May 1827. Wagons loaded with coal were pulled by horses over a distance of 21 km between St Etienne and Andrezieux.
- Museum of Art and Industry - Saint-Etienne
Discover the fascinating evolution of Saint Etienne's industry from the 16C to the present day. The vaulted garden level houses the largest public collection of French bicycles and features some unique items ranging from the Draisienne and the velocipede to the modern mono-tube frame bicycle. Exhibits include a Jackson monocycle with an interior rider (1870), horizontal bicycles (1897) and a double-pedal prototype (1992). The first floor is devoted to ribbons and trimmings. The "ribbon room" houses a variety of small-scale treasures including weaving looms and a collection of one million ribbon samples while the "loom workshop" contains some enormous textile machines. On the 3rd floor is a wonderful collection of knives, daggers, swords and firearms some of which are embellished with engravings which illustrate the masterful inventiveness of gunsmiths, from Renaissance halberds to the flash-ball of the 1990s including the golden century of St Etienne gunmaking. The room devoted to the great era of the Royal Weapons Factory features some beautifully ornate pieces such as the Louis XV rifle. The second floor is devoted to temporary exhibitions which throw a new light on the happy marriage of art and industry. Former soft furnishing and weapons craftsmen and women regularly come to operate the weaving looms and the weapons' workshop in echo of the heyday of Saint Etienne's Weaponry and Bicycles Factory.

- St Etienne's French weapons and cycle factory.
A legendary manufacturer.. Who does not remember with atouch of nostalgiathose antiquated catalogues with hand drawn picturesof the most unlikely objects which created an almost insatiable desire to have them ? Created by Leon Lamaiziere in 1893 the buildings of the famous factory had a key put under the gate in 1985 which used to be in his catalogue. These have now been converted into a conference centre. Offices, shopping mall and a planetarium.

- Planetarium - Saint-Etienne Accessible to people of restricted mobility. Distinguished by its semicircular dome, the planetarium uses cutting-edge technology to provide the most amazing and informative shows about the Universe. The central device is an astronomic simulator which can calculate and project the movements of the planets and some 3000 stars.

-Chateau des Bruneaux - Firminy
From toys to mining, the traditional local economy. Toys from the Gege factories, a nail workshop and, in the commons, a replica of a mine, set up by former miners, showing the various types of support structures and the evolution of the equipment used.

- Le Corbusier Site - Firminy
The world's second Le Corbusier site, after the Chandigarh complex in India. The architect went to town at Firminy since he was able to build a residential unit, a cultural centre, the stands of a sports stadium and St Peter's church (unfinished). You may or may not like it but it illustrates a consistent architectural vision.

Getting There:

Train station: Veauche/ St Galmier 4 Km.
By car: A72 Exit No 9 St Etienne/ Clermont-Ferrand, then take CD100 to Saint-Galmier.