Saint Etienne

Second largest conurbation in the Rhône-Alpes region, Saint-Etienne Metropole consists in 43 communes, representing around 400,000 inhabitants. Saint-Etienne and Lyon are really integrated in terms of territorial dynamics: economic relations are really developed, many workers of each city are living in the other one, the rail line between Saint-Etienne and Lyon is the second most important regional relation in France.The Lyon / Saint-Etienne metropolitan represents 2,9 millions of inhabitants.Saint-Etienne is located very closely from large green spaces. They are very attractive residential places and many households left from Saint-Etienne to leave in this spaces.Strategic importance (i.e. regional capital, key port, regional transport hub, tourist centre, scientific, or academic centre):Saint-Etienne has around 18 000 students in Universities, High School,… but doesn’t feel as an university city. There’s a lack of visibility of the University in the city. The city has an international attractiveness in very specific scientific skills (optical, design, medical technologies).The accessibility of Saint-Etienne is limited by the edge of transport infrastructures: railway, motorway (A 47), especially from Lyon. The building of a new motorway between the two cities is in project (A45). The local airport has a very limited traffic.