Voted a Creative City for Design by UNESCO, Saint-Etienne is well worth a visit to discover its Cité du Design, which comes to life every two years in March during the International Design Biennial. The next event is scheduled for 2025! (with a one-year postponement due to an urban renewal project in the area which will see the birth of the Galerie nationale du design)!
Whether you're a professional or a design enthusiast on the lookout for new trends, the Cité du design welcomes you to its flagship event, built around exhibitions, conferences and workshops in a festive atmosphere.
The Biennial has been on the international design agenda since 1998, attracting experts from all over the world. It is an ideal opportunity for UNESCO's creative cities to come together and explore the challenges facing society.
Four months of bifurcations in design
With the main objective of making the world of design accessible to everyone, the 12th edition of the Design Biennale attracted 127,000 visitors (young and old) to its five main venues over four months, from 6 April to 31 July 2022, and more than 260,000 visitors to the various events organised throughout France.
With "Bifurcations" as the main theme, the designers set out to explore this idea through their creations, which is linked to the notion of adventure, but also to life choices: taking the right paths, choosing what's essential, what really matters, whether in the design of everyday objects or in our relationship with living beings and society.
The success of the Biennale was due in no small part to its innovative character, which enabled a dialogue to be established between design professionals and the general public. Collective experimentation and innovative creative acts in the Parcours des bifurcations, the Cabane du Design and the indoor skate park proved popular with a wide range of visitors.
Recommendations and advice Saint-Étienne attracts visitors with its rich cultural heritage and regularly hosts a wide range of design events, not least thanks to the superb Cité du Design. Are you passionate about the world of design? Then Saint-Étienne is the place to be! However, to make the most of the Biennale, remember to book your stay and accommodation well in advance, as the city welcomes many professionals and visitors. As for how to get to and around the city, train and public transport are the best options. Saint-Étienne has a well-developed transport network that will allow you to get to the various places of interest in complete peace of mind, while helping to protect the environment. Enjoy your stay!
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