From Forge to Knowledge

The former forge workshops, in Saint-Étienne

The building 'From the forge to knowledge' is a former forge workshop of the arms manufactory, magnificently renovated. The Saint-Étienne audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this exemplary reconversion, that transformed a place of industrial labour into a space devoted to knowledge and culture.

From the din of the forge to the calm of knowledge

A word on the fine freshly renovated building that stands in front of us. As its insignia indicates, it is the former forge workshops of the arms manufactory. You imagine the permanent din that could reign there formerly: the hammering of the forges, the glow of the molten metal, the stifling heat and the labour of the workers who shaped there the pieces intended for the manufacture of arms. This place, that resonated with the noise of industrial work, testifies to the working-class past of Saint-Étienne and to the power of its manufactory. Today, within the framework of the transformation of the district into a Creative District, this building has known a spectacular renaissance: magnificently rehabilitated, it has passed from the forge to knowledge, becoming a space devoted to knowledge, culture and transmission, in the orbit of the City of Design. This reconversion symbolises the passage of Saint-Étienne from heavy industry to the economy of creation and knowledge. The building, that has kept the character and the memory of its industrial past while hosting new uses, is a fine example of reinvented heritage. A rehabilitated building and a symbol of reconversion, the former forge workshops are a fine stop of the discovery of Saint-Étienne.

What to see

You admire the magnificently renovated building of the former forge workshops of the arms manufactory, where the hammering of the forges and the labour of the workers formerly reigned; within the framework of the Creative District, it has passed from the forge to knowledge, becoming a space devoted to knowledge and culture, symbol of the passage of Saint-Étienne from heavy industry to the economy of creation. The former forge workshops are a reinvented heritage of Saint-Étienne. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The former forge workshops lie in the district of the Manufactory, near the City of Design, in Saint-Étienne, reachable on foot and by public transport. You admire its renovated façade; the interior access, according to the current use of the building, follows its own hours and conditions. It is best to inquire before coming.

What were the former forge workshops of Saint-Étienne?

The forge workshops of the arms manufactory, where the hammering of the forges, the molten metal and the labour of the workers who shaped the pieces of the arms formerly reigned; magnificently renovated within the framework of the Creative District, this building has passed from the forge to knowledge, becoming a space devoted to knowledge and culture, symbol of the reconversion of the town.

Where are the former forge workshops in Saint-Étienne?

In the district of the Manufactory, near the City of Design, in Saint-Étienne, in France.