The “Martre de France”

Before you stands La Martre de France, one of Saint-Étienne’s most spectacular architectural gems. With a name like that, you might expect something remarkable, and the façade delivers on every level. Built between 1904 and 1907 by architect Joanny Morin for judge and wealthy merchant Preynat-Séauve, this building is a true Art Nouveau manifesto. Its name comes from the fur shop that once occupied the ground floor. Look up and take in the decorative explosion: floral motifs, delicate wrought ironwork, bow-window turrets crowned with lion heads, and magnificent sculpted sunflowers that seem to dance across the façade. Spot the caduceus of Hermes, god of commerce, and the finely carved “PS” monogram of the original owner. The achievement is all the more impressive given the narrow corner plot. This constraint pushed the architect to design a spectacular façade that brilliantly compensates for the limited space. Revolutionary for its time, the building was one of the first in the city to use reinforced concrete, as well as innovative materials like moulded cement. Saved from demolition by its listing as a historic monument in 1992 and fully restored since, La Martre de France dares where others don’t. On an avenue lined with mostly restrained façades, it unfurls the full palette of Art Nouveau with a boldness that still fascinates more than a century after it was built.