The building you see on your right is home to the Village Café Chapuis. Don’t be fooled by the name, it’s not just a bar, but a sensory journey into the world of coffee, run by Maison Chapuis, a Saint-Étienne roaster since 1945. Its presence here is no coincidence. In the 19th century, coffee arrived by boat along the Loire, then made its way up to Saint-Étienne by rail, a vital trade link for a city that was a pioneer in railway transport. Before long, coffee became part of the city’s working-class routine. It was drunk to wake up, to keep going, to fill the stomach between shifts. Energizing and comforting, it became the drink of the workshops. Here, you can explore that story, smelling, watching, and learning how coffee is roasted, refined, and tasted. It’s an experience that engages all the senses, like a living museum of coffee. Entry is ticketed, but it’s well worth it: a deep dive into a craft rooted in the city’s industrial heritage and still thriving today.