The best museums Loire

In an ancient th century residence, renovated, an interactive space dedicated to the Registrar of Guillaume Revel: This cupbearer of Charles I, duke of Bourbon, composed, at the request of his prince, around 1450, a vast repertoire of sculptures of coats, fortresses and fortified towns in the county of Forez. Opportunity to discover the political history of our region, close to a hundred châtellenies, and life in the th century.

This 230 m ² museum is entirely dedicated to coffee, its history, its consumption, its botanical and aromas. The presentation begins with a cartoon depicting the famous legend of the Shepherd Kaldi who finds the coffee. Then travel to the country of green gold and brown gold, browse the world coffee plantations and see the evolution of coffee from flower to grain, dive into the world of roasting and discover the transformations of the coffeemaker through times as well as various packaging and marketing techniques. This museum is considered interactive and playful. At the end of the visit, you can test your smell at the odor table.

This archeological space in the city center brings together some sixty members passionate about the history and archeology of our department. Even if the premises are small, everything is exposed, in a very didactic way, to present the evolution of societies that have inhabited our region from Prehistory to the Lower Middle Ages, with life scenes reconstructions, models, objects from archeological excavations. The rich collections of explanations span several centuries by covering different themes: daily life, religion, beliefs, crafts and trade. Field trips are organized, including the Roman aqueduct of Gier.

This museum, named after its creator, Jean-Marie Somet, a former village miner and survivor of the infamous Chana disaster, displays many remains of Villars' mining past. Testimonies (objects, writings...) evoking trimmings and local history are also presented. This small museum, with its rich collections, managed by the Association du Vieux Villars, has just been renovated and opened again after four years of work. This museum allows you to discover or rediscover the history of Villars, which had an important past but which is still not well known today

Saint-Étienne is the only city to have kept its tramway without interruption since its creation. A transport museum was therefore necessary. In a vast room, you will discover the history of the tram, the preferred means of transport in the heart of the people of Stephan. Coaches, trolleybuses... are also mentioned for having contributed to the history of the Saint-Etienne conurbation. You will rediscover the green Vetra BB trolleybus, which was in use in the 1960s. You are welcomed by enthusiasts who will be happy to provide you with additional information. A story to discover with life-size vehicles, a real pleasure for young and old alike.

Come and discover the prehistoric site of the valley of the Charpassonne. You will know everything about its minerals, its old posters, its documents and its photographs of the past of the commune. You will also have the great privilege and the opportunity to discover the trade of bluterie in the lobby of the Denis Establishments (except Saturday and Sunday). At the same time, you can also visit the monument of the Combats du Maquis and the archaeological site of Folles Folles on request.

The house of passementerie is a place of memory of the textile activity in Pilat. The visit focuses on the reconstitution of local know-how in a workshop and the typical apartment of a passementerie maker in the last century. Through this history, you will discover beautiful collections: a Jacquard ribbon loom in working order, ribbons, period furniture, a film retracing the life of the passementier. The commentaries are provided by former passementiers.