Département: Loire
St-Etienne, chief town of the département of Loire, lies southwest of Lyons on the little river Furan, a few kilometers east of the upper Loire. Its importance as a busy industrial center dates only from the 19th century. As the principal center in the Loire coalfield, it has
developed a variety of industry - most importantly metal-working, but also the manufacture of arms and glass. It has been noted since the 16th century for the manufacture of ribbons. The people of St- Etienne are called Stéphanois (Etienne = Stephen).