The Cercle , as it is known locally by Saint-Étienne’s residents, is one of the city’s premium venues. It is where the local luminaries come to celebrate significant family, economic or political events. Located just a short distance from the Hôtel de Ville, the Grand Cercle was recently taken over by GL Events and has been entirely renovated, re-opening for business in 2008. Available as an additional venue to the Espace Fauriel conference centre, which is also managed by GL Events, the Cercle has eight Napoleon III-style rooms, six of which are modular rooms and two separate rooms that can take up to 100 people for a seminar, 250 for a sit-down meal and 300 for a cocktail party.

For the venue’s catering needs, the management had originally established a partnership agreement with a local caterer. Unfortunately this proved unsuccessful and so in May 2009 the Grand Cercle invited Nourredine Hamache, a chef who formerly worked with Marc Veyrat, to develop a specific gastronomic identity for the venue. Not only is he the operational director, but he is also from Saint-Étienne and an advocate of regional produce.

He talks about a site that is full of history. Up to now we’ve not really had a distinctive gastronomic identity and I believe that the venue’s prestigious past should feature in its culinary present. We’ve also chosen to focus on regional produce whether it’s the fourme de Montbrison , a renowned local cheese, or honey from the Monts du Forez, foie gras from the Pilat or Forez wines made by Daniel Mondon .

Using the knowledge he acquired during his training with the famed Savoie-based chef Marc Veyrat, Nourredine Hamache’s menu also features a pike-perch loin cooked with spruce bark from the Pilat as well as several dishes using plants, herbs and flowers gathered in the foothills close to Saint-Étienne.

The results make for an undeniably appealing menu which is offered at three levels, each level split again into three choices Рgiving a total of nine menus. The first level of menu is called the Rubaniers , in honour of Fran̤ois Colcombet who built the Cercle and who was himself a ribbon maker. This menu features dishes that are quite traditional , explains the master chef.

The second level is more suitable for fans of contemporary cuisine, whilst the third level, known as Entre fabrique & design , plunges the Cercle’s guests into a futuristic vision of gastronomy, via experimental molecular cooking that reflects Saint-Étienne’s strong connections with design. Everything is prepared on-site and each category offers menus priced at 30, 45 and 65 €. With these sorts of packages, we can respond to every type of request, notes Nourredine Hamache. The contemporary version is the one that is most popular with our business clientele .

The Grand Cercle has 700 m² of function space and has hosted over 215 events since it re-opened, 70% of which were seminars and 20% cocktail parties. A work session costs from 35 €.