For a long time, Saint-Étienne has been trailing behind on the business tourism market and the city has now decided to equip itself with top quality facilities in order .to position itself on a burgeoning market. The first development was the conference centre which has been managed by GL Events since 1992. The Lyon-based company has had its contract renewed for another 10 years from the beginning of 2006. The latest facility, due to open on 12 February, is the Grand Cercle, which is also managed by GL Events. At some point during 2008, a third space (La Verrière), will open. With capacity for a maximum of 1400 people, it will be built on the former Manufrance site.

However, coming back to the Grand Cercle, this is a beautiful building that was originally built in 1840 by François Colcombet, a ribbon maker, and is now owned by Baron de Rochetaillé. Situated a short distance from the city’s Hôtel de Ville, it has undergone several transformations, from bridge club to restaurant that was known as Le Cercle and that was a genuine institution in the city. The business closed on 1^st November 2007 when M. Tavernier bowed out. The lease was then taken over by GL Events who immediately began renovating the whole building, transforming it into a space for conferences and upmarket functions.

We wanted to give the venue back some of its original glamour, explains Laurence Bussière, General Manager at both the Grand Cercle and the conference centre. GL Events has spent 250 000 € renovating the site, and the Grand Cercle can now handle groups of 300 people for seminars and functions or 200 for a sit-down meal. It offers 8 Napoléon III-style rooms, all interconnected. The venue will be a useful facility in conjunction with the conference centre .

Half of the latter’s business comes from national or international events, but the Grand Cercle will be concentrating instead on regional businesses whose bosses have all known the site in its past life. It’s ideally located, just next door to the Hôtel de Ville’s car park and with superb rooms , says Laurence Bussière. As for catering, we’ve signed an agreement with Declerck, a caterer based in Vienne. That’s not to say that our corporate clients can’t call on the services of other caterers if they so wish .

In the period leading up to its grand opening on 12 February, it’s worth noting the very competitive rates. At the Grand Cercle, the rates start at less than 40 € per person for a day’s meeting which includes room hire, two refreshment breaks and catering , declares Laurence Bussière.