Les Foréziales hosts congresses, general meetings, seminars, galas, trade shows and weddings, with a 250-seat amphitheater, 1,700 square meters of meeting space and two reception rooms that combine for 300 guests at a seated dinner. The center stands at 54 rue Philibert Gary in Montrond-les-Bains, the spa town of the Loire department, 25 minutes from Saint-Étienne.
Seminars and company events
An in-house events team has organized business events here since 2001 and counts more than 5,000 events. Each client gets a dedicated project manager from the first brief to the day itself, when a team member coordinates operations on site. The team can handle visual identity and signage, set design, sound, light and video, catering, reception staff and security, and can also run trade shows on behalf of an organizer, including exhibitor management and promotion.
Past events listed on the site include general assemblies of trade federations, cooperative members' meetings, regional tourism workshops, a notaries' conference, a management seminar for La Poste, galas for a university hospital and a bank, and graduation ceremonies. For receptions and galas, the team can add live music, participatory activities and visits of the medieval site and the spa.
Weddings and receptions
For private events, the center offers receptions of up to 300 guests in rooms that mix timber architecture with wide openings onto the outside. Formats include a cocktail or buffet, a seated dinner, a dancing party and a ceremony. For receptions, the rooms and annexes are available the day before from 9 am to 5 pm for set-up and decoration, then for the whole weekend. Visits are by appointment on working days.
Rooms and capacities
The amphitheater has 250 seats, a 6 by 10 meter stage, a 9 by 7 meter screen, a control room for sound and light, a 5,700-lumen projector, wireless microphones and Wi-Fi on stage and in the hall. Organizer offices sit alongside.
Les Mitonnières (290 square meters) takes up to 150 guests and has direct access to the kitchens, cloakrooms and a private outdoor area. Les Castelines (265 square meters) hosts congresses, workshops and shows, with a modular stage, screen and projection. The two combine into one space of 565 square meters for up to 300 at a seated dinner, and both open onto enclosed private terraces facing the castle. Les Patios (100 square meters) suits seminars and breakout sessions, and private events of under 80 guests. The 280-square-meter entrance hall serves every room and opens onto a patio with a bar.
The grounds of the Château de Montrond, two minutes away on foot by the greenway, add a 1,000-square-meter private courtyard and 10,000 square meters of lawn with power and water, suitable for marquees, stages and stands. For trade shows, the center lists 12,000 square meters of exhibition space across its sites.
Catering
Room hire for receptions comes with a caterer chosen from the center's list of partner caterers. Round tables for 10, rectangular tables for 6, chairs, standing tables and a podium are provided, along with heating and air conditioning.
History and setting
The building is contemporary and bright, with timber and large glazed walls. It also runs a cultural season of concerts, theater and comedy in the amphitheater. Montrond-les-Bains sits on the banks of the Loire, at the crossroads of the Roanne to Saint-Étienne and Lyon to Clermont-Ferrand routes.
Getting there
Driving times are 25 minutes from Saint-Étienne, 40 minutes from Roanne, one hour from Lyon and one hour 20 minutes from Clermont-Ferrand. Parking on site is free, and up to 500 spaces nearby can be reserved for an event.
