Puy-de-Dôme (; oc, label=
Auvergnat
or (endonym: ) is a northern dialect of Occitan spoken in central and southern France, in particular in the former administrative region of Auvergne.
Currently, research shows that there is not really a true Auvergnat dialect but rather a va ...
, lo Puèi de Doma or ''lo Puèi Domat'') is a
department in the
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
in the centre of France. In 2019, it had a population of 662,152.
[Populations légales 2019: 63 Puy-de-Dôme]
INSEE Its
prefecture is
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand (, ; ; oc, label=Auvergnat, Clarmont-Ferrand or Clharmou ; la, Augustonemetum) is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, with a population of 146,734 (2018). Its metropolitan area (''aire d'attract ...
and
subprefectures are
Ambert
Ambert (; Auvergnat: ''Embèrt'') is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France.
Administration
Ambert is the seat of the canton of Ambert and the arrondissement of Ambert. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. ...
,
Issoire
Issoire (; Auvergnat: ''Issoire'', ''Ussoire'') is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France.
Geography
Issoire is located on the river Couze, near its confluence with the Allier, SSE of Clermont-Ferrand on the ...
,
Riom and
Thiers.
Named after the
Puy de Dôme
Puy de Dôme (, ; oc, label=Auvergnat, Puèi Domat or ) is a lava dome and one of the youngest volcanoes in the region of Massif Central in central France. This chain of volcanoes including numerous cinder cones, lava domes and maars is ...
dormant volcano, its inhabitants were called ''Puydedomois'' in French until 2005. With effect from 2006, in response to a letter writing campaign, the name used for the inhabitants was changed by the
Puy-de-Dôme General Council
Puy-de-Dôme (; oc, label=Auvergnat, lo Puèi de Doma or ''lo Puèi Domat'') is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in the centre of France. In 2019, it had a population of 662,152.[French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...]
on 4 March 1790. It was created from part of the
former province of
Auvergne
Auvergne (; ; oc, label= Occitan, Auvèrnhe or ) is a former administrative region in central France, comprising the four departments of Allier, Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal and Haute-Loire. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region Au ...
. Originally, the department was to be called ''Mont-d'Or'' ("Golden Mountain"), but this was changed to Puy-de-Dôme following the intervention of
Jean-François Gaultier de Biauzat, a local
deputy
Deputy or depute may refer to:
* Steward (office)
* Khalifa, an Arabic title that can signify "deputy"
* Deputy (legislator), a legislator in many countries and regions, including:
** A member of a Chamber of Deputies, for example in Italy, Spai ...
, because of a concern that the name originally chosen risked attracting excessive unwelcome attention from the national taxation authorities.
Geography
Puy-de-Dôme is part of the current
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
of
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and is bordered by the departments of
Loire
The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône ...
,
Haute-Loire
Haute-Loire (; oc, Naut Léger or ''Naut Leir''; English: Upper Loire) is a landlocked department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of south-central France. Named after the Loire River, it is surrounded by the departments of Loire, Ardèche ...
,
Cantal
Cantal (; oc, Cantal or ) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France, with its prefecture in Aurillac. Its other principal towns are Saint-Flour (the episcopal see) and Mauriac; its residents are known as Cantalians (fren ...
,
Corrèze
Corrèze (; oc, Corresa) is a department in France, named after the river Corrèze which runs through it. Although its prefecture is Tulle, its most populated city is Brive-la-Gaillarde. Corrèze is located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, ...
,
Allier, and
Creuse
Creuse (; oc, Cruesa or ) is a department in central France named after the river Creuse. After Lozère, it is the second least populated department in France. It is bordered by Indre and Cher to the north, Allier and Puy-de-Dôme to the ea ...
. Parts of the department belong to the
Parc naturel régional Livradois-Forez
Livradois-Forez Regional Natural Park (French: Parc naturel régional Livradois-Forez) is a regional natural park located on three French department : Puy-de-Dôme, Haute-Loire and Loire. The two biggest urban areas are Thiers (19,000 inhabitant ...
.
The department is in the
Massif Central
The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France.
Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,0 ...
and boasts more than 80 volcanic craters. It is three hours from Paris and an hour from
Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...
by
highways
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...
A71 and
A89. The
A75 links it to the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...
.
Principal towns
The most populous commune is
Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand (, ; ; oc, label=Auvergnat, Clarmont-Ferrand or Clharmou ; la, Augustonemetum) is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, with a population of 146,734 (2018). Its metropolitan area (''aire d'attract ...
, the prefecture. As of 2019, there are 10 communes with more than 10,000 inhabitants:
[
]
Demographics
Population development since 1801:
Economy
The departmental seat, Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand (, ; ; oc, label=Auvergnat, Clarmont-Ferrand or Clharmou ; la, Augustonemetum) is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, with a population of 146,734 (2018). Its metropolitan area (''aire d'attract ...
, is home to one of the country's best known manufacturing businesses and brands, Michelin
Michelin (; ; full name: ) is a French multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes ''région'' of France. It is the second largest tyre manufacturer in the world behind Bridgestone and la ...
. Thiers is the oldest industry place in Auvergne with its cutlery tradition from the 14th century.
The countryside lends itself to tourism and Puy-de-Dôme is a weekend destination for city dwellers. As of 2019, 10.1% of the usable homes in the department were being kept as second homes.Logement en 2019
INSEE
Politics
The department was the electoral constituency of
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
Valéry René Marie Georges Giscard d'Estaing (, , ; 2 February 19262 December 2020), also known as Giscard or VGE, was a French politician who served as President of France from 1974 to 1981.
After serving as Minister of Finance under prime ...
, who served as President of the Republic from 1974 to 1981. The president of the Departmental Council is Lionel Chauvin, elected in July 2021.
Current National Assembly Representatives
National Assembly Representatives to the 15th Legislature
Tourism
File:Clermont vu de Montjuzet.JPG, The black Cathedral of Clermont-Ferrand
File:Saint-Floret1.JPG, Saint-Floret
Saint-Floret (; oc, Sent Floret) is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in central France.
History
Saint-Floret is a place of passage on the Way of St. James, a leading Catholic pilgrimage route originated in the ...
, one of the most beautiful villages of France
File:Puy de dome 2001-12-15.jpg, The Puy de Dôme
Puy de Dôme (, ; oc, label=Auvergnat, Puèi Domat or ) is a lava dome and one of the youngest volcanoes in the region of Massif Central in central France. This chain of volcanoes including numerous cinder cones, lava domes and maars is ...
volcano
File:Lac de Guéry5.JPG, The Lac de Guéry in the Massif Central
The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France.
Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,0 ...
See also
*
Cantons of the Puy-de-Dôme department The following is a list of the 31 cantons of the Puy-de-Dôme department, in France, following the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015:
* Aigueperse
* Ambert
* Aubière
* Beaumont
* Billom
* Brassac-les-Mines
* Cé ...
*
Communes of the Puy-de-Dôme department
The following is a list of the 464 Communes of France, communes of the Puy-de-Dôme Departments of France, department of France.
Intercommunalities
The communes cooperate in the following Communes of France#Intercommunality, intercommunalities ...
*
Arrondissements of the Puy-de-Dôme department
The 5 arrondissements of the Puy-de-Dôme department are:
# Arrondissement of Ambert, (subprefecture: Ambert) with 58 communes. The population of the arrondissement was 27,606 in 2016.
# Arrondissement of Clermont-Ferrand, ( prefecture of the ...
*
Maurice Persat
References
External links
Prefecture websiteDepartmental Council website
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Puy-De-Dome
Massif Central
1790 establishments in France
Departments of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
States and territories established in 1790