Thiers (;

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 ...

: ''Tièrn'') is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Puy-de-Dôme 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.department 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 Auverg ...

in central

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. With Ambert, Issoire and Riom, it is one of the department's four sub-prefectures. The district of Thiers consists of forty-three municipalities in six

cantons A canton is a type of administrative division of a country. In general, cantons are relatively small in terms of area and population when compared with other administrative divisions such as counties, departments, or provinces. Internationally, t ...

. Its inhabitants are known as Thiernois or Bitords. Thiers is a major historical centre of

knife A knife ( : knives; from Old Norse 'knife, dirk') is a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, usually attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least 2.5 million years ago, as evidenced ...

manufacturing, with about one hundred companies and a cutlery museum; seventy percent of French pocketknives,

kitchen A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation in a dwelling or in a commercial establishment. A modern middle-class residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a ...

and

table knives Table may refer to: * Table (furniture), a piece of furniture with a flat surface and one or more legs * Table (landform), a flat area of land * Table (information), a data arrangement with rows and columns * Table (database), how the table data ...

are manufactured in Thiers. The knowledge and craft of the Thiernois cutlers are over seven centuries old, and many of the old

watermill A watermill or water mill is a mill that uses hydropower. It is a structure that uses a water wheel or water turbine to drive a mechanical process such as milling (grinding), rolling, or hammering. Such processes are needed in the production of ...

s that were used to manufacture Thiernois knives can still be seen in the Vallée des Rouets. The city extends over on a rocky spur overhanging the nearby mountains and the villages. It is divided into two sections: the lower city (home to many

hypermarket A hypermarket (sometimes called a hyperstore, supercentre or superstore) is a big-box store combining a supermarket and a department store. The result is an expansive retail facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including ...

s) and the upper, medieval city.

Overview

Neighborhoods

Thiers is on the steep hills overlooking the Durolle Valley, and the gradient provides hydropower for

grinding mills A mill is a device, often a structure, machine or kitchen appliance, that breaks solid materials into smaller pieces by grinding, crushing, or cutting. Such comminution is an important unit operation in many processes. There are many different t ...

. The city is divided into a number of neighborhoods. The upper town includes the medieval center, Boulay, the Pontel and the Jaiffours. Much of the city's history took place in its hills. The lower city began to be developed during the 1950s. Thiers is known as a city of hypermarkets and supermarkets, and the lower city primarily consists of businesses and services. Pont_du_Moutier_%C3%A0_Thiers

Le Moutier, a prosperous neighborhood, is between the lower city and the city center. The doors of the church of Saint-Symphorien depict the mouth of

hell In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...

and the plants of the nearby valleys. Many knife manufacturers are in the neighborhood.

Hazards

Thiers is vulnerable to natural disasters. The north of the city experienced two landslides in 1984: one along the

A89 autoroute The A89 autoroute is an autoroute in central France. It is known as the ''La Transeuropéenne''. It connects Bordeaux (from Libourne) and Lyon (at Limonest) via Clermont-Ferrand. Its total length is 544 km (338 mi). The project star ...

and the other in the Valley of the Mills. Earthquakes may also occur in Thiers, which is classified as a Zone 3 Seismic Area (moderate seismicity). The city, which on the Dore and Durolle Rivers and a number of streams, has a history of flooding. Exceptional weather occurs every few decades, and winds of were recorded in the city centre in 1999. In addition to natural hazards, the city is exposed to human-created risks. The Membrun Dam, on the Durolle, is a kilometre from the city's outskirts. In 1999, the mountain overlooking the city was the target of arsonists who set fire to the forest near the Margerides cliff.

Environment

Parks and gardens

Verdun Square, on Rue Grammont, has a monument commemorating French efforts during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Les Jardins de Saint-Jean are between the old Thiers hospital and the Durolle River. Le Breuil Park is a former campsite; locker rooms, showers, and camp toilets are still visible at the bottom of the park. The Chassaigne Castle features an

English landscape garden The English landscape garden, also called English landscape park or simply the English garden (french: Jardin à l'anglaise, it, Giardino all'inglese, german: Englischer Landschaftsgarten, pt, Jardim inglês, es, Jardín inglés), is a sty ...

. A local fair is held during the third week of September in a park between the Orangerie Park and Le Breuil Park. There is a small green area opposite the Gare de Thiers (Thiers Station).

Protected areas

Natural areas surrounding Thiers are the

Limagne The Limagne () is large plain in the Auvergne region of France in the valley of the Allier river, on the edge of the Massif Central. It lies entirely within the ''département'' of Puy-de-Dôme. The term is sometimes used to include this, and t ...

plain in the west; the Dore valley, largely classified and protected by the

Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectively ...

network; the

Livradois-Forez Regional Natural Park 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 inhabitants ...

, and the Auvergne volcanoes beyond the Limagne plain.

Urban renewal

Thiers began an

urban renewal Urban renewal (also called urban regeneration in the United Kingdom and urban redevelopment in the United States) is a program of land redevelopment often used to address urban decay in cities. Urban renewal involves the clearing out of blighte ...

project in 2002, rehabilitating Antonin Chastel Place, the San Juan district and the Transvaal streets.

Population

In 2019, Thiers had a population of 11,784 inhabitants. The first peak in population was reached in 1901, at 17,625. The population began a downward trend until the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, when it began climbing again to a second peak of 16,623 in 1968.

History

Antiquity

Thiers is at the eastern end of the Roman road linking it to Lezoux. The road was part of the old national road 89, which has become Departmental Road 2089 and Secondary Road 62.

Middle Ages

The town was settled during the 10th century, when Malfred (granddaughter of the

count of Auvergne This is a list of the various rulers of Auvergne. History In the 7th century Auvergne was disputed between the Franks and Aquitanians. It was later conquered by the Carolingians, and was integrated for a time into the kingdom of Aquitaine. The ...

) ordered the construction of a castle and church which became Église Saint-Genès de Thiers. In 1371, the Barony of Thiers passed to the Lords and then the

Dukes of Bourbon Duke of Bourbon (french: Duc de Bourbon) is a title in the peerage of France. It was created in the first half of the 14th century for the eldest son of Robert of France, Count of Clermont and Beatrice of Burgundy, heiress of the lordship of B ...

French Revolution

The repression of counterrevolutionary activities in Thiers began in June 1791, after Louis XVI's flight to Varennes, intensifying in February 1793 against the clergy and triggering a wave of emigration which lasted until 1815. Although the Revolutionary Supervisory Committee was created on 22 May 1793, the committee was not very active; its prison opened in September. Forty-nine people were arrested in Thiers, primarily those involved in the revolts of Vollore-Ville and Servant, in October 1793.

World War II

Thiers was one of the few towns, and the only one in the Puy-de-Dôme, which was freed by arms on 25 August 1944. The fighting opposed the 400-strong SS Panzergrenadiers Training Battalion 18, which was sent to France on 22 June 1944 and reached

Vichy Vichy (, ; ; oc, Vichèi, link=no, ) is a city in the Allier Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of central France, in the historic province of Bourbonnais. It is a Spa town, spa and resort town and in World ...

on 29 June. The troops were divided among Thiers, Randan,

Saint-Yorre Saint-Yorre (; oc, Sant Tiorre) is a commune in the Allier department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (Auvergne as former region), central France. The locality is renowned for its highly mineralized mineral water Mineral water is water from a miner ...

, Le Mayet-de-Montagne, the

Francs-Tireurs et Partisans The ''Francs-tireurs et partisans français'' (FTPF), or commonly the ''Francs-tireurs et partisans'' (FTP), was an armed resistance organization created by leaders of the French Communist Party during World War II (1939–45). The communist par ...

(FTP) of the 103rd FFI battalion (led by Major André Rossignol, known as "Pigeon") and the 104th Battalion of Major Roger Beligat (alias "Alain Derval"). The mayor, appointed by the Vichy regime, and the

sub-prefect A subprefecture is an administrative division of a country that is below prefecture or province. Albania There are twelve Albanian counties or prefectures, each of which is divided into several districts, sometimes translated as subprefecture ...

were intermediaries between the FFI and the German troops.

Economy

Thiers is known for its cutlery, and a

museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...

in the old quarter exhibits the history of knife-making. Further along the valley, the industrial-heritage museum l'Usine du May, opened in 2009. Factories include Forges Gorce, who make blades for agricultural machinery from

hedge trimmer A hedge trimmer, shrub trimmer, or bush trimmerAs with the term ''scissors'', the plural terms "hedge trimmers" + c. are often used for individual trimming tools. is a gardening tool or machine used for trimming (cutting, pruning) hedges or so ...

s to

combine harvester The modern combine harvester, or simply combine, is a versatile machine designed to efficiently harvest a variety of grain crops. The name derives from its combining four separate harvesting operations—reaping, threshing, gathering, and winnow ...

Tourism

Thiers has seven hotels, six guest rooms, three

gîte A gîte () is a type of accommodation that comes in a variety of forms, ranging from a gîtes d'etape, a hostel, for walkers and cyclists, to a gîte rural, a holiday home in the country available for rent, often an accessory dwelling unit. The t ...

s, and three campsites. A tourist office is at the foot of the half-timbered castle of Pirou in the town center.

Museums

The Cutlery Museum has permanent and temporary exhibits and demonstrations of the work of cutlers. Le Creux de l'enfer is a center of contemporary art, with national and international programming.

Entertainment

Le Métro is a concert hall dedicated to contemporary music. The Moulin bleu is a cabaret. The three-screen Monaco Cinema has a varied program, and the local cinema club presents a film every month. Thiers was featured in

François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more tha ...

's 1976 film, '' Small Change''. It is the birthplace of journalist

Claire Chazal Claire Chazal () (born 1 December 1956) is a French journalist, romance writer, and former director of news at a national television station, France 2. She had been the weekend news anchor at TF1 beginning in 1991, and gave her final broadcast at ...

and actor

Zinedine Soualem Zinedine Soualem (born 17 April 1957) is a French actor. He has appeared in at least five films directed by Cédric Klapisch. Personal life Soualem is Algerian by ancestry, and was at one point married to the actress Hiam Abbass Hiam Abba ...

Festivals

The annual Pamparina music festival has been held on the town streets during the first weekend in July since 1997. The international festival attracted over 45,000 people in 2016 and 2017. Each spring since 1991, the Coutellia knife festival has more than 100 exhibitors from around the world. The festival features demonstrations and friendly competition. A Christmas market has been held at three locations in the town center each December since 2012.

Leisure and sports

Thiers has three stadiums: the Antonin Chastel stadium in the lower town; the Gravels stadium in the upper town, and a stadium in the leisure centre of Iloa. The centre, Auvergne's largest, is part of the Natura 2000 network and the Livradois-Forez Regional Natural Park.

Sister cities

Thiers has been a

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

Bridgnorth Bridgnorth is a town in Shropshire, England. The River Severn splits it into High Town and Low Town, the upper town on the right bank and the lower on the left bank of the River Severn. The population at the 2011 Census was 12,079. Histor ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

since 1978 and

Schrobenhausen Schrobenhausen (; Central Bavarian: ''Schrobenhausn'') is a town in the district of Neuburg-Schrobenhausen in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the River Paar approx. south-west of Ingolstadt and north-east of Augsburg. The town hosts notable ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

since 1986.

Gallery

File:Thiers - l'Homme des Bois - JPG0.jpg, alt=15th-century house, ''L'Homme des Bois'' File:Pedde du coin des hasards.jpg, alt=Narrow street with pedestrians, Medieval houses File:Maison à colombage rose et jaune.jpg, alt=Restaurant in a medieval building, Creperie File:Pedde du penail.jpg, alt=Buildings on a narrow street, Overhead walkway File:Hôtel de ville de Thiers.jpg, alt=Large hotel, Hotel at night File:Panorama_ville_de_Thiers.jpg, alt=See caption, Aerial view in 1951 File:Ville basse de Thiers.jpg, alt=View over many slate roofs, Lower town, seen from the upper File:Le monaco.jpg, alt=Theater on a crowded, narrow street, Monaco Cinema File:Pamparina.png, alt=See caption, La Pamparina festival logo File:Étang d'ILOA.jpg, alt=Picnic table next to a lake, Leisure centre of Iloa

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Thiers, Puy-De-Dome Auvergne Communes of Puy-de-Dôme Subprefectures in France