Thiers, Puy-de-Dôme

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Thiers
Saint-Genès church
Thiers
Coordinates: 45°51′26″N 3°32′54″E / 45.8572°N 3.5483°E / 45.8572; 3.5483Coordinates: 45°51′26″N 3°32′54″E / 45.8572°N 3.5483°E / 45.8572; 3.5483
Country France
Region Auvergne
Department Puy-de-Dôme
Arrondissement Thiers
Canton Thiers
Intercommunality Thiers
Government
 • Mayor (2001–2008) Thierry Deglon
Area
 • Land1 44.49 km2 (17.18 sq mi)
Population (2006)
 • Population2 12,632
 • Population2 Density 280/km2 (740/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 63430 / 63300
Elevation 283–793 m (928–2,602 ft)
(avg. 439 m or 1,440 ft)

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Thiers (pronounced: [tjɛːʁ]) is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France.

Thiers is built upon a hillside along the Durolle river valley. The steep elevation splits the town into distinct high town and low town areas, with historic half-timbered houses notable in the old quarter of high town.

The "Hôtel du Pirou" (XVth century).

Economy

Thiers is famous for its knives, blades and cutlery industry. The town has a museum in the old quarter, portraying the history of knife-making. Further along the valley, the industrial heritage museum, l'Usine du May, opened in 2009. Modern factories include Forges Gorce who make blades for agricultural machinery from hedge trimmers to combine harvesters, part of McConnel Alamo group.[1]

Media Links

The town was featured in François Truffaut's 1976 film Small Change (film). It is the birthplace of journalist Claire Chazal and actor Zinedine Soualem.

See also

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Twin towns – Sister cities

Thiers is twinned with:[2]

References

  1. ↑ Shropshire businessman expanding French operations, Shropshire Star, 2010-11-02
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "National Commission for Decentralised cooperation". Délégation pour l’Action Extérieure des Collectivités Territoriales (Ministère des Affaires étrangères) (in French). Retrieved 2013-12-26. 

External links


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