Fourchambault

Fourchambault
Commune

The centre of Fourchamboult

Coat of arms
Fourchambault

Coordinates: 47°01′10″N 3°05′08″E / 47.0194°N 3.0856°E / 47.0194; 3.0856Coordinates: 47°01′10″N 3°05′08″E / 47.0194°N 3.0856°E / 47.0194; 3.0856
Country France
Region Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Department Nièvre
Arrondissement Nevers
Canton Fourchambault
Intercommunality Nevers
Government
 • Mayor (2001–2008) Jean-René Leroy
Area1 4.55 km2 (1.76 sq mi)
Population (2012)2 4,787
 • Density 1,100/km2 (2,700/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code 58117 /58600
Elevation 162–181 m (531–594 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.

Fourchambault is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.

Demographics

At the 1999 census, the population was 4828. On 1 January 2012, the estimate was 4787.

Industrial history

In 1819 Boigues & Fils, iron merchant in Paris, and M. Labbé, decided to find a new site on the Loire for their iron foundry to which it would be easier to transport coal, and decided on Fourchambault. A dock was built for cargo boats, and the Loire provided water for the steam engines.[1] Construction of the factory at Fourchambault began in 1821. The Charbonnières Raveaux and Cramain furnaces became annexes to the new building, and Boigues & Fils collected several furnaces from Nivernais and Berry. Manufacturing began in 1822. Almost 3,000 workers from the surrounding countryside were employed in the cast iron foundry.[2]

The Société de Commentry, Fourchambault et Decazeville was formed in 1853 through a merger of the Fourchambault foundry, Imphy (Nièvre) steelworks, Montluçon (Allier) foundry and Commentry (Allier) colliery.[3] In 1954 the company was renamed the Société métallurgique d'Imphy. In 1968 it was merged with the Société des forges et aciéries du Creusot, which in 1971 became Creusot-Loire.[3] The combined company was in turn absorbed by Creusot-Loire (Saône-et-Loire) in 1971. The Creusot-Loire group was liquidated in December 1984.[2]

See also

References

Sources


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