Clermont-Ferrand
Encyclopedia
Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune
of France, in the Auvergne
region
, with a population of 140,700 (2006). Its metropolitan area
had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture (capital) of the Puy-de-Dôme
department. Serge Godard
is the current Mayor of the city.
Clermont-Ferrand sits on the plain of Limagne
in the Massif Central
and is surrounded by a major industrial area. The city is famous for the chain of volcano
es, the Chaîne des Puys
surrounding it. The famous dormant volcano Puy-de-Dôme
(10 km from the city) is one of the highest of these and well known for the telecommunication antennas that sit on its top and are visible from far away.
Clermont-Ferrand is also famous for hosting one of the world's leading international festivals for short films, the Festival du Court Metrage de Clermont-Ferrand, as well as the corporate headquarters of Michelin
, the global tire company created more than 100 years ago in the city.
Clermont-Ferrand's most famous public square
is place de Jaude, on which stands a grand statue of Vercingetorix
sitting imperiously on a horse and holding a glaive
. The inscription reads: J'ai pris les armes pour la liberté de tous . This statue was sculpted by Frédéric Bartholdi
, who also created the Statue of Liberty
.
Recently, Clermont-Ferrand was France's first city to get a new guided light transit system, thereby linking the city's north and south neighbourhoods.
Clermont ranks among the oldest cities of France. The first known mention was by the Greek geographer Strabo
, who called it the "metropolis of the Arverni
" (meaning their oppidum
, civitas
or tribal capital). The city was at that time called Nemessos – a Gaulish
word for a sacred forest, and was situated on the mound where the current cathedral of Clermont-Ferrand has been constructed. It was somewhere in the area around Nemossos where the Arverni chieftain Vercingetorix
(later to head a unified Gallic resistance to Roman invasion
under Julius Caesar
) was born in around 72 BC. Also, Nemossos was situated not far from the plateau of Gergovia
, where Vercingetorix pushed back the Roman assault at the Battle of Gergovia
in 52 BC. After the Roman conquest, the city became known as Augustonemetum sometime in the 1st century, a name which combined its original Gallic name with that of the Emperor Augustus
. Its population was estimated at 15,000–30,000 inhabitants in the 2nd century, making it one of the largest cities of Roman Gaul
. It then became Arvernis in the 3rd century (taking its name, like other Gallic cities in this era, from the people who lived within its walls), going through an expansion that ended in the mid 3rd century.
or Saint Namace, who built a cathedral here described by Gregory of Tours
. Clermont went through a dark period after the disappearance of the Roman Empire
and during the whole High Middle Ages
, marked by pillaging by the peoples who invaded Gaul. Between 471 and 475, Auvergne
was often the target of Visigothic expansion, and the city was frequently besieged, including once by Euric
. Although defended by Sidonius Apollinaris
, at the head of the diocese from 468 to 486, and the patrician Ecdicius
, the city was ceded to the Visigoths by emperor Julius Nepos
in 475 and became part of the Visigothic kingdom until 507. A generation later, it became part of the kingdom of the Franks
. On 8 November 535 the first Council of Clermont
opened at Arvernis (Clermont), with fifteen bishops participating, including Caesarius of Arles, Nizier of Lyons
(bishop of Trèves) and Saint Hilarius
, bishop of Mende
. Sixteen decrees were made there, notably the second canon that recalls that the granting of episcopal dignity must be according to the merits and not as a result of intrigues.
In 570, Bishop Avitus offered the Jews of his town (who numbered over 500) the alternative of baptism or expulsion.
In 848, the city was renamed Clairmont, after the castle Clarus Mons. During this era, it was an episcopal city ruled by its bishop. Clermont was not spared by the Vikings at the time of the weakening of the Carolingian Empire
either, being ravaged by the Normans under Hastein
or Hastingen for the first time in 862 and 864 and, while its bishop Sigon carried out reconstruction work, again in 898 (or 910, according to some sources). Bishop Étienne II
built a new Roman cathedral on the site of the current cathedral, consecrated in 946 but (apart from the towers, only replaced by the current ones in the 19th century, and some parts of the crypt, still visible) destroyed to build current Gothic cathedral.
, in which Christendom
sought to free Jerusalem from Muslim domination: Pope Urban II
preached the crusade there in 1095, at the Second Council of Clermont
. In 1120, following repeated crises between the counts of Auvergne and the bishops of Clermont and in order to counteract the clergy's power, the counts founded the rival city of Montferrand on a mound next to the fortifications of Clermont, on the model of the new cities of the Midi
springing up in the 12th and 13th centuries. Until the early modern period
, the two remained separate cities: Clermont, an episcopal city; Montferrand, a comital
one.
. This union was confirmed in 1731 by Louis XV
with the Second Edict of Union. At this time, Montferrand was no more than a satellite city
of Clermont, in which condition it remained until the beginning of the 20th century. Wishing to retain its independence, Montferrand made three demands for independence, in 1789, 1848, and 1863.
In the 20th century, construction of the Michelin
factories and of city gardens, which shaped the modern Clermont-Ferrand, definitively reunited Clermont and Montferrand. But even today, although the two cities have been amalgamated, one may find in Clermont-Ferrand two distinct downtowns, and Montferrand
still retains a strong identity.
and processing as well as engineering are major employers in the area, as are the many research facilities of major computer software and pharmaceutical companies.
The city's industry for a long time was linked to the French tyre
manufacturer Michelin
, which created the radial tyre
and grew up from Clermont-Ferrand to become a worldwide leader in its industry. For most of the 20th century, it ran extensive factory works throughout the city, employing up to 30,000 workers at a time. While the company has maintained its headquarters in the city, most of the manufacturing is now done in foreign countries. This downsizing took place gradually, allowing the city to court new investment in other industries, avoiding the fate of many post-industrial cities and keeping it a very wealthy and prosperous area home of many high-income executives.
has connections to Paris and several regional destinations: Lyon, Saint-Étienne, Moulins, Le Puy-en-Velay, Limoges. The motorway A71
connects Clermont-Ferrand with Orléans and Bourges, the A72
with Saint-Étienne, the A75
with Montpellier and the A89
with Bordeaux. The airport offers mainly flights within France.
and Université d'Auvergne
are located there and have a total student population of over 30,000, along with university faculty and staff.
A division of Polytech (an engineering school) located in Clermont-Ferrand made the news because two of its students, Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez, were murdered in June 2008 while enrolled in a program at Imperial College in London in what was to be known as the New Cross double murder
.
and philosopher
Blaise Pascal
who tested Evangelista Torricelli
's hypothesis concerning the influence of gas pressure
on liquid equilibrium. This is the experiment where a vacuum
is created in a mercury tube: Pascal's experiment had his brother-in-law carry a barometer
to the top of the Puy-de-Dôme
. The Université Blaise-Pascal
(or Clermont-Ferrand II) is located primarily in the city and is named after him.
Clermont-Ferrand also hosts world's first international short film festival which originated in 1979. This festival, which brings thousands of people every year (137.000 in 2008) to the city, is the second French film
Festival after Cannes in term of visitors, but the first one regarding the number of spectators (in Cannes visitors are not allowed in theatres, only professionals). This festival has revealed many young talented directors now well known in France and internationally such as Mathieu Kassovitz
, Cédric Klapisch
and Éric Zonka.
Beside the short film festival, Clermont-Ferrand hosts more than twenty music, film, dance and theatre festivals every year. With more than 200 artistic groups from dance to music, Clermont-Ferrand and the Auvergne region's cultural life is important in France. One of the city's nicknames is "France's Liverpool". Groups such as The Elderberries or Cocoon
were formed there.
Additionally, the city was the subject of the acclaimed documentary The Sorrow and the Pity
, which used Clermont-Ferrand as the basis of the film, which told the story of France under Nazi
occupation and the Vichy
regime of Marshal Pétain
. Pierre Laval
, Pétain's "handman" was an Auvergnat.
, close to the city, using closed-off public road
s held the French Grand Prix
in 1965
, 1969
, 1970
and 1972
. It was a daunting circuit, with such harsh elevation changes that caused some drivers to be ill as they drove. Winners included Jim Clark
, Jackie Stewart
(twice), and Jochen Rindt
.
The city is also host to a rugby union
club competing at national level, ASM Clermont Auvergne
, as well as Clermont Foot Auvergne
, a football club that has competed in France's second division, Ligue 2
, since the 2007–08 season.
with: Aberdeen
, United Kingdom, since 1983 Salford
, United Kingdom Regensburg
, Germany, since 1969 Gomel, Belarus Oviedo
, Spain Braga
, Portugal Norman
, United States Oyem
, Gabon
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of France, in the Auvergne
Auvergne (région)
Auvergne is one of the 27 administrative regions of France. It comprises the 4 departments of Allier, Puy de Dome, Cantal and Haute Loire.The current administrative region of Auvergne is larger than the historical province of Auvergne, and includes provinces and areas that historically were not...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
, with a population of 140,700 (2006). Its metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture (capital) of the Puy-de-Dôme
Puy-de-Dôme
Puy-de-Dôme is a department in the centre of France named after the famous dormant volcano, the Puy-de-Dôme.Inhabitants were called Puydedomois until December 2005...
department. Serge Godard
Serge Godard
Serge Godard is a French politician.Born in Gerzat, Puy-de-Dôme, he studied in Clermont-Ferrand, Sedan, Lille then Paris and in 1966, he received the diploma of physics doctorate...
is the current Mayor of the city.
Clermont-Ferrand sits on the plain of Limagne
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...
in the Massif Central
Massif Central
The Massif Central is an elevated region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaux....
and is surrounded by a major industrial area. The city is famous for the chain of volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
es, the Chaîne des Puys
Chaîne des Puys
The Chaîne des Puys is a north-south oriented chain of cinder cones, lava domes, and maars in the Massif Central of France. The chain is about 40 km long, and the identified volcanic features include 48 cinder cones, eight lava domes, and 15 maars and explosion craters. Its highest point is...
surrounding it. The famous dormant volcano Puy-de-Dôme
Puy-de-Dôme (mountain)
Puy de Dôme is a large lava dome and one of the youngest volcanoes in the Chaîne des Puys region of Massif Central in south-central France. This chain of volcanoes including numerous cinder cones, lava domes, and maars is located far from the edge of any tectonic plate. Puy de Dôme is located...
(10 km from the city) is one of the highest of these and well known for the telecommunication antennas that sit on its top and are visible from far away.
Clermont-Ferrand is also famous for hosting one of the world's leading international festivals for short films, the Festival du Court Metrage de Clermont-Ferrand, as well as the corporate headquarters of Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
, the global tire company created more than 100 years ago in the city.
Clermont-Ferrand's most famous public square
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
is place de Jaude, on which stands a grand statue of Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix was the chieftain of the Arverni tribe, who united the Gauls in an ultimately unsuccessful revolt against Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars....
sitting imperiously on a horse and holding a glaive
Glaive
A glaive is a European polearm weapon, consisting of a single-edged blade on the end of a pole. It is similar to the Japanese naginata and the Chinese Guan Dao....
. The inscription reads: J'ai pris les armes pour la liberté de tous . This statue was sculpted by Frédéric Bartholdi
Frédéric Bartholdi
Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi was a French sculptor who is best known for designing the Statue of Liberty.-Life and career:...
, who also created the Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
.
Recently, Clermont-Ferrand was France's first city to get a new guided light transit system, thereby linking the city's north and south neighbourhoods.
Prehistoric and Roman
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
, who called it the "metropolis of the Arverni
Arverni
The Arverni were a Gallic tribe living in what is now the Auvergne region of France during the last centuries BC. One of the most powerful tribes in ancient Gaul, they opposed the Romans on several occasions...
" (meaning their oppidum
Oppidum
Oppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *pedóm-, "occupied space" or "footprint."Julius Caesar described the larger Celtic Iron Age...
, civitas
Civitas
In the history of Rome, the Latin term civitas , according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the cives, or citizens, united by law . It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilities on the one hand and rights of citizenship on the other...
or tribal capital). The city was at that time called Nemessos – a Gaulish
Gaulish language
The Gaulish language is an extinct Celtic language that was spoken by the Gauls, a people who inhabited the region known as Gaul from the Iron Age through the Roman period...
word for a sacred forest, and was situated on the mound where the current cathedral of Clermont-Ferrand has been constructed. It was somewhere in the area around Nemossos where the Arverni chieftain Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix was the chieftain of the Arverni tribe, who united the Gauls in an ultimately unsuccessful revolt against Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars....
(later to head a unified Gallic resistance to Roman invasion
Gallic Wars
The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns waged by the Roman proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gallic tribes. They lasted from 58 BC to 51 BC. The Gallic Wars culminated in the decisive Battle of Alesia in 52 BC, in which a complete Roman victory resulted in the expansion of the...
under Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
) was born in around 72 BC. Also, Nemossos was situated not far from the plateau of Gergovia
Gergovie plateau
The Gergovie plateau is a plateau of the Massif Central located 10km to the south of Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne, France and is named after the nearby village of Gergovie...
, where Vercingetorix pushed back the Roman assault at the Battle of Gergovia
Battle of Gergovia
The Battle of Gergovia took place in 52 BC in Gaul at Gergovia, the chief town of the Arverni. The battle was fought between a Roman Republic army, led by proconsul Julius Caesar, and Gallic forces led by Vercingetorix...
in 52 BC. After the Roman conquest, the city became known as Augustonemetum sometime in the 1st century, a name which combined its original Gallic name with that of the Emperor Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
. Its population was estimated at 15,000–30,000 inhabitants in the 2nd century, making it one of the largest cities of Roman Gaul
Roman Gaul
Roman Gaul consisted of an area of provincial rule in the Roman Empire, in modern day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and western Germany. Roman control of the area lasted for less than 500 years....
. It then became Arvernis in the 3rd century (taking its name, like other Gallic cities in this era, from the people who lived within its walls), going through an expansion that ended in the mid 3rd century.
Early Middle Ages
The city became the seat of a bishop in the 5th century, at the time of the bishop NamatiusNamatius
Saint Namatius is a saint in the Roman Catholic church. He was the eighth or ninth bishop of Clermont from 446 to 462, and founded Clermont's first cathedral, bringing the relics of Saints Vitalis and Agricola to it from Bologna...
or Saint Namace, who built a cathedral here described by Gregory of Tours
Gregory of Tours
Saint Gregory of Tours was a Gallo-Roman historian and Bishop of Tours, which made him a leading prelate of Gaul. He was born Georgius Florentius, later adding the name Gregorius in honour of his maternal great-grandfather...
. Clermont went through a dark period after the disappearance of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and during the whole High Middle Ages
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages was the period of European history around the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries . The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which by convention end around 1500....
, marked by pillaging by the peoples who invaded Gaul. Between 471 and 475, Auvergne
Auvergne (province)
Auvergne was a historic province in south central France. It was originally the feudal domain of the Counts of Auvergne. It is now the geographical and cultural area that corresponds to the former province....
was often the target of Visigothic expansion, and the city was frequently besieged, including once by Euric
Euric
Euric, also known as Evaric, Erwig, or Eurico in Spanish and Portuguese , Son of Theodoric I and the younger brother of Theodoric II and ruled as king of the Visigoths, with his capital at Toulouse, from 466 until his death in 484.He inherited a large portion of the Visigothic possessions in the...
. Although defended by Sidonius Apollinaris
Sidonius Apollinaris
Gaius Sollius Apollinaris Sidonius or Saint Sidonius Apollinaris was a poet, diplomat, and bishop. Sidonius is "the single most important surviving author from fifth-century Gaul" according to Eric Goldberg...
, at the head of the diocese from 468 to 486, and the patrician Ecdicius
Ecdicius
Ecdicius Avitus was a Gallo-Roman aristocrat, senator, and magister militum praesentalis from 474 until 475.As a son of the Emperor Avitus, Ecdicius was educated at Augustonemetum , where he lived and owned some land...
, the city was ceded to the Visigoths by emperor Julius Nepos
Julius Nepos
Julius Nepos was Western Roman Emperor de facto from 474 to 475 and de jure until 480. Some historians consider him to be the last Western Roman Emperor, while others consider the western line to have ended with Romulus Augustulus in 476...
in 475 and became part of the Visigothic kingdom until 507. A generation later, it became part of the kingdom of the Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
. On 8 November 535 the first Council of Clermont
Council of Clermont (535)
At the Council of Clermont in 535, fifteen prelates of the kingdom of Austrasia assisted, under the presidency of Honoratus, Bishop of Bourges, at a synod in the city now called Clermont-Ferrand...
opened at Arvernis (Clermont), with fifteen bishops participating, including Caesarius of Arles, Nizier of Lyons
Nicetius
Saint Nicetius was a bishop of Trier, born in the latter part of the fifth century, exact date unknown; died in 563 or more probably 566....
(bishop of Trèves) and Saint Hilarius
Hilary of Arles
Saint Hilary of Arles was a bishop of Arles. He is recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, with his feast day celebrated on 5 May.- Life :...
, bishop of Mende
Roman Catholic Diocese of Mende
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Mende , is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in France. The diocese covers the department of Lozère....
. Sixteen decrees were made there, notably the second canon that recalls that the granting of episcopal dignity must be according to the merits and not as a result of intrigues.
In 570, Bishop Avitus offered the Jews of his town (who numbered over 500) the alternative of baptism or expulsion.
In 848, the city was renamed Clairmont, after the castle Clarus Mons. During this era, it was an episcopal city ruled by its bishop. Clermont was not spared by the Vikings at the time of the weakening of the Carolingian Empire
Carolingian Empire
Carolingian Empire is a historiographical term which has been used to refer to the realm of the Franks under the Carolingian dynasty in the Early Middle Ages. This dynasty is seen as the founders of France and Germany, and its beginning date is based on the crowning of Charlemagne, or Charles the...
either, being ravaged by the Normans under Hastein
Hastein
Hastein was a notable Viking chieftain of the late 9th century who made several raiding voyages.- Early life :...
or Hastingen for the first time in 862 and 864 and, while its bishop Sigon carried out reconstruction work, again in 898 (or 910, according to some sources). Bishop Étienne II
Pope Stephen II
Pope Stephen II was Pope from 752 to 757, succeeding Pope Zachary following the death of Pope-elect Stephen. Stephen II marks the historical delineation between the Byzantine Papacy and the Frankish Papacy.-Allegiance to Constantinople:...
built a new Roman cathedral on the site of the current cathedral, consecrated in 946 but (apart from the towers, only replaced by the current ones in the 19th century, and some parts of the crypt, still visible) destroyed to build current Gothic cathedral.
Middle Ages
Clermont was the starting point of the First CrusadeFirst Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
, in which Christendom
Christendom
Christendom, or the Christian world, has several meanings. In a cultural sense it refers to the worldwide community of Christians, adherents of Christianity...
sought to free Jerusalem from Muslim domination: Pope Urban II
Pope Urban II
Pope Urban II , born Otho de Lagery , was Pope from 12 March 1088 until his death on July 29 1099...
preached the crusade there in 1095, at the Second Council of Clermont
Council of Clermont
The Council of Clermont was a mixed synod of ecclesiastics and laymen of the Catholic Church, which was held from November 18 to November 28, 1095 at Clermont, France...
. In 1120, following repeated crises between the counts of Auvergne and the bishops of Clermont and in order to counteract the clergy's power, the counts founded the rival city of Montferrand on a mound next to the fortifications of Clermont, on the model of the new cities of the Midi
Southern France
Southern France , colloquially known as le Midi is defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Gironde, Spain, the Mediterranean, and Italy...
springing up in the 12th and 13th centuries. Until the early modern period
Early modern Europe
Early modern Europe is the term used by historians to refer to a period in the history of Europe which spanned the centuries between the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, roughly the late 15th century to the late 18th century...
, the two remained separate cities: Clermont, an episcopal city; Montferrand, a comital
Comte
Comte is a title of Catalan, Occitan and French nobility. In the English language, the title is equivalent to count, a rank in several European nobilities. The corresponding rank in England is earl...
one.
Early Modern and Modern eras
Clermont became a royal city in 1551, and in 1610, the inseparable property of the Crown. On 15 April 1630 the Edict of Troyes (the First Edict of Union) forcibly joined the two cities of Clermont and MontferrandMontferrand (district of Clermont-Ferrand)
Montferrand is a district of the modern town of Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne. Those born or living there are known as Montferrandais. Its origin is in the former town of Montferrand, the rival of Clermont for many centuries until their union, decreed on 15 April 1630 by the edict of Troyes ...
. This union was confirmed in 1731 by Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
with the Second Edict of Union. At this time, Montferrand was no more than a satellite city
Satellite town
A satellite town or satellite city is a concept in urban planning that refers essentially to smaller metropolitan areas which are located somewhat near to, but are mostly independent of, larger metropolitan areas.-Characteristics:...
of Clermont, in which condition it remained until the beginning of the 20th century. Wishing to retain its independence, Montferrand made three demands for independence, in 1789, 1848, and 1863.
In the 20th century, construction of the Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
factories and of city gardens, which shaped the modern Clermont-Ferrand, definitively reunited Clermont and Montferrand. But even today, although the two cities have been amalgamated, one may find in Clermont-Ferrand two distinct downtowns, and Montferrand
Montferrand (district of Clermont-Ferrand)
Montferrand is a district of the modern town of Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne. Those born or living there are known as Montferrandais. Its origin is in the former town of Montferrand, the rival of Clermont for many centuries until their union, decreed on 15 April 1630 by the edict of Troyes ...
still retains a strong identity.
Climate
Economy
Food productionFood industry
The food production is a complex, global collective of diverse businesses that together supply much of the food energy consumed by the world population...
and processing as well as engineering are major employers in the area, as are the many research facilities of major computer software and pharmaceutical companies.
The city's industry for a long time was linked to the French tyre
Tire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
manufacturer Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
, which created the radial tyre
Radial tire
A radial tire is a particular design of automotive tire . In this design, the cord plies are arranged at 90 degrees to the direction of travel, or radially ....
and grew up from Clermont-Ferrand to become a worldwide leader in its industry. For most of the 20th century, it ran extensive factory works throughout the city, employing up to 30,000 workers at a time. While the company has maintained its headquarters in the city, most of the manufacturing is now done in foreign countries. This downsizing took place gradually, allowing the city to court new investment in other industries, avoiding the fate of many post-industrial cities and keeping it a very wealthy and prosperous area home of many high-income executives.
Transport
The main railway stationGare de Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand is a railway station in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne, France. The station opened in 1855 and is located on the Saint-Germain-des-Fossés–Nîmes, Saint-Germain-des-Fossés–Clermont-Ferrand via Vichy, Clermont-Ferrand-Saint-Just-sur-Loire railway and Eygurande-Merlines-Clermont-Ferrand...
has connections to Paris and several regional destinations: Lyon, Saint-Étienne, Moulins, Le Puy-en-Velay, Limoges. The motorway A71
A71 autoroute
The A71 autoroute is a motorway in central France. It is also called the l'Arverne. It starts at Orléans and ends at Clermont-Ferrand.-Orléans to Bourges:...
connects Clermont-Ferrand with Orléans and Bourges, the A72
A72 autoroute
The A72 is an autoroute in France.The motorway is operated by Autoroutes du Sud de la France and links Clermont-Ferrand to Saint-Étienne on one of the steepest and meandrous motorways in France...
with Saint-Étienne, the A75
A75 autoroute
The A75 is an autoroute in France.Known also as la Méridienne, it is a developmental project with the aim of speeding up and reducing the cost of car travel from Paris southwards, and apart from the Millau Viaduct, it is entirely free for the between Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers...
with Montpellier and the A89
A89 autoroute
The A89 autoroute is a motorway in central France. It is known as the La Transeuropéenne. It will connect Lyon with Bordeaux.-Completed Sections:* Antenne de Balbigny* Combronde-Saint-Julien-Puy-Lavèze-Ussel-Tulle-Saint-Germain-les-Vergnes...
with Bordeaux. The airport offers mainly flights within France.
Education
Education is also an important factor in the economy of Clermont-Ferrand. The Université Blaise PascalBlaise Pascal University
Blaise Pascal University , also known as"Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand II" or just Clermont-Ferrand II, is a public university with its main campus on in Clermont-Ferrand, France, with satellite locations in other parts of the region of Auvergne, including Vichy, Moulins, Montlucon,...
and Université d'Auvergne
University of Auvergne
The University of Auvergne , also known as “Universite d'Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand I” or Clermont-Ferrand I, is a French public university, based in Clermont-Ferrand, in the region of Auvergne. It is under the Academy of Clermont-Ferrand. It is the head of PRES Clermont Université consortium; PRES...
are located there and have a total student population of over 30,000, along with university faculty and staff.
A division of Polytech (an engineering school) located in Clermont-Ferrand made the news because two of its students, Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez, were murdered in June 2008 while enrolled in a program at Imperial College in London in what was to be known as the New Cross double murder
New Cross double murder
On June 29, 2008, two French research students, Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez, were murdered in Sterling Gardens, New Cross in South East London, United Kingdom.-The murders:...
.
Religious architecture
Clermont-Ferrand has two famous churches:- Notre-Dame du PortNotre-Dame du PortThe Basilica of Notre-Dame du Port is a Romanesque basilica, formerly a collegiate church, in the Port quarter of Clermont-Ferrand, between Place Delille and the cathedral...
: a RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
church built during the 11th and 12th centuries (the bell towerBell towerA bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
was rebuilt during the 19th century). It was nominated as a World Heritage SiteWorld Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
by UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in 1998. - Clermont-Ferrand Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Clermont-ferrand), built in Gothic styleGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
between the 13th and the 19th centuries.
Parks and gardens
- Jardin botanique de la CharmeJardin botanique de la CharmeThe Jardin botanique de la Charme , formerly known as the Jardin botanique de la Ville de Clermont-Ferrand, is a municipal botanical garden located at 10, rue de la Charme, Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne, France...
- Arboretum de RoyatArboretum de RoyatThe Arboretum de Royat is an arboretum located in the Forêt domaniale southwest of Royat, Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne, France.Royat is a spa town at the foot of the Parc des Volcans d'Auvergne and the Puy-de-Dôme, developed from 1850 onwards...
- Jardin botanique d'AuvergneJardin botanique d'AuvergneThe Jardin botanique d'Auvergne , also known as the Jardin botanique d'essais de Royat-Charade, is a new botanical garden located in Charade, Royat, Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne, France....
Culture
Clermont-Ferrand was the home of mathematicianMathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and philosopher
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal , was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic philosopher. He was a child prodigy who was educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen...
who tested Evangelista Torricelli
Evangelista Torricelli
Evangelista Torricelli was an Italian physicist and mathematician, best known for his invention of the barometer.-Biography:Evangelista Torricelli was born in Faenza, part of the Papal States...
's hypothesis concerning the influence of gas pressure
Partial pressure
In a mixture of ideal gases, each gas has a partial pressure which is the pressure which the gas would have if it alone occupied the volume. The total pressure of a gas mixture is the sum of the partial pressures of each individual gas in the mixture....
on liquid equilibrium. This is the experiment where a vacuum
Vacuum
In everyday usage, vacuum is a volume of space that is essentially empty of matter, such that its gaseous pressure is much less than atmospheric pressure. The word comes from the Latin term for "empty". A perfect vacuum would be one with no particles in it at all, which is impossible to achieve in...
is created in a mercury tube: Pascal's experiment had his brother-in-law carry a barometer
Barometer
A barometer is a scientific instrument used in meteorology to measure atmospheric pressure. Pressure tendency can forecast short term changes in the weather...
to the top of the Puy-de-Dôme
Puy-de-Dôme (mountain)
Puy de Dôme is a large lava dome and one of the youngest volcanoes in the Chaîne des Puys region of Massif Central in south-central France. This chain of volcanoes including numerous cinder cones, lava domes, and maars is located far from the edge of any tectonic plate. Puy de Dôme is located...
. The Université Blaise-Pascal
Blaise Pascal University
Blaise Pascal University , also known as"Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand II" or just Clermont-Ferrand II, is a public university with its main campus on in Clermont-Ferrand, France, with satellite locations in other parts of the region of Auvergne, including Vichy, Moulins, Montlucon,...
(or Clermont-Ferrand II) is located primarily in the city and is named after him.
Clermont-Ferrand also hosts world's first international short film festival which originated in 1979. This festival, which brings thousands of people every year (137.000 in 2008) to the city, is the second French film
Cinema of France
The Cinema of France comprises the art of film and creative movies made within the nation of France or by French filmmakers abroad.France is the birthplace of cinema and was responsible for many of its early significant contributions. Several important cinematic movements, including the Nouvelle...
Festival after Cannes in term of visitors, but the first one regarding the number of spectators (in Cannes visitors are not allowed in theatres, only professionals). This festival has revealed many young talented directors now well known in France and internationally such as Mathieu Kassovitz
Mathieu Kassovitz
Mathieu Kassovitz is a French director, screenwriter, producer and actor, best known for his Cannes-winning drama La Haine. Kassovitz is also the founder of MNP Entreprise, a film production company....
, Cédric Klapisch
Cédric Klapisch
Cédric Klapisch , is a French film director.Klapisch was born at Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine. He is from a Jewish family; his maternal grandparents were deported to Auschwitz. He studied cinema at the University of Paris III: Sorbonne Nouvelle as well as at the University of Paris VIII...
and Éric Zonka.
Beside the short film festival, Clermont-Ferrand hosts more than twenty music, film, dance and theatre festivals every year. With more than 200 artistic groups from dance to music, Clermont-Ferrand and the Auvergne region's cultural life is important in France. One of the city's nicknames is "France's Liverpool". Groups such as The Elderberries or Cocoon
Cocoon (band)
Cocoon is a French pop folk band from Clermont-Ferrand that sings in English. They were founded in 2006 by Mark Daumail and keyboardist Morgane Imbeaud...
were formed there.
Additionally, the city was the subject of the acclaimed documentary The Sorrow and the Pity
The Sorrow and the Pity
The Sorrow and the Pity is a two-part 1969 documentary film by Marcel Ophüls about the French Resistance and collaboration between the Vichy government and Nazi Germany during World War II. The film uses interviews with a German officer, collaborators, and resistance fighters from...
, which used Clermont-Ferrand as the basis of the film, which told the story of France under Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
occupation and the Vichy
Vichy
Vichy is a commune in the department of Allier in Auvergne in central France. It belongs to the historic province of Bourbonnais.It is known as a spa and resort town and was the de facto capital of Vichy France during the World War II Nazi German occupation from 1940 to 1944.The town's inhabitants...
regime of Marshal Pétain
Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
. Pierre Laval
Pierre Laval
Pierre Laval was a French politician. He was four times President of the council of ministers of the Third Republic, twice consecutively. Following France's Armistice with Germany in 1940, he served twice in the Vichy Regime as head of government, signing orders permitting the deportation of...
, Pétain's "handman" was an Auvergnat.
Sport
A racing circuit, the Charade CircuitCharade Circuit
The Charade Circuit is a motorsport road course in the Auvergne mountains in France near Clermont-Ferrand, the home of Michelin and Patrick Depailler....
, close to the city, using closed-off public road
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
s held the French Grand Prix
French Grand Prix
The French Grand Prix was a race held as part of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One automobile racing championships....
in 1965
1965 Formula One season
The 1965 Formula One season, which was the 16th season of FIA Formula One racing, featured the 16th World Championship of Drivers and the 8th International Cup for F1 Manufacturers. The two titles were contested concurrently over a ten round series which commenced on January 1 and ended on October 24...
, 1969
1969 Formula One season
The 1969 Formula One season included the 20th FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on March 1, 1969, and ended on October 19 after eleven races.-Season summary:...
, 1970
1970 Formula One season
The 1970 Formula One season included the 21st FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on March 7, 1970, and ended on October 25 after thirteen races...
and 1972
1972 Formula One season
The 1972 Formula One season was the 23rd FIA Formula One season. It featured the 23rd World Championship of Drivers, the 15th International Cup for F1 Manufacturers and numerous non-championship Formula One races. The World Championship season commenced on January 23 and ended on October 8 after...
. It was a daunting circuit, with such harsh elevation changes that caused some drivers to be ill as they drove. Winners included Jim Clark
Jim Clark
James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
, Jackie Stewart
Jackie Stewart
Sir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am...
(twice), and Jochen Rindt
Jochen Rindt
Karl Jochen Rindt was a German racing driver who represented Austria during his career. He is the only driver to posthumously win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship , after being killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix...
.
The city is also host to a rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club competing at national level, ASM Clermont Auvergne
ASM Clermont Auvergne
Association Sportive Montferrandaise Clermont Auvergne are a French rugby union club from Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne that currently competes in Top 14, the top level of the French league system, ASMCA are the were the 2010 France Top 14 Champions. It is the rugby section of the multi-sport club...
, as well as Clermont Foot Auvergne
Clermont Foot
Clermont Foot Auvergne 63 is a French association football club based in Clermont-Ferrand. The first incarnation of the club was formed in 1911 and the current club was created in 1990 as a result of a merger...
, a football club that has competed in France's second division, Ligue 2
Ligue 2
Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division...
, since the 2007–08 season.
Clermont-Ferrand was the birthplace of
- Nicolas ChamfortNicolas ChamfortNicolas Chamfort was a French writer, best known for his witty epigrams and aphorisms. He was secretary of Louis XVI's sister, and of the Jacobin club.-Life:...
(6 April 1741 – 13 April 1794), writer - Étienne Clémentel (29 March 1864 – 25 December 1936), politician
- Jacques DelilleJacques DelilleJacques Delille was a French poet and translator. He was born at Aigueperse in Auvergne.-Life:He was an illegitimate child, and was descended by his mother from the chancellor De l'Hôpital. He was educated at the College of Lisieux in Paris and became an elementary teacher...
(22 June 1738 – 1 May 1813), poet - Patrick DepaillerPatrick DepaillerPatrick André Eugène Joseph Depailler was a racing driver from France. He participated in 95 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 2 July 1972. He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races.Depailler was born in Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dôme. As a child, he...
(9 August 1944 – 1 August 1980), Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
driver - Lolo FerrariLolo FerrariLolo Ferrari, born Eve Valois , was a French dancer, sex star, pornographic actress, actress and singer billed as "the woman with the largest breasts in the world" though their size was artificially achieved....
(9 February 1963 – 5 March 2000), French dancer - Annelise HesmeAnnelise HesmeAnnelise Hesme is a French actress.Born in Beaumont, Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne, France on May 11, 1976, Hesme has acted in many films such as Tanguy , Plus beau jour de ma vie and Fauteuils d'orchestre , yet her biggest production so far has been a minor role in Alexander as Stateira...
(11 May 1976 – ), actress - Antoine de L'HoyerAntoine de LhoyerAntoine de Lhoyer was a French virtuoso guitarist and an eminent early romantic composer of mainly chamber music featuring the classical guitar. He was an approximate musical contemporary of Beethoven...
(1768–1852), composer, guitarist, soldier - Bernard LoiseauBernard LoiseauBernard Loiseau was a French chef. He committed suicide by firearm in 2003 when newspaper reports hinted that his restaurant might lose its 3-star status.-Early life:...
(13 January 1951 – 24 February 2003), celebrity chefChefA chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ... - Jordan LotiesJordan LotièsJordan Lotiès is a French professional football player. He plays in Ligue 1 for AS Nancy.-External links:* Playerhistory.com...
footballer - Blaise PascalBlaise PascalBlaise Pascal , was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic philosopher. He was a child prodigy who was educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen...
(19 June 1623 – 19 August 1662), mathematicianMathematicianA mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
, physicistPhysicistA physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
, and religious philosopherPhilosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational... - Jacqueline PascalJacqueline PascalJacqueline Pascal , sister of Blaise Pascal, was born at Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne, France.Like her brother she was a prodigy, composing verses when only eight years old, and a five-act comedy at eleven. In 1646, the influence of her brother converted her to Jansenism...
(4 October 1625 – 4 October 1661), his sister - George Onslow (27 July 1784 – 3 October 1853) composer
- Aurélien RougerieAurélien RougerieAurélien Rougerie plays on the wing and Centre for France and captains ASM Clermont Auvergne in the French Top 14.-Career:Rougerie was born in Beaumont, Puy-de-Dôme...
, (24 September 1980 – ) rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player, member of the French national team - François-Bernard MâcheFrançois-Bernard MâcheFrançois-Bernard Mâche is a French composer of contemporary music. Born into a family of musicians, he is a former student of Émile Passani and Olivier Messiaen and has also received a diploma in Greek archaeology and a teaching certificate...
(4 April 1935 – ) composer - Audrey TautouAudrey TautouAudrey Justine Tautou is a French model and film actress, best known for playing the title character in the award-winning 2001 film Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain, Sophie Neveu in the 2006 thriller The Da Vinci Code, Irène in Priceless and Coco Chanel in Coco avant Chanel...
(9 August 1976/1978 – ) actress - Pierre Teilhard de ChardinPierre Teilhard de ChardinPierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ was a French philosopher and Jesuit priest who trained as a paleontologist and geologist and took part in the discovery of both Piltdown Man and Peking Man. Teilhard conceived the idea of the Omega Point and developed Vladimir Vernadsky's concept of Noosphere...
(1 May 1881 – 10 April 1955) Jesuit priestSociety of JesusThe Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, paleontologistPaleontologyPaleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
, philosopherPhilosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational... - Dominique PerraultDominique PerraultDominique Perrault is a French architect. He became world known for the design of the French National Library, distinguished with the Mies van der Rohe Prize in 1996....
(1953 – ), architect
People that have lived in Clermont-Ferrand
- Sidonius ApollinarisSidonius ApollinarisGaius Sollius Apollinaris Sidonius or Saint Sidonius Apollinaris was a poet, diplomat, and bishop. Sidonius is "the single most important surviving author from fifth-century Gaul" according to Eric Goldberg...
(c. 430 – after 489) Gallo-RomanGallo-Roman cultureThe term Gallo-Roman describes the Romanized culture of Gaul under the rule of the Roman Empire. This was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman mores and way of life in a uniquely Gaulish context...
poet, diplomat and bishop - Henri BergsonHenri BergsonHenri-Louis Bergson was a major French philosopher, influential especially in the first half of the 20th century. Bergson convinced many thinkers that immediate experience and intuition are more significant than rationalism and science for understanding reality.He was awarded the 1927 Nobel Prize...
(18 October 1859 – 4 January 1941), philosopherPhilosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational... - Paul BourgetPaul BourgetPaul Charles Joseph Bourget , was a French novelist and critic.-Biography:He was born in Amiens in the Somme département of Picardie, France. His father, a professor of mathematics, was later appointed to a post in the college at Clermont-Ferrand, where Bourget received his early education...
(2 September 1852 – 25 December 1935), novelist and critic - Anton DocherAnton DocherAnton Docher was a French Roman Catholic priest, missionary and defender of the Indians. He was born in 1852 in Le Crest, a small wine growing village of Puy de Dôme in Auvergne. He lived in the pueblo of Isleta in the state of New Mexico for 34 years...
(1852-1928) "The Padre of Isleta", a Roman Catholic priest, missionary and defender of the Indians lived in the pueblo of Isleta in the state of New Mexico for 34 years. - Valéry Giscard d'EstaingValéry Giscard d'EstaingValéry Marie René Georges Giscard d'Estaing is a French centre-right politician who was President of the French Republic from 1974 until 1981...
(2 February 1927 – ... ), who has lived in the city of Chamalières, part of Clermont-Ferrand's metropolitan area, President of the Republic of France from 1974 to 1981 - Claude LanzmannClaude LanzmannClaude Lanzmann is a French filmmaker and professor at European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.-Biography:Lanzmann attended the Lycée Blaise-Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand. He joined the French resistance at the age of 18 and fought in Auvergne...
(1925-...), Film maker. Attended the Lycée Blaise-Pascal. - Alexandre Vialatte (1901–1971), writer and journalist
Twin towns – sister cities
Clermont-Ferrand is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, United Kingdom, since 1983 Salford
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
, United Kingdom Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
, Germany, since 1969 Gomel, Belarus Oviedo
Oviedo
Oviedo is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city....
, Spain Braga
Braga
Braga , a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World...
, Portugal Norman
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
, United States Oyem
Oyem
Oyem is the capital of Woleu-Ntem province in northern Gabon, lying on the N2 road and the River Ntem.-Geography:The town lies on a plateau at an elevation of about . It is the administrative and transport center for the surrounding agricultural area...
, Gabon
External links
Official Parc Naturel des Volcans d'Auvergne homepage Official Parc Naturel Regional Livradois-Forez homepage Official Clermont-Ferrand town homepage Official Clermont-Ferrand tourism services webpage Clermont-Ferrand film festival Unofficial Clermont-Ferrand website- Joan of Arc's Letter to Clermont-Ferrand – Translation by Allen Williamson of an entry concerning Joan of Arc's letter to this city on 7 November 1429.