Thiers Travel Guide

 kokoryko Says:  The museum displays also old tools in the basement, and a guide explains what they were for, and how they were used; we see how steel plates were cut, then shape given to the knives, assembling, sharpening. . . . . wood, horn, ivory, handle material, how they were chosen,... 

 kokoryko Says:  “The crime of passion knife”, this is the name of this unique piece on the first picture, and I like the idea of the person (not necessary a guy!) choosing a beautiful knife, an artwork, to kill (there must be a “good” reason!) the person he (she) loves! More common, in the... 

 kokoryko Says:  Vallee des rouets: Valley of small wheels, valley of water mills; A few kilometres from Thiers the Durolle river cuts deep gorges in the Forez Mountains and the energy of the fast waters has long been used in the local steel and knife industry; most mills in the valley... 

 kokoryko Says:  After having visited the Lyonnet mill, you can enjoy nature and special archaeology walking along the Durolle river banks, back to the information centre where the bus from the museum left you when you arrived.Ruins of mills and steel wheels (first picture) give some charm... 

 kokoryko Says:  Shaping and sharpening the blades of knives was an incredibly hard job, and people who did this did not live very old and generally suffered the last years of their life bad rheumatisms. On the first picture is a board where the worker was laying above a turning wheel and... 

 kokoryko Says:  Next to St Symphorien (on he other side of the street) is an abbatial house (Logis Abbatial du Moutier), which look quite impressive with its two towers; it is possible to visit this “house”, an old abbey, but only in July and August, in the afternoons; a pity, as a number... 

 kokoryko Says:  Random walking in the small cities of central France, always brings interesting surprises, and this has been verified in Thiers, too; it may have changed since my last visit, but it really interesting to visit the small garden next to the church and to have a look at the... 

 kokoryko Says:  Genes was a local saint killed by barbars (or Roman) in the third century and a church had been erected on his grave in the 6th century; monks re-built a roman church in the 11th century, and the main building we visit today dates back to that time. The biggest cupola of... 

 kokoryko Says:  Creux de l’enfer or hole of hell, it is the old industrial area of Thiers, where in the 19th century, the modern cutlery industry flourished; today it is still hell, but also because all is abandoned, the factories are closed, falling in ruins. . . . and I just can recommend... 

 kokoryko Says:  It is almost impossible not to step on a cutlery shop when walking in one of the main streets of Thiers; there are all types of items displayed and there are “generalist” shops and more or less specialized shops; just do some window shopping in several shops and then you may... 

 kokoryko Says:  Next to the cutlery museum is this house. Before visiting the museum, have a look at that house, where the whole first level is wooden, with strange sculptures decorating the façade; the three first pictures show details of the façade, with the strange character on the left... 

 kokoryko Says:  Walking in the streets you will of course notice the houses, and some are quite interesting to look at, for the timber, the sculptures, the windows, the door frames. . . . All these details show that Thiers was a wealthy city in the past.On pictures 1 and 2, is the “Maison... 

 kokoryko Says:  The narrow streets bordered by high houses are a characteristic of Thiers, and more characteristic are some “peddes” (houses crossing the street at first floor), like on the first picture; this one here is even a “Chambre d’hotes” (homestay), and I may be nice to stay here.... 

 kokoryko Says:  When you arrive in Thiers coming from West, you approach the Forez mountains, and getting closer, the city will appear on the slopes of the mountains; Thiers is all steep narrow streets, and you must be prepared to walk in the shade of the narrow streets, if you want to... 

 dejavu2gb Says:  As Thiers is known as the European Capital of Cutlery, you should pay their Musem a visit.Its got 23 collections and 58 workshops of the houses of cutlers 

 dejavu2gb Says:  As we only stopped on Thiers en-route back to Lyon, we did not get to spend much time there.What we did see looked really gorgeous. When arriving from the outkirts Thiers is visible in the distance, making for good photo opportunities. 

 16 Opinions