From this square, the road 89 (CLERMONT- LYON), look at the "Rocher de Margeride" with the suburb of Vidalie and the villages around. You can go up at the top of the car parks no 3 and 4 to look over "the Durolle" our river and its old factories, most of them have been put to lhe other purposes. Look at the town library. This building was formally the town-hall and before then, it was a cloister.
RUE DU BOURG
No 10 remarkable tynpanum typical of the old gothic style, it is black because it is made of a volcanic stone "the pierre de Volvic". It dates back to the fifteenth century. On the central lintel, you can see 2 shields: the first one is adorned with 3 stars symbolizing the 3 purifications: by water, air and fire. Those 3 elements as well as the philosopher's stone were used by alchemists for the transmutation of iron into gold. The oak branch was part of Nicolas Flamel's crest. Those alchemists were regarded as guilty of witchcraft and they used to be burnt at the stake if they happened to be caught. They also devised secret codes of writing which were called "cryptograms". Only the initiated knew the meaning of the coded message. Along that pedestrian precinct with many medieval houses (corbelled and half-tirnbered houses), you can walk down this very busy street and have a look at the pleasant adjoining little streets and squares on bath sides.
MAISON OU HOTEL DU PiROU
Improperly named "chateau", it is a town residence which was built about 1410 for the Duke Louis Second of Bourbon, Lord of THIERS. On the first floor there are two exibition rooms, and on the ground floor there is the Tourist Office. It is owned by the city of THIERS. In the old french language a "pirou" was the stone on which the Lord of THIERS used to deliver judgements. This town residence stands in the place of medieval castle. Only one tower of the castle still remains above the "Cafe Madrigal".
INSIDE THE TOURIST OFFICE
Sharp hooks used to hang meat.
Round hooks used to hang grain sacks.
On each side of the door you can see also wrought iron which used to shut the old wooden door studded with nails.
RUE GRENETTE
In the old french language "une grenette" was a covered market for grains. It was destroyed about 1955. At the number eight in the street was the town residence of Duke of LAUZUN. Look at this striking porch.
RUE DE LA COUTELLERIE
*No5: You can see the shield which was the emblem of the christian pilgrims. Passing through THIERS on the way to Santiago of Compostella in SPAIN.
*N012: The half timbered facade is decorated.
*N014: Please note its tiny figures, crouching woman, king, crouching man, jester, carved in the gallic style.
*N021. This house is called "the house of the man of woods". It is now a listed building. It is particulary known because of this carving of the man with a stick in his hands. This carving still keeps its secret. The grinding workshop is located here.
*N023: The entrance of the first part of the Cutlery Museum.
*N058. The entrance of the second part of the Cutlery Museum, and the Cutler Craftsman's house. It was in the past the house of municipal Magistrates. This house was built in the seventeenth century.
On leaving the Cutler Craftsman's house, you can turn left into "rue Mancel Chabot". On your right, you will see the very old town hospital. Continue a short distance futher up and on the left, climb the stairs under the "pedde" leading to SAINT GENES Church and admire that fine building restored at the beginning of the eleventh century in the true romanesque style of AUVERGNE. It possesses the largest dome in whole AUVERGNE. SAINT GENES was a teenager coming from the east, and sent by his mother to SAINT SIRENAT, to live with him as a hermit. He was martyred and killed in the town. When his body was discovered on the hill, a church was built for the sake of his memory. The church was built with wood, another was made of stone in the romanesque style. In the fifteenth century the church was transformed into gothic style.
You can see above the altar a painting of CHRIST with a halo. The organ was built by Mercklin. It is now a listed work of art. It was 38 stops and 2400 pipes.
On leaving SAINT GENES church, you go straight ahead, turning right into "rue du Pirou", you should note at no.11 the house of the "Seven Deadly Sins" - from left to right: laziness, anger, envy, greed, lust, miserliness, pride. A little further you pass through the "pedde" of "coin des hasards", the largest of the seven alleys (or pedestrian passage called a pedde). Then, turning left into "rue Alexandre Dumas", you can see at nos 19 and 27 two towers of the first fortification.
No12 and 14: "Tour de Maitre Raymond".
French King Francois the First and the artist Benvenuto Cellini stayed in this house on their way back from the campaign of ITALY.
For those who enjoy magnificent sceneries, we advise you of two brief visits nearby:
a) a panoramic view from the balcony "Terasse du rempart".
b) On crossing the road at the top of Rue du Bourg, you find "Rue Conchette", one of the thoroughfares in the ancient center. In that street you can see the best preserved town residences at nos 4-10-27-46, they date back to sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. They have picturesque courtyards inside.
All information taken from two leaflets from the Tourist Information Office in Thiers, circa 1996.
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