Paris1972-Versailles2003

I am going to tackle a familiar territory in more ways than one, My dear late wife Martine’ step father is from here and of course, family trips took us here and he still has a secondary home nearby, I just found me some old paper photos and decided to put this in my map, oh rather blog. Another dot in my world map, this is Riom ! Therefore, let me tell you a bit about the city and its monuments I saw, Hope you enjoy the post as I,

The City of Riom is located in the Puy-de-Dôme department, no 63 in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. . By its history and its architectural heritage Riom belongs to the label of the cities and counties of art and history. who engage in an animation and enhancement policy of their buildings, natural and industrial heritage, as well as architecture, The City is located 15 km from Clermont-Ferrand prefecture and 43 km from Vichy, as well as about 100 km from Montluçon, The city is crossed by the road D2029 and bypassed west by the road D 446 and in the east by the Express road D2009. The highway with two numbers A 71-A 89 serves the city and its agglomeration via its interchange no 13; connecting the city center to Lyon, Clermont-Ferrand, Paris, Vichy and Bordeaux. This highway is with tolls.

The quality of a royal city where the civil and judicial power of the County of Auvergne was found until the French revolution allowed the Riom to have a very rich architectural heritage. The rue de l’Hotel-de-Ville starts from the Porte de la Baden, in front of the castle of which the Sainte-Chapelle remains, to go to the Saint-Amable Abbey of which there is church. It ends at the corner of tales, at the intersection of rue de l’Horloge, to the north, and the rue du Commerce,in the south. It continues by rue Saint-Amable, which stopped at the Abbey. The street separated two districts of the city, the Poux district, to the north, and the Naigueperse district, to the south.

At the Rue de l’Horloge you have the Hôtel Arnoux de Maison-Rouge at no 7, It has a 18C facade. In the interior courtyard, beautiful carved oculi decorated with love, masks and fruit. The tradition attributed this hotel to Jean Arnoux de Maison Rouge, ancestor of the Jesuit father Jean Arnoux confessor of Louis XIII, between 1617 and 1621. In the left wing on the courtyard where the apartments are, the windows of the ground floor have been enlarged to adapt them to the fashion of Louis XIV which created this style of French window. In 1646, the clock tower bell fell on this hotel, causing significant damage. The street facade was rebuilt around 1770 with a balcony on the first floor. The rear elevation on the garden bears the date 1806.

The Hôtel Guymoneau  at Rue de l’Horloge no 12 is a 16C mansion. Nice courtyard with a screw staircase decorated with an announcement and four medallions. Next to it, two arcades surmounted by four statues symbolizing strength, justice, prudence and temperance. The hotel was built around 1530 on a crossing plot. The street facade and the elevation date from the 18C.

The fountain or Fontaine Desaix was erected in honor of General Louis Charles Antoine Desaix. Installed in Paris, on Place Dauphine in 1803, it was dismantled in 1874 ,then largely transferred to Riom in 1906, The first stone was laid on September 12, 1801 . The commemorative plaque of this ceremony is kept in Paris at the Carnavalet museum. The fountain is inaugurated by the first consul Napoleon Bonaparte, on June 14, 1803, the anniversary of the Battle of Marengo, during which Desaix fell. Of course, this was in Paris.

The Sainte-Chapelle of Riom was raised from 1395-1396 and completed around 1403, according to the model of the Royal Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. This is the last element preserved in place of the residence built at the end of the 14C by Jean de Berry, because Riom was the royal seat of the province of Auvergne. It is flamboyant Gothic style ,and most of the stained glass windows are from the 15C. They illustrate the Old and the New Testament. Reading the stained glass windows is made difficult by the restorations of the 19C which did not return the initial order. On the back wall, an Aubusson tapestry is extended. The presence of a fragment of the true cross gives this construction the title of Holy Chapel that only a prince of the descending blood of Saint Louis was entitled to found. The current owner is the Ministry of Justice since it is included within the premises of the Court of Appeal of Riom.

A bit of history I like tell us the city was in 1210 capital of the land of Auvergne then of the Duchy of Auvergne, Until 1531, date of annexation of Auvergne by the crown of France, Riom was the capital of the Duchy of Auvergne, In the 14C, the city benefited from the patronage of Jean, Duke of Berry, which reconstructs the palace Dukes of Auvergne and the Sainte-Chapelle, The secret surveillance and general security committee of Riom is instituted by anticipating the law of March 21, 1793, from March 31 the city is very active in the fight against counter-revolutionaries. In1862: Napoleon III visit Auvergne and more particularly to Riom; In 1942, the Riom trial was held during which the Vichy regime reproached several politicians from the Popular Front to be responsible for defeat having prevented the rearmament of France by the establishment of social reforms. They were made prisioners nearby, at the Chazeron castle, awaiting their trial. There was also the trial in absentia of General de Gaulle for opposing the Vichy regime under the occupation; He will naturally not be imprisoned .

The City of Riom on its heritage : https://www.ville-riom.fr/decouvrir/histoire-et-patrimoine.html

There you go folks, a central inland city that I can say was there worth a detour going south me think. This is a historical town with nice architecture to see and even more with more time. Again, hope you enjoy the post on this is Riom !! as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health ,and many cheers to all !!!