This is Clermont-Ferrand !!!

Posted in Europe, France

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, See the cathedral post as this post will be in my black and white series,no pictures. Another dot in my world map, this is Clermont-Ferrand !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

The city of Clermont-Ferrand is located dept no 63 of Puy de Dôme in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of my belle France. It is the historic capital of Auvergne ,The modern city was born from the Union in the 17C from two ancient rival cities, Clermont and Montferrand. It then takes the name of Arvernis then Clermont. At the beginning of the 12C, the counts of Auvergne founded the competing city of Montferrand. In 1630, Louis XIII imposed by the edict of Troyes the unification of the two neighboring cities. This union will be reaffirmed by Louis XV in 1731. The city of Clermont-Ferrand is at the crossroads of the Nord-Sud Paris motorway axes at about 420 km, Béziers 340 km by the A71 and A75 highways and Lyon 165 km, Bordeaux 370 km by the A89). Four highway axes oriented north-south and east-west leave from Clermont: north: Clermont-Paris by the A71: Clermont-Béziers by the A75 Clermont-Lyon by the A89 and Saint-Etienne by the A89 and the A72 as well as the Clermont – Bordeaux by the A89. It is 413 km from Versailles on the A71 and 669 km from my current home taking the N165 ,A11, A85 to hook up again with the A71.

Some of the other things to see here, me think are The Jardin Lecoq garden, also called the Jardin des Plantes. It contains a fortified gate of the 16C from the Château de Bien-Assis, now disappeared, having belonged to the family of Blaise Pascal; the Romanesque Notre-Dame-du-Port Basilica, built in the 12C on the location of a church of the 6C. The Saint-Laurent Church originally a very old church mentioned in 551 . It is now embedded in buildings in the Port district and is not visible from the outside. The Cordeliers chapel: probably built in 1241. Remarkable for its large stained glass windows, it is today the property of the Puy-de-Dôme General Council and serves in particular as an exhibition hall; the Church Notre-Dame-de-de La-Prosperité in the Montferrand district, built between the 14C and the 16C. Of southern Gothic style, rare in the region The Church Carmes déchaussés , built in the 18C on the site of the old abbey Carmes in 1653, The Church Saint Eutrope, built on the site of a basilica dedicated to Saint Etienne (Stephens), and destroyed by the Normans. A first church was built in the 12th century. It was partially destroyed in 1827 then completely in 1858. The current church was built between 1858 and 1862. The Chapel of the Capuchins located opposite the Lecoq garden, is a small church open to the public and still used and maintained by the convent of Capuchin brothers adjoining the church. The chapel dates from the middle of the 19C its interior was recently restored, the Chapel of the old general hospital is of neoclassical style dating from the middle of the 19C and dedicated to Saint Vincent de Paul. This chapel was built to accommodate the residents of the former general goppic hospital and the surrounding populations. The Château de Rabanesse, sometimes improperly called the Pascal Tower , now property of a departmental public establishment The equestrian statue of Vercingétorix, inaugurated on October 12, 1903 is the work of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi to whom we must also credit the statue de la Liberté; (Liberty), The Opéra-Théâtre built between 1891 and 1894. The Galeries de Jaude, today Galeries Lafayette. The building dates from 1907. Its facade dominates the Place de Jaude.

A bit of history I like tell us that Augustonemetum or the Sanctuary of Augustus, Roman emperor is a new city which would have been created during the 1C BC. The Roman city forum is placed at the top of the Clermont hill, at the site of the current cathedral and place de la Victoire in the 4C, while Christianity is established, the city then takes the name of Arvernis, named after the Gallic people living in the region, The Wisigoths besiege Arvernis several times between 471 and 475. Despite the defense the city is ceded to the Visigoths by the emperor Julius Nepos, and is part of the Visigoth kingdom until 507 . In 761, Pépin le Bref sack des Arvernes and takes its fortified castle “Claremontem Castrum” or the castle of Mont Clair. Over time, the city takes in oral language a name derived from that of the fortress, Clermont, even if officially the name Arvernis will remain used for a long time , The city would then have been ravaged by the Normans of chef Hasting in 862, In 1095, when from the Council of Clermont, Pope Urbain II preaches the first crusade on the Place du Champ Herm, which the current research tends to place at the level of the current place Delille throughout the Middle Ages and until modern times, Clermont , and the current Montferrand district are two distinct cities: Clermont is the episcopal city, Montferrand, the county ​​city. In 1551, Clermont became a royal city, then in 1610, inseparable property of the crown of France .Henri II transformed the administration of Clermont to alderman on October 18, 1556 on April 15, 1630, the edict of Troyes (1st edict of union) brings together authoritatively Clermont and Montferrand. This union was confirmed in 1731, under Louis XV, with the 2nd edict of Union. The SS Adolf Hitler division occupied the city on June 21, 1940. On June 29, 1940, the government, which has just signed the armistice on June 22, fell back froml Bordeaux, which the armistice conditions place in the occupied zone, in Clermont, which in fact becomes capital of France , finally, the government is transfers itself in the first days of July to Vichy, The nazis began to evacuate the city on August 25, 1944 in the direction of Dijon; The city is free on August 27. The great parade of the Liberation took place; The troops of the maquis of Auvergne parade on the Place de Jaude.

The city of Clermont-Ferrand on its heritage: https://clermont-ferrand.fr/lieux

The local Clermont Auvergne Volcans tourist office on Clermont Ferrand: https://www.clermontauvergnevolcans.com/en/marvel-remarkable-heritage/

The Auvergne destination tourist site on Clermont Ferrand; https://www.auvergne-destination.com/experiences/city-break-a-clermont/

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 Clermont-Ferrand !!! as I.

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

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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