The utensil that sits on the right-hand side of your plate, helping you to cut whatever’s inside, most likely comes from this small town that radiates around the world. Because slicing in Lyon is the same as slicing in New York or Tokyo, the Thiers blade has established itself as a global benchmark. A regional pride unrivalled the world over. Between Lyon, the capital of gastronomy, Beaune, the capital of wine, and Thiers, the capital of knives, a veritable golden triangle for epicureans the world over is taking shape in a relatively small geographical area.
Thiers, cutlery capital of the world
This is the epicenter of the art of cutlery worldwide. Blades have been forged here since the dawn of time. As early as the Middle Ages, the strength of the nearby Durolle river powered the grindstones used by grinders to sharpen knives and the swords used by knights to split armor! In the 17th century, Thiers enjoyed its first golden age, exporting its knives all over Europe, before the industrial revolution modernized production. Thiers became the epicenter of knife-making worldwide. With over 130 companies in this field, 80% of knives produced in France are made here, making it the industrial basin that produces the most knives in the world. And that’s just the beginning.
What can you do in Thiers in a day?
Although Thiers is the capital of knives, you’d be forgiven for thinking that its inhabitants have forgotten all about their forks. Here, you’ll find a number of restaurants, brasseries and bistros with a whiff of local cuisine. For the more curious, don’t miss the tripe à la mode de Thiers or the rapoutet, not forgetting the cabbage sausage from Arconsat. We also recommend Le Brin de Zinc for counter service in a bar and wine cellar atmosphere. For a more traditional format, head to Le Chaudron for a delicious duck breast or Saint-Nectaire cheese fondant, yum!
Once you’ve regained your strength, stroll through the town center with its beautiful half-timbered houses (including the Château du Pirou) and cobbled streets to immerse yourself in a unique atmosphere. The “peddes” are the few covered passages in Thiers that add their own touch of charm to the picture. Don’t forget to take in the view of the Chaîne des Puys, especially from the esplanade du rempart, because, yes, Thiers is nestled right in the heart of the Livradois-Forez Regional Nature Park, which offers magnificent escapades just a stone’s throw from the town. Finally, we can only recommend that you take home a souvenir of Thiers, and you can see it coming: this one will be sharp!