Vierzon

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vierzon
Vierzon coat of arms
Vierzon (France)
Vierzon
region Center-Val de Loire
Department Cher
Arrondissement Vierzon
Canton Vierzon-1
Vierzon-2
Community association Vierzon-Sologne-Berry
Coordinates 47 ° 13 '  N , 2 ° 4'  E Coordinates: 47 ° 13 '  N , 2 ° 4'  E
height 94-182 m
surface 74.50 km 2
Residents 25,903 (January 1, 2017)
Population density 348 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code 18100
INSEE code 18279
Website www.ville-vierzon.fr

Aerial view of Vierzon with the Cher (left) and Yèvre rivers and the Canal de Berry in between

Vierzon is a French city in the Cher department in the Center-Val de Loire region . The city has 25,903 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2017).

geography

Part of the old town with the Yèvre (left) and the Canal de Berry
Pont Voltaire road bridge over the old harbor basin

Vierzon is the seat of the sub-prefecture of the Cher department and has a prominent position in the central region. It is the gateway to the landscape of the Sologne and the Champagne of Berrichon.

The city describes itself as the "city of water", the rivers Yèvre and Cher as well as the Canal de Berry cross the urban area. The city forest has a size of 7500 hectares. There is a golf course (18 holes), riding centers and 78 km of marked recreational trails.

history

Ruins of the former Gaucher porcelain factory
Former work of the Société Française de Matériel Agricole et Industriel

The industrialization of Vierzons began in 1779 with the construction of an ironworks with blast furnaces and a foundry on the banks of the Yèvre by the Count of Artois , who later became King Charles X of France. Agricultural implements were initially manufactured, followed by weapons in the course of the Revolutionary Wars . The ores required came into the city via the Cher and later the Canal de Berry.

1829 was opened in the urban area of the Canal de Berry, which the coal mining area of Commentry with Tours combined. A port was created in Vierzon. In 1847 the city received a train station on the route from Paris to Toulouse .

The occurrence of refractory clay favored the emergence of the porcelain industry from 1816 . In 1847 the agricultural machinery factory Société Française de Matériel Agricole et Industriel was founded, which was followed by other factories. The "Française" and companies like Brouhot , Merlin and La Vierzonnaise sold threshing machines , traction engines and tractors in the world. At the beginning of the 20th century, Vierzon had become the "capital of agricultural machinery production".

Two glassworks were built in 1860 and 1874 and existed until 1957. At the beginning of the Third Republic , the labor movement in Vierzon had grown stronger with demands for better working conditions and higher wages. The socialist Édouard Vaillant , who was born there and returned from exile in 1880, had a decisive influence .

Second World War

During the German occupation of France in World War II , the city was divided into two parts. The line of demarcation between the occupied and unoccupied zones ran along the Cher River. Charles Cliquet , resistance fighter and member of the Forces françaises de l'intérieur (FFI), organized secret border crossings in Vierzon for members of the British rescue organization Pat O'Leary for shot down pilots . In 1943 he was denounced, tortured and deported to the Buchenwald concentration camp .

Between June and August 1944, the city was a major railway hub and was bombed eleven times by Allied aircraft . A total of 54 people were killed, 52 of them in an attack on the marshalling yard on the night of July 1st. 250 buildings were destroyed.

Population development

year 1962 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999 2006 2016
Residents 31,549 33,775 35,699 34.209 32,235 29,719 28,147 26,365
Sources: Cassini and INSEE

economy

The city is rich in history , nature and industry . It has a reputation in France for “knowing how” and for creativity in the technological field. Vierzon's economy is based on four pillars:

  • Mechanics and metallurgy, a sector of national importance with individual and series production, in steel construction and assembly of machines and parts.
  • Model making is a specialty of the Vierzonnaiser company. In addition to production, appropriate construction capacities are also available.
  • Vierzon's porcelain technology is very well known. Important manufacturers of well-known tableware brands develop and manufacture in Vierzon.
  • Chemistry and environmental technology are particularly familiar with composting techniques and the use of activated carbon.

The “Sologne” industrial park in the north-east of Vierzon is over six hectares in size; It includes the companies Goblet, Stop Affaires, SA Berry, TDM Automation. In the north-east of Vierzon is the industrial park "L'Aujonnière" with the companies Bérard Godard, Bouygues Télécom, EDF / GDF, Socatrap. The “Vieux Domaine” industrial park is located two kilometers from the Vierzon-Est exit on the A71. It offers space for the following companies: Apia, Drameca, ERSC, FCI, Prefor, Setec. The industrial park “Des Forges” is located in the south-east of the urban area, close to the east motorway junction. Companies: Timken, Calibracier, Pica, Parker, Yale Levage, RIC Environment, EGI Europe.

The multifunctional area "Vieux Domaine" and the Center Berry Logistique are right next to the Forges zone, with a total of 120 hectares in phase 1 and to be expanded by 40 hectares in phase 2. There are

  • a transshipment building of 5000 m²
  • a railway depot for putting together complete trains

Companies: LA POSTE (French Post), LES TRANSPORTS BREGER, SNC TRANSPORTS

The city of Vierzon operates its own development company VDE.

In addition to tradition, the craft also uses modern and sophisticated techniques.

traffic

Vierzon can be reached via the A 71 , A 20 and A 85 motorways .

The city is located at the crossroads of two railways : the Les Aubrais-Orléans – Montauban-Ville-Bourbon line connects Paris with Toulouse, the Vierzon – Saincaize and Vierzon – Saint-Pierre-des-Corps (near Tours ) are sections of the Axis from Lyon to Nantes . The station was in 1847 with the extension of Orléans to Châteauroux next Paris trip for the railway company Compagnie du chemin de fer de Paris à Orléans opened (PO). In 1848 the first branch line to Bourges went into operation, after the opening of the line to Tours in 1869 it became an important crossing station . On July 16, 1918, a passenger train derailed between Vierzon and Theillay . 22 people died, 76 were also injured.

In 1904 the network of the meter- gauge narrow - gauge railway Tramways de l'Indre (TI) also reached Vierzon; their trains ended on the Place de la Gare near the regular-gauge train station. In 1937, the TI ceased operations.

The nearest airport is the Châteauroux-Center Marcel Dassault Airport in Déols near Châteauroux.

Culture

The “Theater Mac-Nab” (named after the singer Maurice Mac-Nab, who was born in Vierzon ) offers a program of stage plays and touring theater. It has 500 seats and a 14 m wide, 10 m deep and 7 m high stage. 40 musicians can use the orchestra pit. A hall of 400 m² with a bar enables exhibitions and music events.

The “Cine Lumiere” cinema has seven movie theaters with Dolby Stereo and club armchairs.

The city of Vierzon operates its own club house, which around 20 clubs use for their activities. The house has a meeting room and a canteen with around 50 seats.

There is a porcelain tourist route in the Vierzon area. The environment is a separate AOC - wine region . Also the goat cheese from Berry is well known.

Vierzon maintains ten city partnerships in France / Alsace, Germany, Southern and Eastern Europe as well as North Africa and China.

Sports

Ten sports fields are distributed across the region and the city. Approx. 40 sports are practiced on them.

Personalities

Culture and sights

Notre-Dame church
  • Notre-Dame Church (12th to 15th centuries)
  • Beffroi (12th century)
  • Museum "Fours Banaux" (free entry)
  • The Vierzon Gardens, in the middle of the city

Town twinning

The city of Vierzon has partnerships with numerous cities:

We have long-term relationships with two parishes in the east of France, based on sponsorships that were
taken over in connection with the two world wars:

literature

  • Le Patrimoine des Communes du Cher. Flohic Editions, Volume 2, Paris 2001, ISBN 2-84234-088-4 , pp. 1051-1087.

Web links

Commons : Vierzon  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ L'histoire industrial at berrysolognetourisme.com, accessed on May 28, 2020
  2. ^ Peter WB Semmens: Catastrophes on rails. A worldwide documentation. Transpress, Stuttgart 1996, ISBN 3-344-71030-3 , p. 53.