A town built for the craft
Thiers sits on a rocky spur above the Durolle valley, on the edge of the Livradois-Forez hills in central France. Its old town, half-timbered houses and steep lanes speak to its long past. Knife-making took hold here as early as the Middle Ages, and over the centuries the town became France's leading cutlery center.
The Durolle, a source of power
It all starts with a river. Rushing down the gorge below the town, the Durolle drops steeply, and people harnessed it with dams and water wheels that drove the grinding stones and the forges' machinery. Along the river, in what is known as the Vallée des Usines, the "valley of factories," workshops and mills lined the banks one after another.
The knife grinders, an enduring image
The best-known trade in Thiers is that of the émouleur, the grinder who sharpened blades on the wheel. Early 20th-century photographs show them lying flat on their stomachs above the stone, often with their dog stretched across their legs to keep them warm in damp, cold workshops. That image has become one of the town's symbols.
Many hands, one knife
A Thiers knife traditionally went through many stages: forging, grinding, assembly, polishing, each of which could be handled by a different specialist. This division of labor explains the high number of businesses in the Thiers area, which is still home to many cutlers today.
Le Thiers, a knife for a whole town
Local cutlers defined a shared design called Le Thiers, giving the town a folding knife that bears its name. Several makers produce it, each with their own interpretation, and it has become one of the emblems of local knife-making.
Visiting Thiers
The Musée de la Coutellerie, the cutlery museum in the old town, tells this story. The Vallée des Usines can be explored on foot along the Durolle, and the town itself is best discovered lane by lane, from half-timbered houses to cutlers' shop windows.
Thiers and Maison Mouche
Our olive wood champagne saber is made in Thiers, with a partner cutler. Discover it, along with our Thiers Knives collection, and bring a little of this history to your table.