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Welcome to CLERMONT-FERRAND
an extra service of European City Guide / ECG
eurocityguide.com - europeancityguide.com


Information about CLERMONT-FERRAND CLERMONT-FERRAND lies at the northern tip of the Massif Central. Although its situation is magnificent, almost encircled by the wooded and grassy volcanoes of the Monts-Dômes, it has for over a century been a typical smokestack industrial centre, the home base of Michelin tyres, which makes it a rather incongruous capital for the rustic, even backward province of the Auvergne. Its roots, both as a spa and a communications and trading centre, go back to Roman times. It was just outside the town, on the plateau of Gergovia to the south, that the Gauls under the leadership of Vercingétorix won their only, albeit indecisive, victory against Julius Caesar's invading Romans. In the Middle Ages, the two towns of Clermont and Montferrand were divided by commercial and political rivalry and ruled respectively by a bishop and the count of Auvergne. Louis XIII united them administratively in 1630, but it was not until the rapid industrial expansion of the late nineteenth century that the two really became indistinguishable. Indeed, it was Clermont that took the ascendancy, relegating Montferrand to a suburban backwater. Michelin came into being thanks to the inventions of Charles Mackintosh, the Scotsman of raincoat fame. His niece married Édouard Daubrée, a Clermont sugar manufacturer, and brought with her some ideas about making rubber goods that she had learnt from her uncle. In 1889, the company became Michelin and Co, just in time to catch the development of the automobile and the World War I aircraft industry. The family ruled the town and employed 30,000 of its citizens until the early 1980s, when the industry went into decline. In the years since, the workforce has been halved, causing rippling unemployment throughout Clermont's economy. Many of those who have lost their jobs are Portuguese immigrants, imported over the last forty years to fill the labour vacuum and well integrated with the local population. As in many other traditional industrial towns hit by recession and changing global patterns of trade, Clermont has had to struggle to reorientate itself, turning to service industries and the creation of a university of 34,000 students. Nonetheless, many people have moved elsewhere in search of work, reducing the population by nearly a tenth. The town has changed physically, too, as many of the old factories have been demolished. Despite all of this, the old centre has a surprisingly hip and youthful feel, with pavement bars packed out in the evenings as the boutiques and galleries which have sprung up wind down for the day.
 
Available Trades in CLERMONT-FERRAND ADVERTISING, MARKETING, COMMUNICATION
AGRICULTURE, FLORICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, PISCICULT
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE & SUPPLIERS
ARCHITECTS, DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS, SURVEYORS
ART, HANDICRAFT, ANTIQUES
ARTISTIC & LITERARY ACTIVITIES
ASSOCIATIONS, ORGANISATIONS
AUDIO-VIDEO, SUPPLIES & SERVICES
BAKERIES & CONFECTIONERS
BANKING & FINANCING, INSURANCE
BARS, RESTAURANTS, CAFES, CLUBS, DISCOS
CHEMICALS & PHARMACEUTICALS
CIVIC CENTRES, LIBRARIES, ARCHIVES
CONSTRUCTION & MATERIAL
COSMETICS, BODY CARE, HAIRDRESSING
EDUCATION, SCHOOLS & ACADEMIC TRAINING
ELECTRONICS, ELECTROTECHNICS
ENERGY, ELECTRICITY, GAS & WATER, HOUSEHOLD APPLIA
ENTERTAINMENT, CINEMAS, THEATRES, RADIO & TV CHANN
ENVIRONMENT & RECYCLING
ESOTERICISM
FOOD, BEVERAGES, NEWSAGENT
FURNITURE - MANUFACTURERS & SUPPLIERS
GAMING & COMPUTER GAMES
HOTELS & CATERING
HOUSE & GARDEN, SUPPLIES & SERVICES
INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURERS, SUPPLIERS & SERVICES
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
JEWELLERS, WATCHMAKERS, OPTICIANS
LEGAL SERVICES
LIVESTOCK, PETS, VETERINARIANS, EQUIPMENT & SERVIC
MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING, ACCOUNTING SERVICES
MECHANICS, HYDRAULICS, PNEUMATICS
MEDICINE, AUXILIARY MEDICINE & MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
METAL & STEEL INDUSTRY
MUSEUMS, ART GALLERIES, AUCTION ROOMS
MUSIC & SOUND RECORDING
OFFICE SUPPLIES, OFFICE SERVICES, COPY CENTRES
PETROCHEMICAL, RUBBER, PLASTIC
PHOTOGRAPHY, GRAPHIC ART & DESIGN
PUBLISHING, PRINTING, PAPER INDUSTRY
REAL ESTATE
RESIDENTIAL HOMES & CARE SERVICES
SALES & SERVICES
SCIENCE, INVESTIGATION, RESEARCH
SERVICES & AGENCIES
SETS & SCENERY, EVENT STAGING, PRODUCTIONS
SPORTS, LEISURE & HEALTH
TECHNOLOGY & TECHNICAL SERVICES
TEXTILES, LEATHER, FURS - CLOTHING, ACCESSORIES, E
TOURISM & TRAVEL, ATTRACTIONS, PARKS & GARDENS
TRADE & BUSINESS, IMPORT-EXPORT, MAIL ORDER
TRANSPORT, STORAGE, PACKAGING
VEHICLES, MOTORCYCLES, CYCLES - SALES & SERVICES
 


FRANCE

General Information
Capital: Paris
Area: 547,030 km2
Population: 59,765,983
Electricity: 220V
IDD: +33
Emergency number: 17
Timezone: GMT +1 Hr (+2 Hrs MAR-OCT)

Language
Language: French, Local Dialects

Government
Government: Republic

Religion
Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim

Health
Health: Tetanus-Diphtheria, Meningococcal Meningitis, Hepatitis B and FSME/RSSE

Currency
Currency: Euro (EUR) 1.00 = 100 Cents

Exchange Rate
Exchange Rate: EUR 1.00 = USD 1.05 = GBP 0.66 = CHF 1.46

Business Hours
Business Hours: Mon-Fri: 09.00-12.00 and 14.00-18.00

Speed Limit
Speed Limit: Cities: 50 km/h, Outside Cities: 90 km/h, Dual carriageways: 110 km/h, Motorways: 130 km/h

Traffic
Traffic: Traffic drives on the right. Minimum age 18 years. Wearing of seat belts is compulsory in front and back seats.

Driving License
Driving License: National license

National Holidays
National holidays: Jan 1 New Year's Day, Easter Monday (variable), Ascension Day (variable), Pentecost Monday (variable), Jul 14 Bastille Day, Nov 11 All Saints' Day, Nov 11 Armistice Day, Dec 25 Christmas Day

Climate
Climate: Generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral.

Temperatures
Temperatures:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
A3471014171919161174
P171412131312121313141516
S64831521852232332312041661226353

A = Av. Daily Temp.(°C)
P = Daily Precipitation (mm)
S = Sunshine (Hrs/Month)

Mobile Network
Mobile Network: GSM 900 / 1800

GPS
GPS: 46 00 N, 2 00 E

Shopping Hours
Shopping Hours: Department stores are open 09.00-20.00. Most shops are closed between 12.00 and 14.30. Food shops are open 07.00-19.00/19.30. Some food shops (particulary bakers) are open Sunday mornings, in which case they will probably be closed on Monday. Many shops are closed all day or half-day Monday. Hypermarkets are normally open from 9.00 to 19.00/20.00, sometimes until 21.00 or 22.00.

 







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