Odtnhj

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (January 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Puy-de-Dôme
Department
Prefecture building of the Puy-de-Dôme department, in Clermont-Ferrand
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Puy-de-Dôme in France
Coordinates: 45°42′N 3°13′E / 45.700°N 3.217°E / 45.700; 3.217Coordinates: 45°42′N 3°13′E / 45.700°N 3.217°E / 45.700; 3.217
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Prefecture	Clermont-Ferrand
Subprefectures	Ambert Issoire Riom Thiers
Government
• President of the General Council	Jean-Yves Gouttebel
Area 1
• Total	7,970 km2 (3,080 sq mi)
Population (2016)
• Total	650,700
• Rank	38th
• Density	82/km2 (210/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Department number	63
Arrondissements	5
Cantons	31
Communes	467
^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2

Puy-de-Dôme (French pronunciation: ​[pɥi də dom]; Auvergnat: lo Puèi de Doma or lo Puèi Domat) is a department in the centre of France named after the famous dormant volcano, the Puy de Dôme. Inhabitants were called Puydedomois until December 2005. With effect from Spring 2006, in response to a letter writing campaign, the name used for the inhabitants was changed by the Puy-de-Dôme General Council to Puydômois, and this is the name that has since then been used in all official documents and publications.

History

Puy-de-Dôme is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Auvergne. Originally, the department was to be called Mont-d'Or ("Golden Mountain"), but this was changed to Puy-de-Dôme following the intervention of Jean-François Gaultier de Biauzat, a local deputy, because of a concern that the name originally chosen risked attracting excessive unwelcome attention from the national taxation authorities.

Geography

Puy-de-Dôme is part of the current region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and is surrounded by the departments of Loire, Haute-Loire, Cantal, Corrèze, Allier, and Creuse.

The department is in the Massif Central and boasts more than 80 volcanic craters. It is three hours from Paris and an hour from Lyon by highways A71 and A89. The A75 links it to the Mediterranean Sea.

Its main cities are Clermont-Ferrand, Thiers, Riom, Issoire, Ambert, and Cournon-d'Auvergne. Parts of the department belong to the Parc naturel régional Livradois-Forez.

Economy

The departmental seat, Clermont-Ferrand, is home to one of the country's best known manufacturing businesses and brands, Michelin. Thiers is the oldest industry place in Auvergne with its cutlery tradition from the 14th century.

The countryside lends itself to tourism and Puy-de-Dôme is a popular weekend destination for city dwellers. The 1999 census found that 11.7% of the usable homes in the department were being kept as second homes.

Politics

The department was the electoral constituency of Valery Giscard d'Estaing, who served as President of the Republic from 1974 to 1981.

Current National Assembly Representatives

Tourism

• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  The black Cathedral of Clermont-Ferrand
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Saint-Floret, one of the most beautiful villages of France
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  The Puy de Dôme volcano
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  The Lac de Guéry in the Massif Central
  

  
  

  
  

See also

• Cantons of the Puy-de-Dôme department


• Communes of the Puy-de-Dôme department


• Arrondissements of the Puy-de-Dôme department


• Maurice Persat

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Puy-de-Dôme.

• 
  (in French) Prefecture website
  


• 
  (in French) Departmental Council website
  


• 
  (in English) Puy-de-Dome at Curlie