Nontron is a common French, located in the department of the the Dordogne and the area Aquitaine.

Geography

Chief town (sub-prefecture) of the district more in north of the the Dordogne, Nontron is in the middle of the green Périgord, located at the edge of the river Bandiat. The city is built on granite, just in the south begins the calcareous ground. With its varied landscapes and a preserved nature, it is in the middle of the Regional natural park Périgord the Limousin, almost remotely equivalent of Périgueux, Limoges and Angouleme. It during very a long time was very wedged, no important road axis not passing there, which constituted a considerable brake with local economic development.

One finds there layers of sandstone, granite rocks and, in the calcareous part, of the white stone to build, Castine and stones with lime. The ground is rich in ore of Fer, Manganèse, siver-bearing Plomb, and Cuivre.

History

According to the historian Ribault de Laugardière, the name Nontron would come from the language of Tyr, being composed of Nata: " vallée" and Dun: " montagne". During centuries the writing varied between Natadun, Nattun, Nantrun, Nontroun before current Nontron.

The city existed probably already 1.100 years before our era and was several times devastated by invaders, Buckwheats at the 7th century, the Norman ones at the 9th century. A legend also claims that Richard Lion-hearted would have received the arrow mortal by besieging the city in 1199, but several other cities affirm the same thing. To the 8th century the Gallo-Roman castrum is given by the counts of Limoges to the poitevine abbey of Charroux. Then, during the centuries the city will change several times of membership to become, at the time of the French revolution, under prefecture of the department of the the Dordogne.

The station functioned between 1891 and 1946 for the travellers, and until 1970 for the goods.

Administration

Demography

Economy

Industry: since the Gallo-Roman time and until the middle of the 19th century, one extracted from the iron ore in Nontronnais where functioned much of forging mills and blast furnaces.

At the 20th century, one produced many footwear there. But currently there remain nothing any more but some small factories.

Today, one finds there companies various, energy of the luxury (Hermes) to the craft industry, while passing by the agro-alimentary one. The majority of the trade are in center town and surround the Place Alfred Agard (Place of the Town hall). With the periphery, supermarkets start to settle.

Nontron is a small town known for its cutleries. This activity probably exists since the Moyen-âge, although one finds it mentioned in an act only in 1653.

The Fête of the Knife takes place the first weekend of August.

Famous characters

• the painter Fernand Desmoulin (1853-1914) was born in the borough from Javerlhac close to Nontron.

• Jean-Louis Dubut de Laforest (1853/1902) was born in the borough close to Saint-Pardoux-the-River. It is a writer and journalist of the end of the XIXème century.
• Henri Laforest, mayor of Nontron and former minister.
• Alcide Dusolier, born in Nontron in 1836. To discover on the site of the School residence " Alcide Dusolier" (http://webetab.ac-bordeaux.fr/Etablissement/LPADusolierNontron/index.php) while clicking on its portrait.

Tourist monuments and places

Nontron, town of art with its experimental pole of the trades of art, its Garden of arts, its Masquerade of Soufflaculs which is held in the streets at the beginning of April, attracting thousands of spectators coming from the whole world, its baboys: two monumental statues in the honor of Soufflaculs, its night African market mid-July, its festival of August 15th, its festival of the horse… and especially its knives: the " Nontron" , older knife of France, and the " Périgord" who carries out superb parts with ring or spring, and whose handles can be carved various reasons (drives out, fishing etc)

• Castle of Nontron, 18th century 19th century, classified

Twinnings

Currently the city does not take part any more in the Jumelage S between cities. But the college cooperates with German colleges with Berlin and Hildesheim. With the beginning of the year 1980, there was an active twinning with Thame in the count of Oxfordshire in England, to the gifts of books to the public library testify some.

References

The Experimental Pole of the Trades of Art gathers the craftsmen of art and the Artists of Nontronnais. A showroom to Space Paul Bert makes it possible to the visitors to admire works carried out.

See too

• the Dordogne (department)

• Périgord
• Common of the Dordogne
• Castles and residences of the Dordogne

External bonds

• a site and a forum on the Masquerade of Soufflaculs with hundreds of photographs on the event since several years. The site of Soufflaculs

• Experimental Pole Trades of Art of Nontron and of Green Périgord, infos on the exposures, workshops, the professionals trades of art, the shop or residences of designers. * site on Nontron
• Site of the school residence " Alcide Dusolier"