Vierzon is a common French, located in the department of the Cher and the area Center.

Geography

One can note there the railway Gare and the proximity of the national forests of the Sologne. Town of water, with crossed of 5 rivers whose Yèvre and Expensive, crossed by the Channel of Berry and girdled of a splendid national forest of 7.500 hectares, Vierzon is located at the border between the the Sologne and the Berry.

Today, Vierzon is road junction located on the axis of A71, A20 and A85.

Administration

History

Origins

Old prehistoric site with Bellon (district located at the South of the Expensive), with workshop of size of flint, Vierzon was probably one of the twenty cities destroyed by Vercingétorix at the time of the seat of Avaricum by César. After the conquest, it was probably a Gallo-Roman Oppidum, not of defense at the entry western of the Berry, established on a hillock (this time on other bank of the Cher), exposed to midday, supervising the confluence of Yèvre and the Cher and protected by the forest and the the Sologne in north. A castle mérovingien settled there, then the Normands strengthened there on the feudal Motte. They became lords of Vierzon and the city developed inside ramparts in the west of the castle.

The English (Richard Lion-hearted in 1196, then the Prince Noir) set fire to and took the city and the castle. Of Guesclin drove out the English in 1370 and gave again of them Vierzon with the crown of France. It then became one of the centers of supply of the armies of Jeanne d' Arc.

Vierzon undergoes the wars of religion, but remained Catholique. The Révolution of 1789 did not bring great jolts. With the Revolution, the parish of Vierzon is cut out in two communes: Vierzon-city and Vierzon-Villages, this at the request of the rural inhabitants of the parish. In 1887, the Southern bank of Expensive of the commune of Vierzon-Villages makes scission under the name of Vierzon-Bourgneuf. Lastly, in 1908, it is the part Is Vierzon-Villages which takes its independence under the name of Vierzon-Forging mills. In 1937, following a public survey and with a prefectoral decision, the four communes are joined together. Vierzon largely paid its tribute with the modern wars. In 1870-1871, the avant-garde of the Ulhan S crossed the city but was folded up quickly.

If Vierzon were saved by the war of 1914-1918, it was hard tested by that of 1939-1945. The Line of demarcation divided the city in two; south of the city being in the free Zone while north in the occupied Zone. The Nazi S built immense a railway Tunnel in the forest to convey and hide the ammunition which the city produced. The allies tried to destroy the tunnel of the Lark, but in vain. For this reason of violent one Bombardement S destroyed the seventh of the city, which, once more was concerned its ruins.

Policy

During the fusion of the four communes in 1937, a communist mayor, Georges Rousseau, is elected. In October 1939, at the beginning of the war, the communist municipality (as all those of France) is suspended and replaced by a special delegation. This decision of the government is justified by the fact that the French Communist party refuses the war by fidelity with the the USSR of Stalin which signed a non-aggression pact with the Nazi Germany. In 1941, the Vichy government names a municipal council made up of personalities faithful to the mode.

With the Release, a new municipal council is named, it takes again a good number of the elected officials of 1937 while adding to it of the resistant ones. The municipal elections of 1945 give the majority to a list of union of left (PCF-SFIO) with strong communist domination.

In 1947, in the context of the Cold war, it is the rupture between Socialists and Communists; the socialist city council men are combined with those of MRP (Christian-Democrat) and with those of RPF (right gaullist), the Socialist Maurice Charon becomes mayor.

In 1959, the Communists are elected with at their head Doctor Léo Mérigot (1902-1982); he is re-elected in 1965 and 1971. In 1977, its first assistant Fernand Micouraud (born in 1924) succeeds to him, he is re-elected in 1983 and 1989. Since 1959, the municipal majority includes/understands Socialists, their place becomes more important in the Eighties, in particular with Jean Rousseau (born in 1943) who is appointed socialist of 1981 to 1986.

In 1990, Fernand Micouraud resigns, the socialist elected officials taken along by Jean Rousseau are combined with the opposition of center-right and put the Communists in minority. The socialist elected officials are excluded from the PS by the national authorities. The municipal election which follows gives the majority to the ex-Socialists combined with the center-right, Jean Rousseau becomes mayor. It is a time member of Génération ecology, the party created by Brice Lalonde; then approaches more and more the presidential majority of Jacques Chirac in particular at the departmental level, when general adviser it votes with majority UDF-RPR. It is currently close to the presidential majority of Nicolas Sarkozy and is asserted like having been a precursor of the opening.

Economic development

Until 1779 Vierzon lived Commerce and Artisanat, then came time from the Industrialization.

The work of the Iron mark the beginning of the Industrialization of Vierzon. In 1779, the Count d' Artois, future Charles X, creates in edge of Yèvre a forging mill with foundry and blast furnaces. It profits from the old iron and steel know-how of the Berry and the ore conveyed by the Cher and the Canal of Berry (1830).

The refractory presence of Argile supports the birth of a porcelain activity starting from 1816.

The tradition of the ceramicses remains with the creation of two glassmakings in 1860 and 1874, which will exist until in 1957. It is in 1847 that Célestin Gerard arrives at Vierzon. Its small workshop opposite the station will become the “French company of farm equipment and industrialist” after the repurchase by Lucien Arbel; Célestin Gerard not having a descent. A synergy is set up; the reputation of the “Frenchwoman” attracts the captains of industry.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the capital of agricultural mechanization counts several firms of Batteuses and Locomobiles of which Brouhot, Merlin, Vierzonnaise and the Frenchwoman. These machines are sold everywhere in the world.

Three satellite towns developed around the center town and, in 1937, the fusion of the four communes made it possible Vierzon to take a new rise.

In 1959, the american company BOX repurchases the SFMAI and the production of material of public works replaces that of the farm equipment gradually.

In the years 1990, Vierzon undergoes the big rise of Chômage which reigns in France. Many factories delocalize like Fulmen (manufacture of battery S), the porcelain factories or the industry of the textile. Others as BOX change site. The city then has one of the highest unemployment rates of France. Then take yourself a long period of reconversion based on the geographical position and the road junction.

Heraldic

Of azure, with a crenelated tower of money, posed in band| Malta-Brown |illustrated France (1882)

Demography

Vierzon-village counted, towards 1882, 6.731 inhabitants.

Economy

The saving in Vierzon is mainly industrial by its history. Today still one finds many metallurgy factories, like the manufacture of rolls of the dice or oleohydraulic material. However, several factories closed by the past in particular in the district of the Forging mills. Still nowadays, an important company in the area as Timken had resorts to a social plan. One finds also chemical industry like the manufacture of Activated carbon. Because of his geographical position, one also finds a great number of logistic centers or transport.

In north, a retail park developed and its extension is already envisaged.

Education

The city has three colleges: Valiant Edouard, Fernand Leger, Albert Camus. The pupils can then continue their schooling is in the vocational schools (college Rene Cassin, college Henri Brisson sheltering the only BTS Céramique of France); maybe in the colleges of mainstream education and technological (Edouard-Valiant college and Henri-Brisson college). On the whole, the city has 3 colleges.

Sport

The city is equipped with a permanent swimming pool, of a dojo, many gymnasia and stages. However one notes the best results in football with level CFA2 reached by the team Vierzon Foot 18 at the time of the seasons 2005 - 2006 and 2006 - 2007. But it is especially club of Rugby, the SAV, which turns best with a level into federal 2.

Famous characters

• Felix Pyat, appointed with the constituent Assembly of 1848, member of the Council of the Common of Paris born in Vierzon in 1810.
• Célestin Gerard (1821-1885), father of agricultural mechanization vierzonnais
• Maurice Mac-Nab (1856-1889), chansonnier
• Madeleine the Sologne (1912-1995), actress of theater and cinema
• Edouard Vaillant (1840-1915), politician, socialist leader of the 19th century

Tourist monuments and places

• Church Notre-Dame ({{XIIe}} - 15th century)
• Belfry (12th century)
• Museum of the Communal ovens (admission free)
• gardens of Vierzon, located mainly in center town
• Garden known as " of Abbaye" , and pacifist War memorial Art Déco of the architect angevin Karcher classified with the additional inventory of the historic buildings, in edge of Yèvre and the Channel of Berry.

Tally of life

• flowered City: 1 flower allotted by the National council of the Cities and Flowered Villages of France to the Contest of the cities and flowered villages.

Twinnings

Appearances

Vierzon appears in the words of the song Vesoul , written, composed and interpreted by Jacques Brel in 1968:

You desired ace to see Vierzon
Et one saw Vierzon

T' ace more liked Vierzon
Et one left Vierzon

See too

References

External bond

• Official site of the city
• Results of the municipal elections of Vierzon since 1977

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