All sports fans’ eyes are now on the Tour de France as it reaches its climax, which is why we’d like to dedicate today’s blog to France. Just as Mikulášovice, in the heart of Bohemian Switzerland, is associated with cutlery, the city of Thiers in France shares this history.
The city has a population of about 40,000 and is located in the mountainous landscape of central France in the Puy-de-Dôme department, away from France’s major tourist destinations. It has no Versailles, no ski slopes, and no beaches on the Côte d’Azur; instead, it grapples with numerous social problems. The wild Durolle River flows through it, and in the past, its water power, channeled through turbines, provided energy to the many cutlery factories along its banks.
Today, these old facilities have been abandoned; some are falling into disrepair, while others serve as museums supported by European Union grants. The knife factories have moved to modern facilities on the outskirts of town.
Interestingly, the knives produced here—regardless of which factory makes them—all share the same design, on which everyone was able to agree. And just as the Tour de France is a celebration for cycling fans, in early May, knife enthusiasts from around the world flock to Thiers for a large and renowned knife exhibition.
So how is Thiers connected to Mikov? In 2016, Mikulášovice was one of the founding members of a loose association of knife-making towns from across Europe. And so, in the local museum, you’ll find Mikov’s most famous knives—led by the famous “Rybička.”