Gouttières, Puy-de-Dôme

French commune|nomcommune=Gouttières
région=Auvergne
département=Puy-de-Dôme
arrondissement=Riom
canton=Saint-Gervais-d'Auvergne
insee=63171
cp=63390
maire=
mandat=
intercomm=
longitude=2.77
latitude=46.0630555556
alt moy=660 m
alt mini=591 m
alt maxi=803 m
hectares=2,563
km²=25.63
sans=386
date-sans=1999
dens=15|date-dens=1999

Gouttières is a village and commune of the Puy-de-Dôme "département", in France.

It is located in the Combrailles part of the Auvergne "région", in the canton of Saint-Gervais-d'Auvergne.

Its name finds its roots in the five small water streams that unite here to later join the Sioule River. Gouttières is around 100 km² big and situated between 600-700 meters above sea level The area is rural with a high conservation of wildlife and biodiversity. There is a coverage of about 30% woods and some cereal cultivation and the breeding of Charolais cattle.

Economy

Most inhabitants grow their own vegetables, they have often chicken and raise rabbits and some raise their own pigs. Old fashioned farmer life slowly makes place for bigger exploitations and little by little young inhabitants are leaving or involved in other activities. Rockwool, Michelin or a Steel factory are the options to find jobs in the industry although this type of work seems to be diminishing. Some work in the service economy or even some culture activities arise, such as pottery making or art.Also tourism develops. French, English and many Dutch, have bought small houses or old barns to turn them into their holiday homes.

Tourism and culture

The French and European funding helped to bring more gites and other tourist attractions to the area.

The village is known in all the "département" of Puy-de-Dôme for the pottery of 'la Batisse' that creates utilitarian and creative ceramic works. You can take classes in pottery or be trained on a professional artisan level.

The Dutch artist Wouter Verrips also contributes to the cultural life teaching art classes and summer courses as well exploiting a painting sculpture and printmaking studio.

The village high time is the last weekend of April when all work together to organise the pottery market of Gouttières.A nation wide selection of pottery makers and ceramists present their work and the event brings over 10.000 visitors to the village.

External links

* [http://www.ot-coeur-de-combrailles.com/ More information on the region]
* [http://www.passionceramique.com/Stages/detailstage.asp?num=117 Tourism And Culture information]
* [ [http://www.studio-gouttieres.com Studio Goutteires]