Commentry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Commentry
Commune
Town hall
Coat of arms
Commentry Location in France Show map of France Commentry Location in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Show map of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Allier
Arrondissement	Montluçon
Canton	Commentry
Intercommunality	Commentry Montmarault Néris Communauté
Area 1	20.96 km2 (8.09 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	6,059
• Density	289.07/km2 (748.70/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	03082 /03600
Elevation	332–462 m (1,089–1,516 ft) (avg. 385 m or 1,263 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Commentry is a town, also known as a commune, located in central France. It is part of the Allier department. The town sits in the valley of the Œil River. It is about 42 kilometers southwest of Moulins. Commentry is quite close to one of the geographic centers of France. A famous film actress, Yvonne Rozille, was born here in 1900.

A Look at Commentry's History

Commentry became very important because of its large coal deposits. A company called Compagnie de Commentry-Fourchambault-Decazeville operated here. The coal mines caused the town's population to grow a lot. It went from less than 1,000 people to over 12,000. This big growth happened while Stéphane Mony was the company's CEO.

Commentry also made history in politics. It was the first town ever to elect a socialist mayor. Christophe Thivrier was elected on June 6, 1882. Later, in September 1902, the Socialist Party of France was officially started in Commentry.

Commentry's Economy

The town of Commentry is known for its coal field. This area covers more than 21 square kilometers. Historically, Commentry also had important factories. These factories were known for their foundries and forges. They made metal products using heat and shaping.

Science Discoveries

A scientist named Charles Jules Edmée Brongniart found many old fossils near Commentry. In 1880, he discovered Meganeura. This was a very large ancient insect, similar to a dragonfly. He found it in the coal layers from the Stephanian period.

People from Commentry

Many interesting people have connections to Commentry:

• Jean Bayet (1882–1969) was a professor of Latin at the Sorbonne University. His grandfather was a mayor of Commentry.
• Henri Fayol (1841–1925) was a mining engineer. He created a famous way of thinking about management and how to run organizations. This is known as Fayolism.
• Abel Gance (1889–1981) was a well-known film director and producer. He grew up in Commentry with his grandparents until he was eight years old.
• Jacques Hillairet (1886-1984) was a historian. He was an expert on the history of Paris.
• Émile Mâle (1862–1954) was an art historian. He was also a member of the famous Académie française.
• Stéphane Mony (1800–1884) was an engineer. He directed the coal mine in Commentry. He also served as mayor and as a deputy.
• Christophe Thivrier (1841–1895) was the first elected Socialist mayor in France.
• Roger Vergé (1930–2015) was a very famous chef and restaurant owner.

Population Changes Over Time

Commentry's population has changed a lot throughout its history. In the early 1800s, there were only a few hundred people. But with the growth of coal mining, the population grew quickly. By the late 1800s, it reached over 12,000 people. After that, the population slowly started to decrease. Today, about 6,000 people live in Commentry.

See also

In Spanish: Commentry para niños