www.champanelle.net Chantiers de la jeunesse française Theix 63122 France

Circle Genealogic and Historic Champanellois

Association "Law 1901" of Saint-Genès-Champanelle, 63 , France

Following the suspension of military service, leadership training centers designed to manage French youth worksites during the 1939-1945 war were established throughout France after the Armistice. One of these operated from March 1939 until June 1944 in Theix.

Very few traces of its facilities remain. There's an abandoned building on the site and a barrack in the village of Theix. For several decades, the premises served as accommodation for a day camp run by the city of Clermont, which gradually modernized the facilities by replacing the old wooden barracks with more modern buildings that meet current standards. Recently, the day camp closed, and in its place, a CPIE (Permanent Center for Environmental Initiatives) was established on the site by the Clermont-Ferrand City Council, which owns the land.

What is a CPIE? It's a Permanent Center for Environmental Initiatives. Nature observation activities are offered to groups coming to discover the semi-mountainous natural environment on an area of about 6 hectares (15 acres) with meadows and woods. A horticultural zone and an artificial pond have been created.

PAerial photo from 1950 showing the school on the heights at the EAST entrance to Theix

Mr. André SIRAMY, a resident of Pardon,
spent time at worksite No. 21
located in the Loire department
and left a poignant testimony
which he has allowed us to share with you.

listed crosses	59
old postcards of the commune	156
old postcards except commune	47
old postcards of the volcano Puy de Dôme	118
associations listed on the commune	216
Gordon-Bennett Cup	74

View of the last remaining building of the leadership school	View of the last remaining barrack from the school