Rive-de-Gier, a town of France (dept. Loire), stands on the Gier, in the middle of the best coal-field in France, 13 miles NE. of St Etienne by rail. It was formerly a stronghold, surrounded by high walls, and defended by a castle. In 1815 it had less than 4000 inhabitants; in 1891, 13,070. Around the town there are about fifty coal-mines in operation, and in it and close to it several silk-mills, glass-works, factories for steam-engines and other machinery, and iron and steel factories.
Rive-de-Gier
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 8: Peasant to Eoumelia, p. 735–736
Source scan(s): p. 0746, p. 0747