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Thiers station is in the lower town (Thiers-Bas), while the dramatic old town perches on a cliff above the Durolle valley. Local buses climb to the upper town, or you can walk the steep streets in about 20 minutes.

TER Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes trains connect Thiers to Clermont-Ferrand in about 30 minutes and to Saint-Etienne in about 90 minutes. The station is on the Clermont-Lyon line.

Luggage storage at Thiers is limited. The station has basic facilities. The steep terrain between the station and the old town means travelling light is advisable.

Thiers' old town, perched dramatically on a cliff, has remarkable half-timbered medieval houses. The town has been France's cutlery capital since the Middle Ages, and the Cutlery Museum traces this 800-year tradition. The Durolle river gorge with its former knife-grinding workshops is scenic.

Thiers has produced knives and cutlery since the 14th century, using the fast-flowing Durolle river to power grinding wheels. Today it still produces about 70% of France's knives, from Laguiole pocket knives to professional kitchen blades. The Vallee des Rouets preserves the historic workshops.