Antique arms produced or predominantly used in France. Historic hubs of French arms making include Klingenthal, near Strasbourg, the name of which means 'Valley of Blades' in German and may have been populated in part by defecting craftsmen from the great German hub of Solingen, St. Etienne, in the Massif Central, which was renamed Armsville during the Revolutionary period, and Chatellerault, near Tours. Official government factories were later founded to take best advantage of the skills in these existing hubs: Klingenthal from 1730, St. Etienne from 1764 and Chatellerault in 1819. The importance of Klingenthal declined, being considered too close to the border to be relied upon in time of war, while Chatellerault and St. Etienne continued to produce arms well into the 20th century.