Clermont-Ferrand

In Clermont-Ferrand, the skyline is as moodily Gothic as the ambience is sunny and good-humoured. Dark volcanic stone gave the city its distinctive hue, layered into its 18th-century townhouses, dozens of fountains and the magnificent twin-turreted cathedral at its cobblestoned heart. As the Auvergne's largest city, Clermont-Ferrand is a hub not only for business but cuisine, with plenty of restaurants serving modernised cuisine auvergnate, and culture (in the form of fizzing art, film and live-music scenes). Beyond the winding lanes of its old town, the Auvergne’s capital is an industrial powerhouse, home to the Michelin automotive empire.

This free-spirited city is a convenient base for trips to the slumbering volcanoes of the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne, as well as to neighbouring towns such as Thiers and Riom.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Clermont-Ferrand.

Cathedral
Cathédrale Notre Dame
Clermont-Ferrand’s skyline broods with volcanic stone, but its most impressive edifice is Cathédrale Notre-Dame, whose 108m twin spires pierce the sky like blackened spears. Its façade, with snarling gargoyles and Gothic tracery, was constructed between the 13th and 19th centuries. Within, lift your gaze to the 1527 jacquemart clock, with the faun-like god Mars and Time beating out the hours, and intricate rose windows, restored in the early 20th century. In summer, climb Tour de la Bayette for 360-degree views.
Museum
L'Aventure Michelin
Yes, it’s a temple dedicated to the Auvergne’s world-famous tyre brand, but the 'Michelin Adventure' is a crowd-pleasing attraction. Gallery spaces are decked out like 19th-century streets to evoke the early days of the Michelin brothers, whose designs would revolutionise transport worldwide. Some displays are somewhat niche (want to compare a 1919 cord tyre with the 1923 model?) but the museum answers interesting questions about map-making and car manufacture in colourful, interactive ways. Written explanations are in French and English.
Church
Basilique Notre Dame du Port
This architectural gem has all the key elements of a Romanesque church: semi-circular arches, a bulky silhouette and a broad headpiece. But its distinctive decorations set it apart, and strengthened the case for granting it Unesco World Heritage status in 1998. Floral and geometric patterns of black volcanic stone are smoothly set in its peachy sandstone. Its exterior playfully combines neoclassical columns, terracotta tiles and medieval reliefs. The exterior is best admired from the belvédère; follow signs across the street.
Gallery
Musée d'Art Roger Quilliot
Housed in an Ursuline convent 3km northeast of central Clermont, the city’s premier gallery takes design cues from NYC’s Guggenheim, its white spiral staircase linking various centuries of European art. Head upstairs for 17th-century European masterworks, or down for the medieval art annexe, packed with religious art relics dating back to the 7th century. Take tram A from place de Jaude.
Square
Place de Jaude
Just southwest of the old city, lined with bars and hotels, Clermont-Ferrand's monumental pedestrianised square is overlooked by a statue of heroic Celtic chief Vercingétorix.
Museum
Musée Bargoin
Assembling a motley collection of ancient artefacts and modern design inside a stately 1903 building, the Bargoin is a good primer on Clermont old and new. Explore the ground floor's excellent display of archaeological finds, which includes Roman mosaics and Etruscan vases (explanations in French only). The first floor hosts temporary exhibitions of contemporary photography and art. Recent archaeological finds are sometimes displayed on the second floor, if you want to see what’s new in the ancient world.
Museum
Musée d'Histoire Naturelle Henri-Lecoq
Clermont’s natural history museum is a pleasant enough rainy-day diversion. The first floor pays homage to the city’s most famous son, 17th-century polymath Blaise Pascal (with most displays in French only). Up on the second floor you’ll find mildly diverting displays of the Auvergne’s minerals, fauna and flora, including taxidermy that’s sure to be a hit with the kids (look for the humongous California seal).
Museum
Musée de la Résistance
In a simple, schoolroom format, this small museum details the chronology of events following 21 June 1940, when Nazi troops marched into Clermont-Ferrand. Located 1km west of central Clermont in Chamalières, which was the seat of the Clermont Gestapo at the time, the museum remembers Resistance fighters (and French collaborators) and features apparatus of the era such as a printing press.
Church
Église St-Eutrope
Sprouting from the 5th-century site of one of Clermont-Ferrand's oldest churches is this magnificent 12th-century church, crowned with a prickly Gothic spire.