Itinerary · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Clermont-Ferrand and Auvergne for Families: 4 Days of Museums and Volcanoes
A family trip at the heart of the Puy-de-Dôme: the black lava cathedral and museums of Clermont-Ferrand, the UNESCO-listed Chaîne des Puys, the Château de Tournoël perched on its volcanic outcrop, and the lively fortress of Murol — four days to discover volcanic Auvergne without ever getting bored.
4 days · 8 stops · Family
Other itineraries for Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes:
Overview
Numbers follow the order of the route, day by day — the dashed line is indicative, not a precise driving route.
Day 1
Clermont-Ferrand, the lava-stone cathedral
Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Cathedral, built from black lava stone quarried at nearby Volvic, towers over the city from Place de la Victoire — its neo-Gothic spires, designed by Viollet-le-Duc, were only finished in the 19th century after more than five hundred years of work. Just around the corner, the Muséum Henri-Lecoq gathers minerals, volcanic rock and taxidermied animals collected in the 19th century by the naturalist it's named after, explaining where all that basalt actually comes from.
Black Volvic lava stoneChurch · Clermont-Ferrand
Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption
Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Clermont-Ferrand est un chef-d'œuvre d'architecture gothique construit en pierre de lave noire, matériau singulier en…
Minerals and volcanic rockMuseum · Clermont-Ferrand
Muséum Henri-Lecoq
The Henri-Lecoq Museum is a natural history museum located in Clermont-Ferrand since 1873. Established in the former private mansion of Henri-Lecoq, it…
Day 2
Clermont-Ferrand, tyres and Gaulish wells
L'Aventure Michelin traces the history of the tyre and of the brand born in Clermont-Ferrand, through Bibendum posters, early bicycles and racing cars, in a route designed for young and old alike. The Musée Bargoin then holds a one-of-a-kind archaeological collection: Gallo-Roman fabrics, shoes and leather goods, preserved intact for two thousand years at the bottom of old Gaulish wells.
Bibendum and racing carsMuseum · Clermont-Ferrand
L'Aventure Michelin
Michelin Adventure is a museum located in Clermont-Ferrand, in Puy-de-Dôme, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It is dedicated to the history and industry of…
Gallo-Roman textiles from Gaulish wellsMuseum · Clermont-Ferrand
Musée Bargoin
The Bargoin Museum is housed in a neoclassical building inaugurated in 1903 in the heart of Clermont-Ferrand. It preserves archaeological collections mainly…
Day 3
Along the Chaîne des Puys, volcanoes and a lava-stone castle
At Orcines, the Chaîne des Puys - Limagne Fault tectonic site, a UNESCO World Heritage listing, lets visitors grasp at a glance how a string of volcanoes lined up along a single fault less than 15,000 years ago. Not far away, at Volvic, the Château de Tournoël perches its medieval keep on a lava outcrop, with a view stretching all the way to the Chaîne des Puys itself.
UNESCO World Heritage siteHeritage · Orcines
Haut lieu tectonique Chaîne des Puys - faille de Limagne
Located in the Puy-de-Dôme department of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, this natural site comprises a chain of young volcanic cones and the associated Limagne Fault,…
Keep on a volcanic outcropCastle · Volvic
Château de Tournoël
Le château de Tournoël est une forteresse médiévale implantée sur la commune de Volvic, en Puy-de-Dôme. Le site est attesté depuis le Xe siècle. L'édifice est…
Day 4
Murol and Orcival, fortress and basilica in the Monts Dôme
The Château de Murol, built on a volcanic outcrop, is explored alongside costumed actors who bring its 13th-century garrison back to life — one of Auvergne's most popular stops for families with children. Last stop at the Basilica of Notre-Dame d'Orcival, a jewel of Auvergnat Romanesque art and a pilgrimage site built around its Black Madonna in majesty.
Costumed guided toursCastle · Murol
Château de Murol
Forteresse médiévale du XVe siècle édifiée à Murol, en Puy-de-Dôme, le château s'élève sur un promontoire basaltique dominant le massif du Sancy. Demeure du…
Romanesque Black MadonnaChurch · Orcival
Basilique Notre-Dame d'Orcival
La basilique Notre-Dame d'Orcival est un édifice religieux majeur du style roman auvergnat, situé dans le village d'Orcival en Puy-de-Dôme, au cœur du Parc des…
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