Clermont-Ferrand

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Clermont-Ferrand Travel Guide

City Map

City Introduction

Clermont-Ferrand is a city in central France, located immediately north of the mountains of the Massif Central. In Roman times, the city was called Augustonemetum, and it was an administrative center. Clermont-Ferrand became a bishop’s seat in the 4th century, and over the centuries the city also became an economic powerhouse with many craft businesses. In 1095, the Catholic Church held a council in Clermont-Ferrand, and at this meeting Pope Urban II called for the first crusade.

In 1120, local counts founded the town of Montferrand near Clairmont, as the town was now called. They did this as a counterbalance to the power of the church in Clairmont. In 1630, King Louis XIII decreed that the towns of Clairmont and Montferrand should be merged, and Clermont-Ferrand was thereby born, where industry developed with the company Michelin in 1889 as one successful example.

Today, Clermont-Ferrand is a cozy city with an old quarter that invites you to stroll through the streets. You can start at Place de la Victoire, a lovely square with a magnificent view of the city’s cathedral. In the square you can see the fountain Fontaine d’Urbain II, which was inaugurated in 1898. The fountain was erected to mark the 800th anniversary of the first crusade, which Pope Urban II called for.

The statue of the Pope looks towards the cathedral and points towards the Holy Land. The cathedral is called Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption and is a large Gothic building that was built from 1248 to 1350. However, it was chosen to rebuild the facade in the years 1866-1902, when the cathedral was completed. In the church you can enjoy the spacious interior with a beautiful main altar and a large rose window.

Close to Clermont-Ferrand’s cathedral is the city’s other famous church, the Basilique Notre-Dame-du-Port, which is a Romanesque basilica. The church was originally built in the 5th century, while the current basilica is a building from the 10th and 11th centuries. Architecturally, the church is a fine example of the Auvergne region’s Romanesque buildings, and it belongs to the region’s main churches. The church interior is bright and worth seeing. In this area you can also see the town hall, located in the street Rue Philippe Marcombes.

The largest square in the center of Clermont-Ferrand is the Place de Jaude, where you can see the statue of Vercingetorix, the general who rallied the Gauls against the invading Romans in the first century BC. In the square there is also a statue of General Desaix, who distinguished himself during the Napoleonic era until the year 1800, when he fell in the Battle of Marengo.

All these attractions are in the former town of Clairmont, but you can also experience the old Montferrand, which is located a good two kilometers north of Clairmont. Here there is also a cozy town center that formed its own town until 1630. The difference from Clairmont is clear, and from there it is like coming to another city. In Montferrand’s streets you can, among other things, see the church of Notre-Dame de Montferrand, which was built over several periods between 1340 and 1560.

In this district, you can also visit the art museum Musée d’Art Roger-Quilliot, housed in buildings that formerly served as part of the fortifications around Montferrand. At the museum you can see interesting paintings and sculptures by artists from the region. On a walk through the streets of Montferrand, you quickly notice the right-angled streets, which are due to the city’s layout with typical south-west French fortress cities as inspiration.

Other Attractions

Day Trips

Lyon, France

Lyon

Lyon is beautifully located city where the north and south meet in France and where the rivers Rhône and Saône have their confluence. It is considered one of France’s top places of gastronomy, and there are a lot of heritage and modern sights to enjoy between the meals.

Lyon is one of France’s largest cities, and it has always been significant in the area and under the rule of Gauls, Romans, Germans and Burgundians before becoming part of France. Throughout time, the many different cultures have left their mark on the city, and you can still see remains from the time as Ludugnum in the Roman Empire.

More about Lyon

 

Limoges, France

Limoges

Limoges is a city along the Vienne River in central France. The area was settled by Celts, and the Romans later expanded the city, which they called Augustorium. Several important roads crossed here, and in Roman times they built a forum, a theater and an amphitheater and other structures in the city. Limoges became an episcopal seat, and in the Merovingian era the city was home to a mint. Later, many centuries followed under alternating dominions, with the Cité being the episcopal city and Château Saint-Martial being the count’s city.

More about Limoges

Geolocation

In short

Clermont-Ferrand, France Clermont-Ferrand, France[/caption]

Overview of Clermont-Ferrand

Clermont-Ferrand is a city in central France, located immediately north of the mountains of the Massif Central. In Roman times, the city was called Augustonemetum, and it was an administrative center. Clermont-Ferrand became a bishop’s seat in the 4th century, and over the centuries the city also became an economic powerhouse with many craft businesses. In 1095, the Catholic Church held a council in Clermont-Ferrand, and at this meeting Pope Urban II called for the first crusade.

In 1120, local counts founded the town of Montferrand near Clairmont, as the town was now called. They did this as a counterbalance to the power of the church in Clairmont. In 1630, King Louis XIII decreed that the towns of Clairmont and Montferrand should be merged, and Clermont-Ferrand was thereby born, where industry developed with the company Michelin in 1889 as one successful example.

Today, Clermont-Ferrand is a cozy city with an old quarter that invites you to stroll through the streets. You can start at Place de la Victoire, a lovely square with a magnificent view of the city’s cathedral. In the square you can see the fountain Fontaine d’Urbain II, which was inaugurated in 1898. The fountain was erected to mark the 800th anniversary of the first crusade, which Pope Urban II called for.

The statue of the Pope looks towards the cathedral and points towards the Holy Land. The cathedral is called Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption and is a large Gothic building that was built from 1248 to 1350. However, it was chosen to rebuild the facade in the years 1866-1902, when the cathedral was completed. In the church you can enjoy the spacious interior with a beautiful main altar and a large rose window.

About the Clermont-Ferrand travel guide

Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
Published: Released soon
Author: Stig Albeck
Publisher: Vamados.com
Language: English

About the travel guide

The Clermont-Ferrand travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the French city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.

Clermont-Ferrand is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.

Read more about Clermont-Ferrand and France

France Travel Guide: https://vamados.com/france
City tourism: https://visitcler.montfer-rand.fr
Main Page: https://www.vamados.com/

Buy the travel guide

Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.

Use the travel guide

When you buy the travel guide to Clermont-Ferrand you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.

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