Clermont-Ferrand

Clermont-Ferrand was just a stop over for us on our way from the Loire Valley to the French Riviera. The hotel we stayed in reminded me very strongly of a university dorm room but it was very clean. We had some time in the afternoon of our arrival to explore the city (we actually were looking for a shop to buy pillows – which we came home without!).

Despite my great love of spiral stairs (not) we did climb the tower for a bird’s eye view of the city and church.


In the centre of town we ‘found’ the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Clermont. The first basilica was built on this site in about 450, the second in 946. The one you see below was started in 1248 and the two northern towers with spires were finished in 1884.