Marché Central

Clermont-Ferrand, in the Auvergne, is a city of black volcanic stone, and its market life is one of the best ways to taste the produce of a region that is often called the larder of France. The market scene of the city is varied, and days and venues change, so visitors should confirm them with the tourist office. The city's main covered market, the Marché Saint-Pierre, stands in the centre, near the Place de Jaude, and other markets take place on squares in the city, among them the Place Gambetta, and in neighbourhoods such as La Gauthière, on different days of the week. A modern food hall, the Halle gourmande Saint-Pierre, adds a place to eat and to buy.

The Auvergne has some of the best cheeses in France, and the stalls show them off. Five of the cheeses of the region carry the protected designation of origin: Cantal, a firm cheese that is made in the highland pastures, Salers, a farmhouse version of the same cheese made from the milk of Salers cows, Saint-Nectaire, a soft, earthy cheese with a grey rind, Fourme d'Ambert, a mild blue cheese, and Bleu d'Auvergne, a sharper blue. Alongside them stand dry-cured hams and sausages, which are a speciality of the mountain farms, and the green lentils of Le Puy, a protected product that is grown on the volcanic soils of the neighbouring department. In season, there are chestnuts, walnuts, mushrooms, fruit from the Limagne plain and vegetables from the market gardens around the city.

Some dishes are easy to try in the restaurants and at the stalls. The truffade is a hearty dish of sliced potatoes cooked in a pan with fresh Tomme cheese and garlic until stringy, and the pounti is a savoury cake of pork, prunes and Swiss chard. The liqueurs of the region, made from gentian or verbena, are on sale in bottles and make good souvenirs.

The atmosphere is lively and local, with stallholders ready to talk about their products and to give a taste. The markets are free to enter, usually open in the morning and in some cases in the afternoon, and the best time is early, when the choice is greatest. It is accessible by public transport and within walking distance of the Place de Jaude and the cathedral.

The markets suit food lovers, families and anyone curious about local life. Allow an hour. The Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption, the Quartier de la Boucherie and the Puy de Dôme add to a day in the city.