Volcan des Dômes

The Puy de Dôme, also called the Volcan des Dômes, is the highest and best-known peak of the Chaîne des Puys, a line of about eighty extinct volcanoes that stretches for some forty kilometres west of Clermont-Ferrand, in the Auvergne. It rises to 1,465 metres above the city, a dome-shaped cone of grey volcanic rock, and the chain, together with the fault line on its eastern edge, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2018 for its geology. The volcanoes erupted over a period ending around 8,000 years ago, and the cones, craters and lava flows are well preserved, with green grass and woodland covering much of the landscape.

The summit has been important for a long time. In the Gallo-Roman period, a temple of Mercury stood on the top, a large sanctuary with a platform and terraces, and its remains were excavated in the nineteenth century and can be seen today. In 1648 the scientist Blaise Pascal, who was born in Clermont, had his brother-in-law carry a barometer to the summit to measure the change in air pressure with height, an experiment that helped to prove the weight of air and is commemorated on the mountain. Later, a meteorological observatory and a television mast were built on the summit, and the mountain is one of the symbols of the region.

The most comfortable way to reach the top is the Panoramique des Dômes, an electric rack railway that climbs the mountain in about fifteen minutes, with big windows and audio commentary that explains the geology and history of the area. It was opened in 2012 and replaced the old road, which had been used by cars. From the summit, the panorama is spectacular. On a clear day, you can see the whole of the Chaîne des Puys, with its cones and craters, the plain of the Limagne to the east and the distant line of the Alps, with Mont Blanc visible in exceptional weather. A path leads around the summit to the Roman temple and the viewpoints. It can be cold and windy at the top, even in summer, so take a jacket.

The mountain can also be climbed on foot, by the old mule track, the Chemin des Muletiers, which takes an hour or more from the base, and the slopes are popular with paragliders. Check the operating hours of the train, which run later in summer, and book in advance for busy days. The area has other volcano-themed sights, among them Vulcania, a science park in the department.

The mountain suits walkers, families, geology enthusiasts and photographers. Clermont-Ferrand, with its black cathedral, is close.