Clermont Ferrand Weekend Breaks
Weekend Breaks to Clermont Ferrand
Planning a short break to Clermont Ferrand? Check out Travel Library's recommended Top 10 Things To Do in Clermont Ferrand. It's a perfect companion for weekend city breaks to Clermont Ferrand. Once you've been you can add your own tips and suggestions to help other visitors.
- (hotels)
Top 10 Things in Clermont Ferrand on a Short Break
Musee Bargoin
45 rue de Ballainvilliers. This museum houses a collection that consists of artefacts excavated from Auvergnat sites founded by the Gallo-Romans. Items on display include pottery shards; bronzes; wood carvings; and a range of works pertaining to France's prehistoric and pre-Roman origins.
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10h00 - 18h00. Admission is $6 for adults; $3.20 for children 12 - 17 and students; and free for children 11 and under.
Musee des Tapis d'Art
45 rue de Ballainvilliers. This museum is found in the same building as the Musee Bargoin, and it contains an interesting collection of antique Oriental carpets. The museum's collection consists of about 80 rare and very rare Middle Eastern and East Asian carpets. The carpets are suspended from the walls and ceilings, and artfully lit, and they show the evolution of the carpet as a prayer aid and a decorative work of art. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10h00 - 18h00. Admission is $6 for adults; $3.20 for children 12 - 17 and students; and free for children 11 and under.
Musee d'Art Roger Quilliot
Place Louis-Deteix in the suburb of Montserrand. The museum is housed in an award-winning building, which was erected in 1992; and it is the cultural showcase of the Auvergne. The works of art on display in the museum show European art and culture in chronological order. The exhibition rooms are dedicated to French; Italian; and Flemish works, progressing from the 7th to the 20th century. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10h00 - 18h00. Admission is $4.80 for adults; $2.40 for children 13 - 16 and students; and children under 12 are free.
Emmanuel Hodencq
Place Marche St-Pierre. This is one of the best restaurants in town, and Emmanuel Hodencq is the master chef in town. They serve a wide range of excellent traditional and modern French dishes, including foie gras in a caramel vinegar; roasted pigeon with chanterelles; grilled red mullet; and medallion of veal in a grainy mustard sauce. The restaurant is very popular with locals and tourists alike. It is open Tuesday to Friday from 12h00 - 14h00 and 19h30 - 22h00; Saturday from 19h30 - 22h00; and Sunday from 12h00 - 14h00. Reservations are required as the restaurant tends to get very busy.
Puy de Dome
This is the top attraction of the Auvergne, and it reaches 1,465 m high which dominates the Puy Chain. This is the best place for a historic and sporting outing. You can reach the Puy de Dome either by taking the winding road to the top; or take the Mule Track, which follows and old Roman path to the Temple of Mercury. From the top you can take in the breathtaking views of the entire Puy Chain and the fertile plains of the Limagne. It is very popular with hang-gliders who float from the top of the dome down to the bottom again. This is one sight not to be missed when in Clermont-Ferrand.
Musee Lecoq
15 Rue Bardoux. This is one of the best history museums in the Auvergne, and has a large variety of displays in it's collection. Exhibitions found in the museum include general geology; regional geology; regional mineralogy; regional zoology; taxonomy; regional palaeontology; and maritime zoology. This is the best place to go to learn about everything there is to know about Clermont-Ferrand's history as well as that of the entire region. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10h00 - 18h00. Admission is $5.80 for adults; $3.20 for children 13 - 16 and students; and children under 12 are free.
Montjoly Park
Chamalieres. This beautiful green parkland surrounds the current Town Hall, an old residence dating back to the 18th century. This park is a garden a la francaise, which is laid out in three terraces joined by flights of steps. There are classic flowerbeds that have central and transversal alleys; as well as lawns and mirrors of circular ponds with fountains. A playground for children is also available. This park is a great place to go and relax, taking a break from all the sightseeing.
National and International Short Film Festival<
This is one of the highlights of the events calendar of Clermont-Ferrand, and attracts thousands of people in the film industry as well as their fans. The festival is called, the Cannes of Short Films, by critics from all over the world. There are international and national film competitions held during the festival, as well as retrospectives; panoramas; and other specific programmes are shown. The festival runs for a week at the end of January/beginning of February.
For more information visit the festival's website: www.clermont-filmfest.com
Christmas Market
On the Place de la Victoire. This is another one of the popular events in Clermont-Ferrand, and attracts many visitors from all over the region and the world every year. There are many small illuminated chalets located on the Place de la Victoire, which sell a wide range of gifts; local arts and crafts; local foods and sweets; and wines. There is also a daily entertainment program that features music; shows for children; and Christmas carols. The Christmas Market runs from 2 December to 26 December. The market is open everyday from 10h00 - 21h00.
Lecoq Garden
In the centre of Clermont-Ferrand. This beautiful garden covers 5 hectares and was created by Henri Lecoq, a chemist who was fascinated by botany, in 1863.
The garden has a very large lake; a beautiful rose garden; and a variety of greenery and sculpted ensembles.
The garden's footbridge is in line with the entrance of the Chateau de Bien Assis where Blaise Pascal stayed.
The Lecoq Garden is open from 06h45 - 21h00 in summer and from 07h15 - 18h00 in winter.
- (hotels)