The short version
- Direct Intercités trains from Paris Bercy reach Clermont-Ferrand in about 3 and a half hours, with fares from €21.
- The Panoramique des Dômes rack train climbs the Puy de Dôme in 15 minutes. The return trip is €17.20 from October to March and €18.60 from April to September, and you don’t need to book.
- The Chaîne des Puys, a line of dozens of volcanoes, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2018.
- Vulcania, the volcano theme park, and the Lemptégy volcano close for the season on November 1, 2026.
- Clermont-Ferrand’s trams and buses are free every weekend, from Saturday morning to early Monday.
- Rent a car for the villages. The Sancy tourist office lists no regular bus to Saint-Nectaire, and the Sancy mountains are 45 minutes by road from Clermont.
What to see
Go up the Puy de Dôme first, on a clear day. The rack train leaves from Orcines, west of Clermont, and the summit at 1,465 meters looks out over the whole chain. To walk, take the Chemin des Chèvres from the train car park, about an hour and 15 minutes up.
Walk the Puy de Pariou, the crater cone next door, from the Col des Goules car park. Stay on the signed paths and steps; walking down into the crater has been banned since 2022 to stop erosion.
Spend half a day at Vulcania, the volcano theme park 20 minutes from Clermont, open from late March to November 1. Tickets start at €27 online. Next door, Lemptégy takes you into a quarried volcano on foot or by little train, with a geologist guide, in about two and a half hours.
Drive south to Saint-Nectaire for its 12th-century Romanesque church on the hill and the cheese farms, where you can watch the milking and the cheese being made twice a day.
Back in Clermont, see the Gothic cathedral built of black lava stone, and the covered market hall on Place Saint-Pierre, open Monday to Saturday.
Getting there and around
Intercités trains run direct from Paris Bercy to Clermont-Ferrand, about 13 trips a day counting connections. Air France also flies to Clermont, and bus B runs from the airport to the center in about 30 minutes for €1.60.
A car makes the trip. Vulcania, Lemptégy, Saint-Nectaire and the trailheads are all outside town, and the tourist office says bus service to the villages is limited. From November 1 to March 31, some villages require winter tires or chains.
Without a car, stay in Clermont. Shuttle bus P36 runs to the rack-train station, and regional bus 46 goes to Le Mont-Dore for €3.40; check the timetables before you go.
When to go
May to October is the best time: everything is open, and the summit is warmer. On Thursday evenings in July and August the Puy de Dôme opens at night; booking is required.
In November the rack train runs Wednesday to Sunday and closes for maintenance from November 16 to 20, 2026. It runs every day over the Christmas holidays, closing on December 25.
The summit is cold, windy and often foggy in winter, while Clermont down in the plain stays milder. Vulcania and Lemptégy reopen in late winter or spring. Works at the summit of the Puy de Dôme can change access, so check the Panoramique des Dômes site before you go.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get to the top of the Puy de Dôme?
Take the Panoramique des Dômes rack train from Orcines, 15 minutes up, or walk the Chemin des Chèvres from the same car park in about an hour and 15 minutes. Bikes are not allowed on the summit.
Do you need a car in Auvergne?
For most of it, yes. Vulcania, Lemptégy, Saint-Nectaire and the hiking trailheads are outside Clermont, and bus service to the villages is limited. Clermont itself is easy without one.
When is Vulcania open?
In 2026 it opened March 25 and closes for the season on November 1. The 2027 dates have not been published. Book online for the lower price.
What should I eat in Auvergne?
Order truffade, potatoes fried and folded with young Cantal cheese, or a potée, the pork and cabbage stew. Buy a Saint-Nectaire at a farm: the farm-made ones have a gray rind and an oval label.
Is there a tour nearby?
Not in Auvergne. The closest is Lyon: our Lyon day trip meets at Lyon Part-Dieu station for the traboules, the basilica, the Roman theater by funicular and a bouchon lunch with wine, eight guests at most.
Our Most Popular Day Trips From Paris
Visit France’s other premier wine region! Sample world-class wines and explore charming villages.
Louvre, Montmartre and Notre Dame in eight hours with a private driver-guide.
