Clermont-Ferrand offers several distinct options for a culture-focused stay: a basilica in the historic centre, a cathedral rising above the city, and museums featuring art, nature and interactive collections. You can therefore tailor your choices to specific interests rather than treating all cultural sites as similar stops.

Basilica, Cathedral and Cityscape

The Basilica of Notre-Dame-du-Port is located in the historic centre of Clermont-Ferrand, in the Port district. Since 1998, it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site covering the French Routes of Santiago de Compostela. For travellers who want to focus on sacred architecture and cultural heritage, it is a notable landmark in the city centre.

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Clermont-Ferrand stands on Clermont’s central hill, overlooking the city. The locations clearly distinguish the two churches: the basilica is in the Port district in the historic centre, while the cathedral is on the central hill. Each therefore offers a different perspective on Clermont-Ferrand’s cityscape and sacred architecture.

Art, Nature and Interactive Collections

The Musée d’art Roger-Quilliot is located in the historic Montferrand district and opened in 1992. Across six levels, it displays paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, graphic arts and textiles from the Middle Ages to the present day. Its broad time span and range of art forms give the museum a different focus from an exhibition devoted to a single period or medium.

The Muséum Henri-Lecoq in Clermont-Ferrand is devoted to the area’s natural heritage. Its subjects include animals, plants, rocks and fossils. This lets you contrast a focus on nature with the art-historical offerings of the Musée d’art Roger-Quilliot: the two museums centre on different themes and collection areas.

L’Aventure Michelin adds an immersive visit to this selection, featuring staged collection pieces, immersive settings and interactive activities. L’Aventure Michelin is fully accessible to wheelchair users. As visitor services can change, it is advisable to check the current situation before your visit.

The difference is clear when choosing a cultural focus: you can opt for the long art-historical time span, the area’s natural heritage or the interactive presentation. This makes it possible to shape your cultural itinerary around your interests without planning to experience the different museums in the same way.

Cultural Programmes and Events

The Musée d’art Roger-Quilliot offers a year-round cultural programme with guided tours, children’s workshops, talks and exhibitions. The Muséum Henri-Lecoq’s annual programme includes temporary exhibitions, workshops and tours. Both programmes offer additional reasons to include the museums in your stay—not only for their collections, but also for their events.

Activities and dates may change. If an exhibition, workshop or tour is important to your plans, check the specific event details in advance. If you have several cultural interests during your stay, this will help you distinguish lasting features, such as the collection areas, from the events on offer at any given time.

Discover more destinations: Villeneuve, Menat, Arlanc, Ceyrat, Bas-Et-Lezat, La Tour-D'auvergne, Buxières-Sous-Montaigut, Mirefleurs

View the wider travel overview: Puy-De-Dôme.