Place de Jaude, the city’s meeting point
Everyone meets on Place de Jaude, the liveliest square in the city. Beneath Bartholdi’s equestrian statue of Vercingetorix, close to the statue of General Desaix and the church of Saint-Pierre-des-Minimes, people arrange to meet before a coffee, a film or a show at the Opera. For a second date, the Jardin Lecoq, a former botanical garden redesigned for the 1863 horticultural exhibition, offers lawns, a lake and the nearby Henri-Lecoq museum.
In the heart of old Clermont
Then walk up Rue des Gras, the most iconic street of the historic centre, to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption. The first major building made of Volvic stone, it towers over Place de la Victoire and its Urban II fountain. Nearby, the Amboise Fountain, a gift from Bishop Jacques d’Amboise completed in 1515, is the oldest in the city; it moved several times before settling on the former Place de la Poterne. The Romanesque basilica of Notre-Dame-du-Port, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is well worth a visit, as are the medieval lanes of Montferrand.
A getaway to the summit
Outdoor lovers will enjoy climbing the Puy de Dôme together, at the heart of the Chaîne des Puys, also a World Heritage site: about an hour’s walk for a spectacular view over the whole city. On Lyad, members from Clermont share their walks, favourite spots and plans for going out, a great way to find someone who loves the same summits as you.
Date ideas
- Place de Jaude
- Vercingetorix statue
- Rue des Gras
- Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption Cathedral
- Place de la Victoire
- Amboise Fountain
- Notre-Dame-du-Port Basilica
- Jardin Lecoq
- Montferrand
- Puy de Dôme
