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The route starts at the "Maison de la Culture" tram stop.
(S/E) With the Maison de la Culture on your left, head towards the large crossroads. Leave Avenue de la Libération on your left and Boulevard du Général de Gaulle on your right and continue straight ahead on Boulevard Pasteur (towards Chamalières). Use the pavement on the right at the beginning, even if it means crossing the street carefully from time to time, as most of the buildings of interest are on the left side of the boulevard, some set back behind their surrounding walls, such as the house of Auguste Bernardin. At Rue Emmanuel Chabrier, on the right, take this street to the end to discover the superb goldsmith's work decorating the former Bernardin workshop.
(1) Retrace your steps and turn right onto Boulevard Pasteur. Stay on this boulevard until you reach a large roundabout. Turn right, cross Rue Eugène Gilbert, pass by the "La Cathédrale des Eaux" fountain and continue around the roundabout to the right, crossing Avenue Julien and Rue Morel-Ladeuil.
(2) Then continue straight ahead towards Chamalières and turn right onto Boulevard Duclaux. Immediately notice the large buildings of the Banque de France (fortunately spared by the fire in early 2022) on the other side of the boulevard, on the Chamalières side.
At the junction with Rue Blatin, turn right onto this street and walk a few metres to see some beautiful façades, then return to the boulevard, which becomes Boulevard Berthelot. At this junction, on your right as you return, you will see Villa Pingeot, set back in its grounds. Follow the boulevard to the right. At the next crossroads, cross Avenue Franklin Roosevelt and then Rue Jean-Baptiste Torrilhon.
(3) Then turn right, walking along Square Amadéo on your left. The street then runs alongside the large, remarkable buildings of the Lycée Amédée Gasquet, which stretch along the street almost to the intersection with Rue Gabriel Peri. At this intersection, note the large corner building on the right, a superb example of early 20th-century Clermont architecture, with its walls decorated with basalt stone inlays. Many façades of this style can be seen along this route, but the buildings are less imposing.
Cross Rue Gabriel Peri and follow Rue Saint-Dominique opposite. Turn onto the first street on the left, Rue Ribeyre Jaffeux, then, at the very beginning of the square, follow Rue des Quatre Passeports diagonally to the left. Turn right onto the same street at the next intersection, ignore a street on the right, and walk past the synagogue. At the next intersection, turn right onto Rue Sainte-Rose, stay on this street at the crossroads and continue to the monumental entrance of the Palais de Justice. Then turn left and you will immediately reach the crossroads with Rue Fontgiève, with its curious fountain-lamppost.
(4) Cross Rue Fontgiève and follow Rue Jean Bonnefons opposite. Turn right onto the first street, Rue de la Morée. Continue straight ahead on this street at the next crossroads. When you reach the next crossroads, note the Orthodox Church of Saint-Nicolas on the left. Cross Rue Sainte-Claire towards the entrance to the Church of Saint-Eutrope, then follow the alleyway that runs to the right of the church. After a bend, it leads to Rue Saint-Eutrope. Turn left to arrive opposite the Cité Vaudoit, at the intersection with Rue Gaultier de Biauzat.
The citadel is not open to the public, but there is a passageway on the right of the gate leading to some garages. Take this passageway to get a glimpse of the beautiful building that borders Rue Gaultier de Biauzat, paying particular attention to its stained-glass windows. Then exit and follow Rue Gaultier de Biauzat to the left.
Turn left onto Rue Sous les Augustins and you will come to a crossroads at a tower of the old ramparts, with a fountain and steps. Walk about 40 metres to the left along Rue Sidoine Apollinaire until you reach the gate that closes off the other side of the Cité Vaudoit passageway. The trompe l'oeil paintings on the building on this side are visible. Return to the tower and climb the stairs. You will come out on Rue Montlosier, bordered by the tram line, below the more modern ramparts.
Cross the street and tram line carefully, then turn left to walk along the wall, passing in front of the monuments to the resistance fighters. Notice the beautiful façades on the other side of the street, on the left, in particular a building with green shutters, then climb the stairs on the right. At the top, turn right and head towards the small park. Turn left, pass by the monumental Fontaine d'Amboise fountain and head towards the crossroads.
(5) Continue straight ahead on Rue Philippe Marcombes, passing in front of the entrance to the Town Hall (note the fountains framing the door) and continue until you reach Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Cathedral. Turn right, go down the steps, then turn left and then right onto Rue des Chaussetiers. At the intersection (note the Three Lions Fountain on the left), stay on the same street, which turns right and then left.
At the T-junction, turn left onto Rue du Cheval Blanc, continue to Rue de la Préfecture, turn right then left and arrive at Boulevard Desaix. Cross the road (pedestrian crossing, but take care nonetheless) and, on the other side, turn right, remembering to look up at the façade of the opera house on the other side of the street. You will arrive at Place de Jaude. Continue straight ahead towards the statue of Vercingétorix.
(6) Walk back and forth to the left to get a better view of the façade of the Galeries de Jaude building. Return to Vercingétorix and turn left to follow Rue Blatin on the other side of the square.
About 100 metres further on, look out for the entrance to the Grand Passage on the left, take it, exit onto Rue Maréchal Foch and turn right.
(7) At the next crossroads, note the rounded façade of the École Nestor Perret with its bas-relief (1950s) on the other side, turn left onto Rue Bonnabaud, and stay on the left-hand pavement for a better view of several beautiful buildings on the other side.
At the crossroads, turn left onto Rue Lagarlaye, then right onto Rue Ramond, then left onto Rue du Puits Artésien, ending up on Boulevard Charles de Gaulle, opposite the former Hôtel-Dieu, which is being converted into housing but whose 1920s façade has been preserved. Turn right and follow the tram line to the "Maison de la Culture" stop (S/E).
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