Imprimerie de la Banque de France (Chamalières) walks

An urban walk for residents of Clermont-Ferrand, Beaumont and Chamalière, taking in the Puys de Montjuzet and Montaudoux – two of the city’s ‘green lungs’ – via the western districts of Clermont-Ferrand. There are numerous views of the city from the heights of these two hills. You’ll also come across some lovely architectural surprises as you pass through the neighbourhoods.

An urban walk exploring Chamalières and passing through Beaumont, Royat, Ceyrat and Clermont. Highlights include magnificent mansions, buildings in a variety of styles, a few pretty houses and cottages from all periods, as well as the spa district and some greenery on the slopes of Montaudoux and in Bargoin and Montjoly parks.

On 19 September 1648, Blaise Pascal stood before his Torricelli tube in the Jardin des Minimes – now Place de Jaude – in Clairmont (Clermont). His brother-in-law, Florin Périer, had set off earlier with his own Torricelli tube for the summit of the Puy de Dôme. Over the course of the day, 17 experiments were carried out to measure the level of mercury in the tubes, which had been placed at different altitudes; these experiments would go on to confirm the hypothesis of the ‘weight of the mass of air’, which would later become known as atmospheric pressure. At both locations, once filled to the brim, the tube was turned upside down so that its open base was in contact with the mercury contained in a vessel. Due to its weight, the liquid inside the tube sank under the force of gravity. In Clermont, the mercury remained at a height of 71.2 cm. At the summit of the Puy de Dôme, it dropped to 62.70 cm. This difference of a few centimetres is the result of a height difference of 1,078 metres, which I invite you to appreciate for what it is.

On 19 September 1648, Blaise Pascal stood before his Torricelli tube in the Jardin des Minimes – now Place de Jaude – in Clairmont (Clermont). His brother-in-law, Florin Périer, had set off earlier with his own Torricelli tube for the summit of the Puy de Dôme. Over the course of the day, 17 experiments were carried out to measure the mercury level in the tubes, which had been placed at different altitudes; these experiments would go on to confirm the hypothesis of the “weight of the air”, which would later become known as atmospheric pressure. At both locations, once filled to the brim, the tube was turned upside down so that its open base was in contact with the mercury contained in a vessel. Due to its weight, the liquid inside the tube dropped under the effect of gravity. In Clermont, the mercury remains at a height of 71.2 cm. At the summit of the Puy de Dôme, it drops to 62.70 cm. This difference of a few centimetres is the result of a height difference of 1,078 metres, which I invite you to appreciate for what it is.

This seventh and final stage, which is partly urban, allows you to continue exploring Royat, which you started at the end of the previous stage, first in the wooded hills of the town, passing by the Rocher du Salut promontory, then through the streets and park of the spa district, with its beautiful seaside architecture. Finally, the return route to Clermont allows you to discover the centre of Chamalières.

In the Clermont-Ferrand metropolitan area, the Transport à la Demande (TAD) service, in addition to regular bus and tram lines, allows you to travel quite far around the city. This seven-stage itinerary takes advantage of this. Each stage begins and ends at a bus or TAD stop. In between, the routes allow you to discover the villages of the metropolitan area's green belt and the foot of the Puy de Dôme: the built heritage of their old wine-growing or mountain villages, their spa resorts, their natural environments and a few geological curiosities. The first stages follow the course of the Artière, and the last ones follow the course of the Tiretaine, two pretty little rivers, tributaries of the Allier, which originate at the foot of the puys.See "Practical information" for a 4-stage variant with accommodation.

This first stage is mainly urban, with a few green interludes at Parc Bargoin in Chamalières, on the slopes of Puy de Montaudoux, in the chestnut grove of Beaumont and in the small parks along the Artière.

There are many beautiful buildings in Clermont-Ferrand, but they are often hidden among more ordinary ones. This urban walk takes you along boulevards and streets that stand out for their architectural richness. Although this route focuses mainly on the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the itinerary also takes you along a few streets in the historic centre lined with older buildings. The proposed itinerary explores the west and north of Clermont-Ferrand's city centre in particular.