Port district of Clermont

This tour is based on the "Le Port" discovery tour offered by the Clermont Tourist Office. It is marked on the ground by alternating medallions bearing the effigies of Urbain II, Vercingétorix and Pascal. Information panels, mentioned in my description, dot the route.
Note: Port is the name of the district around the church Notre-Dame-du-Port and as nothing to do with a coastal port.

(S/E) At the Place de la Victoire fountain, head towards the cathedral and turn right to find information panel no. 1 "Place Derrière-Clermont" at the entrance to Rue du Terrail. Continue along this street, not immediately behind the cathedral, but take the next alley on the left, Rue Fléchier, information panel no. 2 "Fléchier Grands Jours".

Behind the cathedral, turn right to follow the Slobo trompe-l'oeil. Follow the first street on the right to find information panel no. 3 "Place Devant-Clermont". Continue along this street, to find information panel no. 4 "Tour de la Monnaie", then information panel no. 5 "Hôtel de Ville", on the façade of the Hôtel de Ville.

After passing in front of the Hôtel de Ville, at the crossroads, go opposite into the square housing the Fontaine d'Amboise, information panel no. 6 "Fontaine d'Amboise". Return to the Hôtel de Ville and turn left, then left again into Rue du Port. Shortly afterwards, you'll come to information panel no. 7, "Le Port-Beauregard".

(1) At information panel no. 8 "Carrefour Naudigier", turn left into Rue Barrier, then right into Rue Doyat. At the end of this street, make a short right and right again to find information panel no. 9 "Basilique du Port" on Place Notre-Dame-du-Port, opposite the basilica's facade. Go back to Place d'Espagne.

Turn right, then right again on Rue Couronne to reach the back of the basilica, where you'll find information panel no. 10 "Le Port Couronne". Go down into the courtyard and visit the Basilique Notre-Dame-du-Port, one of Auvergne's finest Romanesque churches.

Leave the courtyard via the steps opposite the church door, a little to the left, and end up in Rue du Port, at information panel no. 11 "Notre-Dame-du-Port". Follow Rue du Port to the left and turn right into Rue Saint-Laurent. A little further on, on the left, notice information panel no. 12 "Saint-Laurent Neyron". Then turn left into Rue Neyron to reach Place Delille.

(2) Turn left at information panel no. 13 "Place Delille", and continue to the end of the square to reach Rue Montlosier, where the streetcar runs, at an old pharmacy with a remarkable facade. Retrace your steps and turn right into Rue du Port. Pass by information panel no. 11 again, then find information panel no. 14 "Le Port Villeneuve" at Passage du Port. Continue along Rue du Port.

(1) Turn right into Rue Barrier, then left into Rue Blaise Pascal. Turn right into Rue des Bohème, then continue on Rue Blaise Pascal to find information panel no. 15 "Rue des Nobles", then information panel no. 16 "Pascal Grandseigne" and finally information panel no. 17 "Hôtel de Chazerat", just to the left of the hotel door (feel free to enter the courtyard). Arrive at Place du Terrail to discover information panel no. 18 "Place du Terrail".

(3) Continue straight on Rue Savaron, signposted "Rue Savaron" no. 19. Turn right into Rue Massillon, then right again at the corner of the Tourist Office to return to Place de la Victoire (S/E).

This hike is best avoided on Sundays: fountains are often dry and public toilets and shops are closed.

At the Tourist Office on Place de la Victoire, at the start of the tour, you can pick up a leaflet with a map of the town.

Information panels along the way tell you all about the history of these streets and the main monuments to note.

Don't forget to look up to discover the building facades. You'll also find a number of fountains along the way.

Other things I liked:

Between terminals no. 2 and 3: Fountains in the two courtyards bordering terminal no. 2; Trompe-l'oeil by Slobo on an annex of the Hôtel de Ville, north of the cathedral.

Bollard no. 5: The twin fountains of the Hôtel de Ville.

Between bollards no. 7 and 8: Beautiful mansion doors at no. 19 and 21 Rue du Port.

Between bollards 8 and 9: Petite Fontaine à la Coquille, Rue Barrier.

Shortly after milestone no. 11: Fontaine des Pèlerins, Rue du Port.

Between bollards no. 13 and 14: Mosaics on the facade of the pharmacy at the corner of Place Delille and Rue de Montlosier: the Gros pharmacy, built in 1922 in a striking neo-Egyptian style by architect Louis Jarier. The mosaic decor was created by Gentil-Bourdet. Beautiful facade at no. 5 Place Delille, featuring a Space Invader; beautiful fountain Place Delille.

Between bollards no. 14 and 15: At no. 38 Rue du Port, a handsome building; murals on Rue des Bohèmes.

Between bollards no. 17 and 18, murals at no. 1 Rue Blaise Pascal and paintings on the railings of Place du Terrail, but only visible when the stores are closed.

Between bollards no. 18 and 19: the numerous murals on Rue Savaron.

Between bollard no. 19 and (E) The old hotel on Rue Massillon, just behind the Tourist Office.