Saint-Pierre, district of Clermont

Start: Fountain on Place de la Victoire, Saint-Pierre

This tour is based on the "Saint-Pierre" discovery tour offered by the Clermont Tourist Office. It is waymarked on the ground by alternating medals bearing the effigies of Urbain II, Vercingétorix and Pascal. Information panels, mentioned in the description, can be found along the route.

(S/E) From the fountain on Place de la Victoire, head towards the Visitor Information Centre and turn to its right to find information panel no. 1 "Place de la Victoire".

At the next junction (note on your left the Fontaine Saint-Genès and the façade of the Maison Moinet), turn right, then right again into 'Rue Terrasse' street. Information panel no. 2 "Terrasse-Sugny" is at the very beginning of this street.

Continue to 'Rue des Chaussetiers' following it to the left. Shortly after, notice information panel no. 3 "Hôtel Savaron". Turn left into Rue des Petits Gras and you'll immediately come to information panel no. 4 "Chaussetiers-Petits-Gras" and the Fontaine des Lions (fountain). Further on, on the left, just past the Rue de la Prévoté, find information panel no. 5 "Petits-Gras Préfecture". Continue straight ahead and you'll soon come to the corner of the Préfecture, at a large crossroads.

Turn right on Boulevard Desaix and cross it to be on the same side as information panel no. 6 "Jaude-Théatre", the right side to admire the façade of the Opéra-Théatre. Shortly afterward, at the junction with Place de Jaude, find information panel no. 7 "Jaude Vercingétorix".

(1) Cross the place, then, on the other side, turn right to reach the facade of the Église Saint-Pierre-des-Minimes, which gives its name to the eponymous district of this walk. Information panel no. 8 "Jaude-Blatin". Continue straight on Rue des Minimes, then turn right into Rue Saint-Dominique to find information panel no. 9 "États-Unis Pucelle".

Continue straight ahead to cross Avenue des États-Unis and the tramway line, then carry on ahead then turn left into Rue du 11 Novembre. At the crossroads with Rue Jean Rochon, find information panel no. 10 "Rue Neuve", then go straight ahead to reach the tramway again, Place Gilbert Gaillard.

(2) Turn right, then immediately right again, Rue Saint-Pierre, notice information panel no. 11 "Place Gaillard", to arrive in front of the Halles, Place Saint-Pierre. Go around the building to the left to find information panel no. 12 "Place Saint-Pierre", and continue straight on to pass the courtyard of the Hôtel de Fontfreyde on the left. Arrive at Rue des Gras to find information panel no. 13 "Hôtel de Fontfreyde".

Turn left up Rue des Gras, with the cathedral facade in view. Pass information panel no. 14 "Rue des Gras", on the right-hand side of the street, then reach information panel no. 15 "Gras Cathédrale" at the intersection with Rue de la Coifferie on the left. Turn left, then right at Place du Mazet (a simple village fountain in the shape of a drinking trough). The information panel no. 16 "Place du Mazet" is at the intersection with Rue Verdier Latour.

Follow this street to the right and, shortly before arriving in front of the cathedral and find information panel no. 17 "Place de la Bourse". Continue straight ahead past the stairs of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Cathedral, then, opposite information panel no. 18 "Blaise Pascal", turn left towards Place de la Victoire (S/E).

Start: Fountain on Place de la Victoire, Saint-Pierre

Waymarkers: This tour is based on the "Saint-Pierre" 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: It's best not to take this hike on a Sunday: the fountains are often dry, and public toilets and shops are closed!

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

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 :

Between markers no. 2 and 3, Rue Terrasse, above a pub at no. 14, notice the monster on the facade. Then Rue des Chaussetiers, note the colorful Impasse des Chaussetiers on the left.
Between bollards 12 and 13, as you leave Place Saint-Pierre, pass by a curious bibendum.
At bollard no. 15, notice a fine bas-relief high up on the Rue de la Coifferie wall. Weather permitting, take in the view of Puy de Dôme.