Guided tour of Royat

Departure from Royat-Chamalière station. Small car park available (paid).
Terms in italics refer to the paragraph "During the hike or nearby".
Unmarked hike.

(S/E) With your back to the station façade, turn right and follow Avenue de la Gare straight ahead, passing to the right of the former Hôtel Terminus. Before going under the railway bridge, climb the stairs on the left and continue along the street (Rue des Roches). You will come to Avenue de la Gare. Follow it to the right for a few metres towards the Place Landouzy crossroads.

(1) Turn right onto Avenue Pierre et Marie Curie, at the corner of Villa des Champs Élysées. At the intersection, go down the stairs opposite to reach Rue des Thermes, at the foot of the viaduct. Enter the Parc Thermal on the left. Turn right at the car park, with your back to the casino, cross the Tiretaine, leaving the Pavillon Saint-Mart on your right, then the Bains Romains. Continue along the path and exit the park onto Avenue de Royat (pretty house opposite, the Villa Dar El Beïda). Follow it to the left, pass in front of the main entrance to the thermal spa, and arrive at a large roundabout at the intersection of Avenue Auguste Rouzaud and Boulevard Vaquez.

(2) Go around it on the right, first crossing Avenue Auguste Rouzaud, passing in front of the Sacré-Cœur Church (formerly the "chapelle des baigneurs" or bathers' chapel, now privately owned, with some pretty sculptures on the façade), cross the avenue again towards Villa La Chaumière and return to the roundabout on the left. Follow Boulevard Vaquez to the right, then turn right into the car park and arrive at the rear of Villa la Chaumière (more beautiful from this side). Turn your back on the villa to cross the car park and reach the street, opposite the brasserie. Turn right for a few metres, then climb the steps on the left and follow the path on the right that enters the Parc Thermal. Pass the enamelled lava panels of the Royat geoscope. Follow the concrete path, cross the bridge over the Tiretaine, and stay on the path until you reach the playground. Go around it on the right, continue to the left along the Tiretaine and the purple balustrade on your right, leave the Tiretaine marker on your right, cross the Tiretaine again on the rounded footbridge at La Belle Meunière restaurant and exit the park. Immediately cross the river again on a bridge.

(3) Turn right immediately (do not take the stairs). Pass by the lift, turn left before the next bridge and immediately pass in front of the Grotte des Lavandières. Climb the steps to reach the upper town, the old village of Royat (very different atmosphere from the spa district, see streets of Royat) and arrive at a small square at the Rue du Château signpost.

(4) For a return trip, continue straight ahead towards Charade, ignore a street on the left, and arrive at a busy street. Move slightly to the right to cross at the pedestrian crossing at the traffic lights. Continue straight ahead, crossing a car park and continuing along the Tiretaine on your left until you reach the old Taillerie de Royat. Retrace your steps to the Rue du Château signpost.

(4) Turn right towards Boiséjour, arrive in front of the entrance to the Ancien Prieuré Saint-Léger, turn right to reach the forecourt of the Église Saint-Léger, where the Croix des Apôtres stands. With your back to the cross, head towards the street bordering the square and go to the circular fountain. Turn right onto Rue Adolphe Péghoux, then immediately left onto Rue de l'Arcade, go through the gate and exit onto Rue Nationale. Turn left, then take the first street on the left (towards the church) and then right onto Rue Cordemoy. Then turn into the alley on the left. Continue along the street for a few metres until you reach the Escalier du Temps staircase built into the wall of the church forecourt (the lift is on the right), then take a sharp right and go down the stairs to La Tiretaine, passing in front of the Grotte Siméoni (information panel), and ending up at the bridge you crossed earlier.

(3) Without crossing the river, continue straight ahead on the street that goes uphill, ignore a street on the right and arrive at a busy street, opposite the Villa Lysbeth (pretty façade). Turn left (on this section, there is a view of Le Paradis, a sort of castle visible on the cliff on the other side of the town) and continue to the town hall roundabout to see the "La Sirène" fountain (by Jean Chauchard).

(5) Retrace your steps for about 50 metres and turn right to cross a small car park and take an alleyway that leads down to the Parc Thermal. At the blue barrier, do not enter the park but head down the street on the right. This leads to a busy street, opposite a restaurant. Turn left (note the Castel Sévigné turreted house on the right) and continue to the intersection with Rue Jean Heitz, which branches off to the right. Take this street, between the superb Villa Stella and the charming old-fashioned post office (note the Villa des Lauriers opposite the post office on the boulevard). Just behind the post office, follow the signs for Temple for a short round trip to this very discreet religious building, then return to Rue Jean Heitz and continue uphill to the left. (On this section, look back to admire the Puy de Dôme.) Further up, keep to the left and join Rue Hippolyte Mallet (street art mosaic). Follow it to the right. When you reach a busy street, follow it to the left. (Once again close to the spa district, the street is lined with old guesthouses). Shortly afterwards, continue straight ahead at the intersection of several streets to arrive at the entrance to Parc Bargoin.

(6) Visit the park at your leisure. Following my GPS track will allow you to discover its main features, then exit through the same gate.

(6) Go straight ahead on the street furthest to the right at the crossroads, Rue Jocelyn Bargoin, and stay on this street until you reach the T-junction with Boulevard Barrieu, at the former Hôtel Parc Majestic on the right.

(7) Turn left onto this boulevard lined with old guesthouses (La Vologne, La Paix, Royat Palace, ...) and former luxury hotels (in particular the former Hôtel Régina, with its mosaic monogram representing the hotel's initials, HR, on the left side of the boulevard), until you reach the large building with yellow shutters, the former Hôtel Victoria (with Art Nouveau and Art Deco ironwork), on the right. Carefully cross the boulevard and take the stairway passageway just to the right of the Victoria, which descends to Boulevard Vaquez. Cross this boulevard using the pedestrian crossing to reach the Quartier Thermal sign. Turn right, pass to the left of the Buvette Eugénie and arrive in front of the Porte Eugénie (topped with superb glass roofs) of the thermal establishment. Turn right between the two majestic sequoias and climb the stairs to reach Boulevard Vaquez (note the beautiful bas-relief representing the city's emblematic mermaid on the second floor). Turn left (note the beautiful details on the façade of the yellow building across the street, the former Hôtel Le Thermal), then take the first street on the left and immediately take the steps on the right to reach a crossroads, Place Landouzy.

(1) Head opposite towards the sumptuous Pavillon Majestic (entirely covered in green and white glazed bricks). Further ahead, note the beautiful façade of the former Grand Hôtel Majestic Palace and make a short return trip to admire the details of the façade more closely. Retrace your steps.

(1) Turn right in front of the entrance to the Pavillon Majestic park and walk along the building on your right (the façade of the building just behind it is also remarkable). On the other side of the street is the Villa des Fleurs, decorated with ceramic panels, and the Hôtel Royal Saint-Marc. At the bend in the road to the left, turn right to return to Royat-Chamalières station (feel free to walk around the building to observe its details) (S/E).

This is a very easy urban walk, requiring no special equipment other than comfortable shoes.
There are markings on this route, but they are not relevant to this particular hike. The useful markings are indicated in the description.
Please note: Bargoin Park is closed in high winds.

Discover more walks in this area, complete with descriptions, or via the Visorando app here

Photo gallery here

Information provided by Clermont Auvergne Tourisme

The spa complex (1852–1856) is built from arkose, a type of sandstone chosen for its light colour, in contrast to Volvic stone, which was considered too dark at the time. The main building, in the classical style, leads to two identical wings. The decorative features are centred around the Porte Eugénie: three large arches adorned with a trompe l’œil stained-glass window, classical-style statues and monumental columns. Today, the spa centre, which specialises in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and rheumatism, welcomes over 8,000 spa guests every year.

The Roman baths. The origins of the spa date back to antiquity, as evidenced by the numerous remains discovered at the foot of each spring. Today, only a pool with tiered seating and semicircular benches remains visible.

The Pavillon Saint-Mart is a former leg-bathing establishment. Discovered in 1876, the Saint-Mart Spring gushes forth on the site of the monastery from which it takes its name. A simple refreshment kiosk was set up in 1880, followed by a small spa following the discovery of the spring’s therapeutic properties. In 1912, Auguste Rouzaud, the resort’s owner, commissioned the architect Louis Jarrier to refurbish and extend the building. Jarrier retained only the façade and designed a new pavilion with a roof terrace and a dome. Protected by a roof in 1937, the pavilion was permanently closed for therapeutic treatments in 1980.

The theatre and the casino. The theatre was built in 1891–1892. Its façade alternates between light-coloured stone and red, pink and yellow bricks. The theatre’s most distinctive feature lies in the design of the auditorium, which is lit by large bay windows. A large number of artists have performed on its stage, including Sarah Bernhardt, Colette and Édith Piaf… Now fully restored, the theatre is open to the public for shows, concerts and events such as the ‘À Lire des Auteurs’ book fair.
The first casino, built in 1873–1874, was constructed of half-timbering and red brick. Destroyed by fire in 1919, it was rebuilt the following year in a style combining modernity with classical motifs.
Today, it features a gaming room with slot machines, traditional games and a brasserie.

The Villa des Champs Élysées was built for Dr Basset. Its original sign, a playful nod to its name, consists of a sculpted dog set in a niche above the entrance door and a bust of Hippocrates, author of the oath taken by doctors.

Opened in 1853 by Hippolyte Cousteix, the Hôtel Royal Saint-Mart has been run by the same family for five generations. The monumental gateway is the work of the Clermont-Ferrand-based metalworker Bernardin.
At the very start of the Second World War, the French government withdrew to the spa town of Royat-Chamalières, where several ministries set up their offices. The Hôtel Royal Saint-Mart officially housed the ‘Service de Retour à la Terre’ (Return to the Land Service) but in reality concealed one of the three branches of the French secret service.

The station. The arrival of the railway played a major part in the boom of spa towns. The station, built in 1886, is typical of the railway architecture of the period: red brick, white faux stone and canopies. A bit of history: 1880 – Construction of the viaduct; 1881 – Opening of the line; 1886 – Construction of the station by the architect Jules Martin. A typical example of railway architecture from the early Third Republic, combining functional and picturesque elements. Cast-iron canopy, decorated with lion heads.

The former Grand Hôtel Majestic Palace was the first hotel to be built in 1865, and was subsequently extended on numerous occasions. Its decorative features are remarkable: a clock, a veranda, satirical mascarons…

The Pavillon Majestic, formerly an annexe of the Grand Hôtel Majestic Palace, was converted in 1912. It boasted the town’s first en-suite bathrooms and hot-water central heating. This modernity is reflected in the façades through the use of green and white glazed bricks.

Boulevard Vaquez is lined with a succession of buildings that are imposing in both size and the richness of their decoration. These grand hotels, rivalling one another in beauty and modernity, had converted their ground floors into shops, offering local specialities to fashionable holidaymakers.
Artisans are still very much present in the resort. The ‘Aux Pierres Fines’ jewellery shop, founded in 1837. The ‘Taillerie de Royat’, built in 1920 by the architect Guillot, is an industrial building situated on the outskirts of the town, towards the Puy de Dôme. The building has been closed since 2004; a museum there would be most welcome.

The Buvette Eugénie, named after the Empress and Emperor Napoleon III’s visit in 1862, is the symbol of the resort. This refreshment bar was originally a cast-iron kiosk. In 1913–1914, the spring was protected by a glass dome and surrounded by a circular counter decorated with sandstone and opaline slabs. In 1936, the cast-iron kiosk was replaced by a circular structure in an antique style. The restored counter was covered with enamelled lava in 1980. Today, the drinking fountain is closed to spa guests. The waters from the Eugénie and Saint-Mart springs can be drunk in the spa’s lobby.

Villa la Chaumière is a picturesque villa situated in the heart of the spa district. This former holiday home was an annexe to the Hôtel Richelieu (now the Hôtel Princesse Flore), built in the early 20th century by the Clermont-Ferrand architect Louis Jarrier. The façade is remarkable for its richness and the polychromatic nature of its materials (mosaics).

The Royat Spa Park was developed from the 1970s onwards. Previously, it had been an industrial area. As far back as the Middle Ages, mills harnessed the driving force of the stream to turn their wheels and grind wheat, hemp, paper and so on…
The arrival of the railway in the spa town in 1880 and the installation of hydroelectric turbines in the early 20th century enabled the creation and development of major factories such as the À La Marquise de Sévigné chocolate factory and the Royat Stoneworks.
In the 1970s, the Tiretaine Valley was designated a flood zone, forcing many businesses to relocate. The Taillerie de Royat, situated further upstream on the Tiretaine, was spared this measure but closed in 2004.

La Belle Meunière is a hotel and restaurant housed in a former flour mill. Upon her father’s death in 1879, Marie Quinton decided to convert the family mill into a hotel and restaurant. At the time, the spa town was booming: the railway was due to arrive, and roads and hotels were being built…
It was in this somewhat secluded hotel that General Boulanger (Minister of War) and Margueritte de Bonnemain decided to meet in secret from 1887 onwards. This famous couple of lovers formed a friendship with Marie Quinton and changed the course of her life. Three years later, Madame de Bonnemain passed away. Unable to bear her loss, General Boulanger took his own life with a gunshot to the head whilst standing at her grave. This desperate act caused quite a stir. Curious onlookers flocked to the scene of the scandal. This notoriety enabled Marie Quinton to completely transform the family mill and create a magnificent dining room (designed by architect Louis Jarrier, 1904–1906).

Royat is built on a basalt lava flow originating from the Petit Puy de Dôme. The basalt columns, visible at the foot of the rock face from the Thermal Park, were formed as the viscous lava cooled. As it solidified, the lava produced a series of prisms with polygonal cross-sections.
It was on this lava flow that the ramparts of Royat were built, constructed during the Hundred Years’ War by the inhabitants of Royat with logistical support from the monks. Only one tower remains, thanks to its later use as a dovecote.
The Grotte des Laveuses was formed by a steam bubble. Five springs gush forth and flow into a rustic washhouse

Former Saint-Léger Priory. The gate to the former monastery is very often open. You may pass through the gate to visit the courtyard (please ensure you close the gate properly behind you).
The first monastery at Royat was built during the 7th century on the initiative of Saint-Priest. Rebuilt towards the year 1000, Pope Urban II placed it under the patronage of Saint-Léger and under the authority of Mozac Abbey. The complex was extended in the 11th century, then embellished with monumental chimneys, new windows and a door made of Volvic stone in the 17th century.
The priory was sold as national property in 1791. Following some negotiations, the east wing was converted into a vicarage. The north and west wings were taken over by the nuns of Notre-Dame de la Montgie and later housed the École du Sacré-Chœur. Today, they are owned by the Town of Royat.

Saint-Léger Church. The history of the church and the priory are closely intertwined. Whilst no trace remains of the original 7th-century church, some 10th-century remains still exist. The building was entirely rebuilt in the 11th century by the monks of Mozac Abbey. At that time, the church consisted of a single nave ending in a semicircular apse. At the end of the 12th century, this latter part was demolished to make way for a rectangular transept and chancel. It was at this time that the entire monastery and church complex were fortified. This explains the absence of an ambulatory and radiating chapels, and the presence of battlements protecting the parapet walk around the perimeter of the church. The bell tower, destroyed by the Revolutionaries, was rebuilt at the end of the 19th century. The monument was restored twice, in the late 19th and early 21st centuries.

The Cross of the Apostles. The Cross of the Apostles was carved in 1486 by Etienne Eveyrt.
It depicts the life of Christ, from his birth (the Virgin and Child) on one side to his crucifixion on the other. The apostles who accompanied him are depicted on the shaft of the cross.

The streets of Royat are mainly lined with winegrowers’ houses, comprising a wine-making room on the ground floor, two levels of cellars and living quarters on the upper floors.
Rue de l’Arcade. The archway beneath which one passes marks the site of Royat’s ramparts, which followed the course of the Rue Nationale. This secondary gate provided access to the suburbs.

Viewpoint over Le Paradis. The large building situated on Puy Chateix is home to the restaurant Le Paradis. This former convalescent home was built in the early 20th century by the Clermont-Ferrand architect Louis Jarrier on behalf of Dr Alexandre Petit. Several horse-drawn carriage services allowed bathers to enjoy the fresh air, the magnificent panoramic view, the tea room, a souvenir shop and an Auvergne museum.

Bargoin Park. An 8-hectare English-style woodland park featuring nearly 60 different species of tree and a total of 800 trees.
The park is adorned with magnificent trees: century-old sequoias, Lebanese cedars, Ginkgo biloba and a maple listed in the ‘Guide Vert’ as one of the largest specimens in France (250 years old, 7.50 metres in circumference).
Nearly 800 different plant species have been recorded in the park. A magnificent ornamental garden created in the 19th century, situated on the heights of the town, in the upper part of Rue des Montagnards, it is a delight for walkers and spa-goers alike.

Information from other sources:

Villa Stella. This villa, built shortly before the First World War, is one of the last examples of a bourgeois house still designed in the spirit of the 19th century, whilst incorporating the decorative style then in vogue. The tasteful Neo-Louis XVI style serves as the architectural backdrop to the project.

La Tiretaine, a magnificent little river in Royat, which is unfortunately channelised downstream, in the municipalities of Chamalières and Clermont.

Bargoin Park. Formerly the Domaine de Bellevue, this park was owned until 1815 by the former mayor of Chamalières under Napoleon I. It was then purchased by Jocelyn Bargoin, a former pharmacist who made his fortune with his business partner and friend Henri Lecoq by setting up a coffee substitute factory: Gland-Doux.
On his death in 1882, he bequeathed this large, 7-hectare park to the Puy-de-Dôme General Council, much to the delight of walkers and spa guests, who can discover unusual tree species there, such as the California redwood and the ginkgo biloba.

A stone’s throw from the spa park,the Church of the Sacred Heart was built at the request of Catholic spa guests. Also known as the ‘bathers’ chapel’, it was inaugurated and opened for worship on 20 July 1894 after two years of construction. At the time, it fulfilled a real need. To understand the reasons behind its construction, one must necessarily consider the context of the time. At that time, the horse was the most commonly used means of transport.
The spa’s clientele consisted of the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie, as well as intellectuals and artists. Palanquins were commonly used at the time to transport the elite from one part of the spa town to another. The theatres, hotels and entertainment venues were all concentrated as close as possible to the thermal baths. And when it came to attending Mass, spa guests found the Church of Saint-Léger, in the town centre, too far away.
As for the local council of the time, it saw this new building as a means of attracting more spa guests and thus bolstering the spa town’s prosperity. The chapel was built on Place Allard, on a cramped plot of land, in limestone, following the plans of the Clermont-Ferrand architect Jules Painchaux.

A Protestant church, formerly an Anglican chapel. Built in 1886 to cater for the spa’s international clientele. Services were conducted by a chaplain from the Colonial and
Continental Church Society. After the First World War, the chapel was dedicated to
worship of the Reformed Church of France.