The Body Snatcher of Cournon
Body snatching is one of the oldest illicit businesses on Earth. In the Middle Ages, shrewd adventurers plundered out-of-the-way tombs and cemeteries for bones and passed off their spoils as the relics of saints. For centuries, they smuggled these “relics” to churches across Europe, raking in fortunes. Similarly roguish black marketeers also indulged in this kind […]
Hidden Auvergne: The Clermont-Ferrand Underground
It [The Clermont-Ferrand Underground] is an unexplored continent, the tip of the iceberg. -Olivier Bianchi, Mayor of Clermont-Ferrand Beneath the streets of Clermont-Ferrand lies a sunless, cavernous world only a fortunate few have ever seen. Most of this vast realm remains unexplored. In fact, in its most forlorn and isolated corners scientists have made interesting […]
Hidden Clermont-Ferrand: The Henri Lecoq Museum
On the quiet side street of Rue Bardoux rises what could reasonably be described as one of the most interesting houses in Clermont-Ferrand. From the outside, it looks like any ordinary Clermontois townhouse; the inside however, is not ordinary by any standard. In fact, the Henri Lecoq Museum — once the home of the eponymous […]
The Clermont-Ferrand Metropolitan Library Project: An Interview with Mayor Olivier Bianchi
“This library won’t be just another cultural facility — it will be a true catalyst for the city’s artistic and literary life.” -Olivier Bianchi, Mayor of Clermont-Ferrand For over half a decade, the most hotly-anticipated building project taking shape in Clermont-Ferrand has been the Clermont-Ferrand Metropolitan Library. All mindfully and aesthetically built libraries have a […]
Hidden Clermont-Ferrand: Carmes Cemetery
Gothic, airy, and romantic, Carmes Cemetery is undoubtedly the most beautiful and haunting park in Clermont-Ferrand.
Ghosts in the City: A Haunting in Clermont-Ferrand
In the early twentieth century a haunting in Clermont-Ferrand made national news. Visit Auvergne takes a look at the long-forgotten tale.
Wine-Loving Ghosts: A Haunting in Aubière
In 1908, Aubière — a town bordering Clermont-Ferrand — fell into the clutches of a particularly aggressive group of wine-loving ghosts.
The Last Castle of Clermont-Ferrand
Neglected but not beyond repair, the last castle of Clermont-Ferrand stands alone on a quiet square, straddled between residential buildings.
Archaeology in Auvergne: A Visit to the Bargoin Museum
“Archaeologically speaking, Auvergne is one of the richest regions in France.” -Elie Rafowicz, Assistant Director of the Bargoin Museum Druids, Romans, Vikings, wars and ravages of all kinds — Clermont-Ferrand has seen it all. Unlike Athens, Pompeii, or Giza, however, Clermont has never enjoyed an international reputation as a city of extraordinary archaeological monuments. Still, […]
Hidden Clermont-Ferrand: Vikings in the City
Vikings in Clermont-Ferrand? Here’s what you need to know about why and how these notorious seafarers ended up in the city.
