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.
Literary Notes on Auvergne Sculptures: The “Faun” of Ponteix
Those of you who know me know of my passion for fountain grotesques and mascarons, which I see as contemporary genii locorum (“spirits of the place”). When we look into their stony, goblinesque eyes, we are — if only for a moment — drawn upwards into the world of imagination. New thoughts then rush into […]
Occult Auvergne: A Werewolf in Puy-de-Dôme
What happens when you see a werewolf in Puy-de-Dôme? Here’s a fascinating account from a 19th-century travel memoir.
Storytelling in Auvergne: An Interview with Christine Butot
Oral storyteller Christine Butot has been entertaining diverse audiences in France with her repertoire of folktales and legends for decades. I first met her through, a Annie Sauvat, a winemaker and oenotourism promoter who has frequently partnered with Butot for various events in Boudes, a gorgeous village situated in Auvergne’s “Tuscany”. When Butot excitedly mentioned Les Petits […]
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.
Mapping the Rise of Royat: An Interview with Johan Picot
In the 1800s, Royat become one of the world’s premier spa destinations. Local historian Johan Picot tells us how.
Wine and Wellbeing: A Visit to Boudes with Annie Sauvat
Visit Auvergne talks wine and wellbeing and visits the village of Boudes with Annie Sauvat of the Domaine Sauvat wine estate.
Lake Pavin: The Most Haunted Lake in France
Described for centuries as a lake that can raise hailstorms and tornadoes at will, Lake Pavin is arguably the most haunted lake in France.
The Château de Montfleury: Rustic Charm in the Heart of Auvergne’s Tuscany
Set among a bucolic landscape of hills and meadowlands, the Château de Montfleury is a must-see gem of Auvergne’s Tuscany.
