Panoramique des Dômes

The Panoramique des Dômes is the rack railway that climbs the Puy de Dôme, the highest volcano of the Chaîne des Puys, at 1,465 m. It has run since 2012 and is the only way to the summit without walking: the road at the top is not open to private cars.

How it works

The departure station is in Orcines, on the chemin du Couleyras, about 20 minutes by car from the centre of Clermont-Ferrand. It has a free car park of about 1,000 spaces, with places for coaches and about fifteen for motorhomes, where you cannot stay overnight. The journey takes 15 minutes and leaves you at the summit, next to the visitor area, the ruins of the Temple of Mercury and the restaurants.

The timetable changes with the season. Outside summer there are trains every hour or every half hour, roughly from 10:00 to 17:00; in summer, every 20 minutes from 9:00 to 20:00, with evening openings on some dates. It closes on 25 December, on the 24th the last descent is at 15:30 and there are closure days for maintenance, announced on its website.

What it costs

An adult return costs €17.20 in low season and €18.60 from 1 April to 30 September. There is a youth and reduced rate, a family rate for two adults and two young people of €49.90 return, and under-4s do not pay. Dogs pay €5.50. They also sell singles, for going up by train and walking down.

How to get there without a car

From Clermont-Ferrand, the S11 bus to the Parc SNCF stop and, in Chamalières, the P36 line to the Panoramique station. Times change with the season: check the T2C network's before going.