# Chaîne des Puys

About 80 dormant volcanoes in a 32 km line, a World Heritage Site since 2018. You go up the Puy de Dôme by train and look into craters on foot.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/auvergne-rhone-alpes/chaine-des-puys · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## What is the Chaîne des Puys?

A row of some 80 volcanoes, about 32 km long and 4 wide, on a plateau west of Clermont-Ferrand. They are gently sloping cones, covered in grass and forest, with round craters, lava flows and domes without craters. They are dormant, and together with the Limagne fault, the great fracture that sank the Clermont plain, they form a landscape that UNESCO inscribed as a World Heritage Site on 2 July 2018. As the geographer Yves Michelin explains, these volcanoes are part of something bigger: the fracturing of a continent.

The area can be toured in two or three days, based in Clermont-Ferrand or in the villages of the plateau, such as Orcines. One day for the Puy de Dôme and a crater on foot, another for the inside of a volcano or Vulcania, and if you have a third, the lakes of the Sancy, further south.

## How do you go up the Puy de Dôme?

It is the highest of the chain, at 1,465 m, and the most visited in the region, with some 435,000 visitors a year. Since 2012 a rack railway has run up it, the Panoramique des Dômes, which leaves from Orcines and takes about 15 minutes. In 2026 the return fare for an adult is €17.20, and €18.60 from 1 April to 30 September; children under 4 go free. Timetables change with the season: in summer there are trains every 20 minutes from 9:00 to 20:00, and out of season, every hour or every half hour from 10:00 to 17:00.

You can also walk up, on signposted paths from the base, but the summit road is not open to private cars. At the top are the ruins of the Temple of Mercury, from the 2nd century, which overlooked the Roman city that is now Clermont-Ferrand, a visitor area, a brasserie and a restaurant. In clear skies you see the whole row of volcanoes lined up to the north and to the south.

## Which volcanoes can you walk?

The Puy de Pariou, next to the Puy de Dôme, is the walkers' favourite: an almost perfect, very round crater that you climb and walk around along the rim. To the south, the Puy de la Vache and the Puy de Lassolas show the other kind of volcano, open on one side where the lava flow came out. Always follow the marked paths and the GR trails: the cones are made of loose ash and shortcuts open scars that can be seen from far away.

## And inside a volcano?

At the Volcan de Lemptégy, a former pozzolana quarry, you go down inside the volcano and see its chimneys and layers of ash laid bare. Vulcania, in Saint-Ours-les-Roches, about 20 minutes from Clermont-Ferrand, is a theme park about volcanoes, for a whole day with children. It opens by season: the 2026 season has already ended and ticket sales for 2027 open on 27 November. If the weather is right, there are balloon flights at sunrise or sunset over the chain: an hour in the air with Auvergne Montgolfière, from €329.

## Where to eat and sleep?

At the very top, Le Resto d'Epicure serves at midday, from April to November, a €30 or €39 menu with the plain beneath the windows. At the foot of the Pariou, L'Auberge de la Fontaine du Berger cooks fish from Brittany and Auvergne produce, with a €44 menu and Sunday lunch service. For truffade, Le Petit Graillou, in Montrodeix, with a terrace facing the Puy de Dôme.

To sleep, in the city, the Hôtel Radio, a 1930 Art Deco building in Chamalières with a gourmet restaurant. In Orcines, beside the road of the volcanoes, the Arum Hôtel, a former coaching inn with family rooms and duplexes. With a motorhome or tent, the camping les Dômes, in Nébouzat, with an indoor pool, from April to October.

## How do you get there from Spain?

By car it is easy: from La Jonquera it is about 470 km on the A9 to Béziers and then the A75, the motorway that crosses the Massif Central and is free except for the Millau Viaduct. From Paris there is a train to Clermont-Ferrand in a little over three hours. By plane, the practical thing is to fly to Lyon, with direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga and Seville, and continue by hire car: it is about two hours and ten minutes to Orcines on the A89. Once there, a car is almost essential: the summit train leaves from Orcines and the craters and Vulcania are on the plateau, with no practical public transport.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Massif Central

## Qué hacer
- **Up the Puy de Dôme on the Panoramique des Dômes train** (2 h 30 · All ages · Desde 17.2 € per adult, round trip): It is the easiest way to see the Chaîne des Puys from above. The train climbs the slope of the Puy de Dôme in a quarter of an hour and at the summit you have half a morning of short walks, viewpoints and Roman ruins.
What it is and why it is worth it
The Puy de Dôme is the highest volcano in the chain, at 1,465 m, and the most visited in Auvergne. The summit road is not open to private cars, so to get up without walking you have this rack railway, which has run since 2012. It leaves from Orcines, at the base, and climbs the slope in 15 minutes.
At the top there is a path round the summit, the ruins of the Temple of Mercury, from the 2nd century, a visitor area and the operator's catering: Le Resto d'Epicure, a cafeteria and, in summer, takeaway stalls. With a clear sky you see the line of volcanoes to the north and south, the Clermont-Ferrand plain and, in the distance, the Sancy.
Hours and prices
The timetable changes with the season. Out of season there are usually trains every hour or half hour, from 10:00 to 17:00; in summer, every 20 minutes from 9:00 to 20:00. It closes on 25 December, on the 24th the last descent is at 15:30 and there are maintenance days announced on its website.
The round trip for an adult costs €17.20 from October to March and €18.60 from 1 April to 30 September. Children under 4 do not pay, there is a youth fare and a family fare of €49.90 round trip for two adults and two young people. Dogs go up with a €5.50 ticket.
Getting to the station
The station is on chemin du Couleyras, in Orcines, about 20 minutes by car from Clermont-Ferrand. Parking is free, with about 1,000 spaces and around fifteen for motorhomes, no overnight stays. Without a car, take the S11 bus from Clermont-Ferrand to Parc SNCF and the P36 line from Chamalières, with timetables that change with the season.
If the day is against you
With fog at the top you see nothing and the ticket costs the same. Check the webcam on its website before you set out. If the summit is covered, change the plan to the Volcan de Lemptégy and go up another day.
- **Climbing to the Puy de Pariou crater from the Les Goules car park** (2 h · Families with children who already walk): If you are only going to climb one volcano on foot, make it this one. The Pariou is just north of the Puy de Dôme and is the crater that appears in all the photos: a round, green, clean funnel, which you walk round along the rim.
What it is and why it is worth it
The Puy de Pariou is a young Strombolian volcano, about 8,000 years old. Its cone holds an almost perfect, very round crater. From the rim you see the Puy de Dôme just to the south and the line of volcanoes to the north. It is one of the best-known walks in the chain, and that is why it fills up: on summer weekends there are plenty of people.
The climb is pleasant and has stretches of wooden steps, put there so footsteps do not cut furrows in the loose ash. Access is free and open every day of the year.
The route
You set off from the Les Goules car park, on the D941, in Orcines, which is free. From there a signed path crosses the forest, climbs the slope of the Pariou and reaches the crater rim, which you walk round completely before going down. Depending on the route, the full loop from the car park is around 6 km with about 200 m of ascent; allow about two hours, or a little more with children or stops for photos. There are no fountains and no shade in the upper part.
Rules
Dogs may come, but always on a lead. Do not leave the path: volcanic ash is fragile and every shortcut leaves a scar that can be seen from afar. The site is part of the UNESCO World Heritage property Chaîne des Puys–Limagne fault tectonic arena.
When to go
All year, but the best time is May to October. Go early: before ten there are fewer people and the morning light enters the crater. In winter there can be snow and ice on the steps, and in fog you will not see the crater from the rim.
- **Visiting the inside of the Volcan de Lemptégy, on foot or by little train** (2 h 30 · All ages · Desde 14 € per adult): In the rest of the Chaîne des Puys you see the volcanoes from outside, covered in grass and forest. At Lemptégy you see them from inside, because a quarry took away half the mountain and left its insides exposed.
What it is and why it is worth it
Lemptégy is a volcano of the chain that was worked for decades as a pozzolana quarry, the red and black volcanic gravel used in building and gardens. As material was extracted, the conduits through which the magma rose, volcanic bombs, lava flows and ash layers from different eruptions were left exposed. Today it is a guided-visit site at Saint-Ours-les-Roches, about 15 minutes from Clermont-Ferrand and a few minutes from Vulcania.
It is the natural complement to the Puy de Dôme and the Pariou: up there you see the shape of the volcanoes, here you understand how they were made.
What the visit is like
It lasts about 2 h 30 and goes in four consecutive stages. First, an immersive show of about 30 minutes. Then, the guided visit through the bottom of the quarry, 1 h 15, on foot or on a little train. Then, 15 minutes on the history of the place and, to finish, half an hour of attractions. Visits have fixed times that you see when booking. In July and August there is also an evening tour.
Prices and booking
In 2026 the visit on foot costs €14 per adult, €14.50 in July and August, and €11.50 for ages 4 to 12. By little train, €18 and €15. Children under 4 do not pay. Outside July and August there is a pass combining Lemptégy with the Grotte de la Pierre de Volvic, from €21.60 per adult. Book on its website, up to three hours before: you cannot book by phone or email.
The 2026 season ran from 10 February to 1 November; the 2027 dates are not yet published.
Getting there
It is at 31 route des Puys, at Les Maisons Rouges, about 5 minutes from exit 26 of the A89. Parking is free, also for motorhomes. From April to November there is a shuttle from Clermont-Ferrand, free at weekends.
- **Vulcania, the volcano theme park at Saint-Ours-les-Roches** (7 h · Families with children from age 3 · Desde 28 € per adult, one-day ticket): If you are travelling with children, Vulcania is the day they look forward to. It is not a volcano, but an amusement park about volcanoes and Earth sciences, built right on the plateau of the Chaîne des Puys.
What it is and why it is worth it
Vulcania is at 2 route de Mazayes, in Saint-Ours-les-Roches, about 20 minutes from Clermont-Ferrand and a few minutes from the Volcan de Lemptégy. It mixes dynamic rides, giant-screen films, science animations and shows, and has a planetarium that the park presents as the largest in France. There is content for all ages, from 3 years to adults, and it explains well why there are volcanoes, how they erupt and what happens beneath your feet.
It is a whole day. The park sells one-day and two-day tickets, and has a tips page for organising the visit.
Season and hours
It opens seasonally. In 2026 it opened from 25 March to 1 November, with closures on 30 and 31 March and on Mondays and Tuesdays from 1 September to 13 October. The hours change by day: check its calendar. In summer there are late openings, with animations until 20:00. The 2026 season has now ended and 2027 tickets go on sale on 27 November; the 2027 dates and prices are not yet published.
Prices
In 2026 the one-day ticket cost from €28 for adults and €23 for ages 6 to 16 on low-season days, and somewhat more in school holidays and on special days: up to €33 and €27.50. Ages 3 to 5, €7.50 to €9.50. Children under 3 do not pay. The two-day ticket ran from €43 to €47 for adults. There is also an undated ticket, the Billet Liberté, at €33 for adults.
Getting there
By car, take the D941 from Clermont-Ferrand, passing near Orcines. There is parking at the park. If you go with small children, buy the ticket online beforehand and arrive at opening time.
- **Sunrise balloon flight over the Chaîne des Puys** (3 h 30 · From age 8 and 1.30 m · Desde 329 € per adult): From the ground you see the volcanoes one by one. From a balloon you see the whole line, with its craters, the forests and the lava flows running down to the plain. It is the most expensive plan in the area and the one that depends most on the weather.
What it is and why it is worth it
Auvergne Montgolfière has flown over the volcanoes of Auvergne since 2001 and has a take-off base in the Chaîne des Puys, near Volvic or Orcines; they send you the exact spot when confirming the flight. Flights go mostly at sunrise, when the air is stillest, and there are also afternoon flights. The balloon rises, depending on the wind and what the pilot decides, between 300 and 1,500 m above the ground, and the route is set by the wind: no one knows beforehand where it will land.
You help inflate and pack up the balloon, and at the end there is a chat and a flight certificate.
How it works
The time is not fixed until the day before: that day you call the office before 11:30 to confirm that the flight is on and that you are coming. The flight lasts about an hour and the whole experience, with preparation, take-off, landing and the return, between three and four hours. The baskets take 6 to 12 passengers, plus the pilot. Arrive 15 minutes before the time for the safety briefing.
Who it is for
From age 8 and 1.30 m tall, and children fly with an adult. You do not need to be fit, but you do need to get up early and accept that the plan may change.
How much it costs and what happens in bad weather
The adult ticket for the Chaîne des Puys base costs €329. With free choice of base, €344, and the child's ticket up to age 14, €275. The ticket is valid for two years: if wind, temperature or cloud prevent flying, the flight is postponed within that period. So it is best to book it for the first day of your trip, and leave the other days as a margin.

## Dónde comer
- **Le Resto d'Epicure, at the summit of the Puy de Dôme** (Restaurant, Orcines, €€€). Qué pedir: the €39 three-course menu, and the Auvergne cheese board if you are hungry
- **L'Auberge de la Fontaine du Berger** (Restaurant, Orcines, €€€). Qué pedir: the €44 menu with the Saint-Nectaire supplement, or the godaille, the fish of the day as it arrives
- **Le Petit Graillou** (Restaurant, Orcines, €€). Qué pedir: the truffade with Auvergne ham, the local dish

## Consejos

### Take the first train
Before ten the summit is quiet and the sky cleaner. At midday in summer there is a queue to go down.

### Combine train and trail
Go up on the Panoramique and walk down, or the other way round: you see the mountain up close and spare yourself the hardest part.

### Join Pariou and the Puy de Dôme
They are next to each other: the crater in the morning and the summit in the afternoon.

### Try the cheese
This is the land of saint-nectaire, bleu d'Auvergne, cantal and fourme d'Ambert, which you buy at the village cheese shops.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How much does the Puy de Dôme train cost?
In 2026, €17.20 return per adult, and €18.60 from 1 April to 30 September. Free for children under 4.

### Can I drive up the Puy de Dôme?
No. The summit road is not open to private cars: you go up on the rack railway or on foot.

### How many volcanoes does the Chaîne des Puys have?
About 80, in a row 32 km long and 4 km wide.

### Since when has it been a World Heritage Site?
Since 2 July 2018, together with the Limagne fault.

### Is it a good plan with children?
Yes. The Puy de Dôme train, the Pariou crater for those who already walk, the inside of Lemptégy and Vulcania work for many ages.

### Is Vulcania open in winter?
No. It opens by season, and the 2026 season has already closed. Ticket sales for 2027 open on 27 November.