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France > Massif Central > Parc des Volcans > Clermont-Ferrand > Arrival, information and accommodation

The gare SNCF is on avenue de l'Union Soviétique, from where it is a ten-minute bus journey to place de Jaude, at the western edge of the cathedral hill. The gare routière (tel 04.73.35.05.62) is on boulevard François-Mitterrand, with a city transport information kiosk called Boutique T2C on place de Jaude (tel 04.73.28.56.56). The city airport (tel 04.73.62.71.00, www.clermont-fd.cci.fr) is at Aulnat, 7km east, with daily flights to and from Paris and other internal destinations, as well as to London during the summer. A navette (€4 one way) connects the airport with both the train and bus station.

The main tourist office is opposite the cathedral in the place de la Victoire (June–Sept Mon–Fri 10am–7pm & Sat 10am–1pm & 2–5.45pm; Oct–May Mon–Fri 10am–6pm & Sat 10am–1pm & 2–5.45pm; tel 04.73.98.65.00, www.ot-clermont-ferrand.fr), and there's another conveniently placed annexe immediately to the left outside the train station exit (June–Sept Mon–Sat 9.15–11.30am & 12.15–5pm; Oct–May closed Sat; tel 04.73.91.87.89). At the main office you can pick up a Passe Decouverte (€9) which will admit you once to each of the town's museums. The departmental office is on place de la Bourse (tel 04.73.42.22.50), and the regional office at 44 av des Etats Unis (tel 04.73.29.49.49, www.crt-auvergne.fr). Specific Hiking or mountain-bike information is available from Chamina, 5 rue Pierre-le-Vénérable (tel 04.73.92.81.44). Bikes are available from the SNCF, at the main station and at a central office at 20 pl Remoux (tel 04.73.14.12.36). You can access the Internet at Internet@Café at 34 rue Ballainvilliers (Mon & Sat 11am–11pm, Tues–Fri 8am–11pm; tel 04.73.92.42.80).

Most of Clermont's hotels are concentrated just off the lively place de Jaude, close to the town's main shops, and around the rather characterless station area. There's not a tremendous choice, but they are generally good value. For budget travellers, there's a basic HI hostel just across from the train station at 55 av de l'Union Soviétique (tel 04.73.92.26.39, fax 04.73.92.99.96; closed Nov–Feb; membership obligatory), and a foyer, the Home Dome, at 12 place de Regensburg (tel 04.73.31.57.00, perso.wanadoo.fr/home.dome), in the southwest of town. For campers, there are municipal campsites at Royat (L'Oclède), 4km to the southwest (tel 04.73.35.97.05; closed Nov–March; bus #41), Ceyrat (Le Chanset), 5km to the south (tel 04.73.61.30.73; bus #4C & #41, stop "Preguille"), and Cournon (Le Pré des Laveuses), 10km to the east, on the River Allier (tel 04.73.84.81.30; bus #3, stop "Plaine de jeux").


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