Special Sub-Topic: Do You Know the Region Auvergne? Click Here To Play: Do You Know the Region Auvergne?

What is the name of the mountains massif that occupies almost all the region, and what is the name of its highest summit?

Massif Central / Puy-de-Dôme. The Massif Central occupies 85000 km², on 18 départements. It is a range of very old (500 million years) volcanoes. The most recent volcanoes form the "chaîne des Puys". Its highest summit is the Puy-de-Dôme (1886 m), the top of which is easy to reach on foot (local schools often do it). The town of Clermont-Ferrand, the prefecture, is at the foot of the Puy-de-Dôme. The Puy du Pariou is another summit (1210 m) of the Massif Central. The Massif Central is one of the most visited places in France. It is very beautiful, especially seen from the sky. There is a park called "Vulcania", about volcanoes in the Massif Central. There are also ski resorts. However, these mountains are the reason that the Auvergne has always been, and pretty much still is, away from the major routes and therefore from the rest of the country. The Massif Armoricain is situated in Britain and Normandy; Ménez Kador and Roc'h Ruz are two of its summits.

How many départements are in the Auvergne region?

4. There are four départements : Cantal, Haute-Loire, Puy-de-Dôme (where Clermont is) and Allier. Unfortunately, the Puy-de-Dôme is more developed than the other départements, due to the presence of the prefecture Clermont (or Clermont-Ferrand, it is the same): the urban area of this town gathers almost one third of the population of the region.

What kind of food is the Auvergne most renowned for?

Cheese. The Auvergne is one of the best French regions for cheese. There are many and they are very good! A lot of towns have given their name to a cheese: Roquefort, St Nectaire, Ambert... even one of the départements, Cantal. The tartiflette comes from Savoy, it's a potatoe and cheese (reblochon) gratin. As for the raclette and its delicious fragrance, well, you also have to go to the Alps for this!

What well-known worldwide enterprise first begun in the Auvergne and still has a very important place in the economy of the region?

Michelin (tyres). Michelin, with its "bibendum", was born in Clermont-Ferrand. There used to be special schools, nurseries, hospitals, stadiums and shops for the employees of Michelin, and some still exist. The descendants of the founders still live here, and the head office of Michelin is in Clermont-Ferrand.

The region Auvergne gave France a high-ranked politician. What was his function?

President. Valéry Giscard d'Estaing was the president of France from 1974 to 1981. Before that, he was the mayor of the little town of Chamalières, next to Clermont-Ferrand. Giscard d'Estaing wasn't born in Auvergne but studied and lived there, and so does his family. Other famous people coming from the Auvergne are the composer Emmanuel Chabrier (he comes from Ambert, Puy-de-Dôme) and the philosopher and scientist Blaise Pascal.

The town center of Clermont-Ferrand was built on an old (volcano) crater.

True. Indeed, part of the city was built on a 156,000 year old crater, that goes from the town center of Clermont-Ferrand to the city of Chamalières (diameter: 1.5 km). The edge of this crater, a volcanic mound, is occupied by another large part of the town center.

What natural resource is the Auvergne renowned for? It is used by a lot of people, in different ways.

water. In the Auvergne, there are many famous waters that you can drink, like "Volvic". They are rich in mineral salts, have lots of proprieties, can cure some diseases (such as asthma), etc. These waters are also used in thermal baths, for example in Vichy or La Bourboule. Some waters are special: they are salty, or spurt out nearly boiling (180°F in Chaudes-Aigues).

This volcanic stone is characteristic of the region Auvergne. It is very dark, almost black. The cathedral in Clermont-Ferrand (among others) was made of this material. What is it called?

volvic stone. Volvic stone comes from a volcano flow. It resists to frost and chemicals, hence its frequent use in building in the Auvergne. Some artists even do sculptures with it.

The town of Clermont-Ferrand used to be two different cities, Clairmont and Montferrand, hence its name.

true. The city of Clairmont (its name comes from the castle Clarus Mons) is very old. It already existed, by another name, at the time of the Gauls, and was one of the biggest towns in Roman Gaul. It became "Clairmont" in 848. At this time, the city belonged to bishops. In 1120, the counts of Auvergne built Montferrand to thwart the power of the bishops. In 1630, the Edict of Troyes united the two cities. A second edict later confirmed this union. However, even now, the two parts of Clermont-Ferrand are quite distinct and there are two town centers.

Which river has its source in the Auvergne?

Dordogne. The Dordogne river has its source on the Puy de Sancy (the Puy-de-Dôme is the highest point of this mount). It flows into the Gironde river, in an estuary which it shares with the Garonne (another river). The Dordogne crosses five départements, one of them is even called "Dordogne".