Basilique Notre Dame du Port

Clermont-Ferrand


This architectural gem has all the key elements of a Romanesque church: semi-circular arches, a bulky silhouette and a broad headpiece. But its distinctive decorations set it apart, and strengthened the case for granting it Unesco World Heritage status in 1998. Floral and geometric patterns of black volcanic stone are smoothly set in its peachy sandstone. Its exterior playfully combines neoclassical columns, terracotta tiles and medieval reliefs. The exterior is best admired from the belvédère; follow signs across the street.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Clermont-Ferrand attractions

1. Notre Dame du Port Belvédère

0.03 MILES

Follow signs from rue Robertus to a staircase leading to head-on views of the extraordinarily detailed stonework on the Notre Dame du Port church.

2. Fontaine d'Amboise

0.18 MILES

Two blocks north of the cathedral, this early-16th-century fountain has three tiers carved in a delicate Gothic style. It's the focal point of a pretty…

3. Cathédrale Notre Dame

0.23 MILES

Clermont-Ferrand’s skyline broods with volcanic stone, but its most impressive edifice is Cathédrale Notre-Dame, whose 108m twin spires pierce the sky…

4. Église St-Eutrope

0.36 MILES

Sprouting from the 5th-century site of one of Clermont-Ferrand's oldest churches is this magnificent 12th-century church, crowned with a prickly Gothic…

5. Musée d'Histoire Naturelle Henri-Lecoq

0.45 MILES

Clermont’s natural history museum is a pleasant enough rainy-day diversion. The first floor pays homage to the city’s most famous son, 17th-century…

6. Place de Jaude

0.46 MILES

Just southwest of the old city, lined with bars and hotels, Clermont-Ferrand's monumental pedestrianised square is overlooked by a statue of heroic Celtic…

7. Statue of Vercingétorix

0.46 MILES

Since 1903, ancient Gaul's 'warrior king' has assumed a fearsome stance atop a horse in the middle of place de Jaude. The statue was created by Frédéric…

8. Musée Bargoin

0.48 MILES

Assembling a motley collection of ancient artefacts and modern design inside a stately 1903 building, the Bargoin is a good primer on Clermont old and new…