Ask a stranger in the street what comes to mind when you say “Auvergne”,
he will inevitably answer “cows”, “very rural” or maybe “Saint-Nectaire cheese”.
But, what is the Auvergne really like?
Our first photo is a picture of the puy du Baladou in Saulzet-Le-Froid,
Auvergne. The colors are amazing. The view from up there is picturesque. You can see the puy de Dôme in the background. Mountains are definitely part of the Auvergne!
We took the second picture two days before Christmas, in Clermont-Ferrand,
the regional capital of the Auvergne. It is Place
de Jaude, where you can go shopping, get a drink or a snack, or just meet up with friends. New shops open up all the time. It is huge and colorful, especially
during Christmas time. On the right is the tramway, shops and offices. In the middle, you can see a
tall Christmas tree and a Ferris wheel, one of the biggest in France. It reminds
us of when we went to London. You can compare this square with those in any world city! Clermont is very dynamic and full of young people. There are plenty
of bars, clubs and restaurants. The Michelin tyre industry was started here. Limagrain,
one of the biggest international agricultural groups has its headquarters
nearby. The famous ASM rugby team is based here. Clermont, like in all urban areas, has a pollution problem, so that is
why we encourage the use of bikes and have brought back the tramway. The great advantage
of the city is the fact that it is surrounded by countryside. People live in dormitory
towns and it is great for tourism.
The point of our pictures is to remind people that the Auvergne is
not just countryside, there are lively and friendly towns too!
