Puy Pariou, Ancient volcano in Chaîne des Puys, France.
The circular crater measures 90 meters in depth and 200 meters in diameter, forming a perfect cone shape at 1209 meters elevation.
The volcano experienced multiple eruption phases, creating two distinct cones and three lava flows that reached the present locations of Nohanent and Chamalières.
The mountain paths lead visitors through a landscape of deciduous trees and juniper plants growing on volcanic stones containing augite and olivine minerals.
Marked trails begin at the Goules parking lot, offering a 14.9-kilometer round trip with an elevation gain of 296 meters through the volcanic terrain.
Two separate craters exist on the mountain: the older Pariou to the north and west, and the newer Pariou positioned slightly off-axis to the south.
Location: Orcines
Elevation above the sea: 1,209 m
GPS coordinates: 45.79696,2.97165
Latest update: June 23, 2025 09:39
Clermont-Ferrand is distinguished by its dark volcanic stone architecture and its close proximity to the Chaîne des Puys. The religious heritage includes the Basilica of Notre-Dame du Port, an outstanding example of 12th-century Auvergnat Romanesque art, and the Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Cathedral, a Gothic building constructed from volcanic stone. The Place de Jaude serves as the hub of city life, lined with historic buildings and shops. The city hosts several museum institutions that explore local and industrial history. The Roger-Quilliot Museum of Art is housed in a former Ursuline convent and displays works from the 14th to the 20th century, while L'Aventure Michelin traces the evolution of the tire industry since 1889. Lecoq Garden covers 12 acres of green space in the city center. A few kilometers away, the Regional Natural Park of the Volcans d'Auvergne spans nearly 1,500 square miles and offers access to the Puy de Dôme, a volcano rising to 4,785 feet (1465 meters), and Puy Pariou, which reaches 3,960 feet (1209 meters) in altitude.
Puy de Dôme
2.8 km
Vulcania
3.1 km
Temple of Mercury
2.9 km
Puy de Lemptégy
3.1 km
Puy de Côme
2.4 km
Grand Sarcoui
2.1 km
Puy de Clierzou
975 m
Puy des Goules
1.6 km
Chopine and Gouttes puys
3.4 km
Le Grand Suchet
1.5 km
Petit Suchet
1.1 km
Puy de Chaumont
3.1 km
Golf des volcans
1.9 km
Puy de la Coquille
5.1 km
Puy de Fraisse
1.1 km
Croix de Ternant
2.6 km
Villars standing stone
5.1 km
Puy Pariou Stairway
128 m
Chaîne des Puys - Limagne fault tectonic arena
2 km
Puy de Montrodeix
4.5 km
Namazu
3.2 km
Puy des Gouttes
3.4 km
Église Saint-Julien d'Orcines
3.5 km
Nid de la Poule
2 km
Grottes du Petit Suchet
1.1 km
Puy Chopine
3.7 km
Grottes de Cliersou
1 km
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