Day 30 – Tulle

 

Le Puy du Dome

      

We spent much of the morning wandering around Thiers.  We rather liked it.  Thiers is the centre of knife making industry in France and has been for several centuries.  Apparently about 80% of knife production in France.  There were a number of shops selling a huge range of knives.  We spent some time looking at knives and I bought a utility knife, unfortunately not one made in Thiers but French nonetheless.  I now wish I had bought another one that I saw but I missed the opportunity. 

I was even surprised that Bev enjoyed looking at them, kitchen stuff is usually my thing. 

Tulle was our next destination.  We were going via the Puy du Dome which is just outside Clermont-Ferrand.  We found a lookout in Thiers and from there we could just see the volcanic dome rising above all the other hills through the haze.

The trip there saw us climbing out of a valley toward Clermont-Ferrand and from there to the base of the Puy du Dome.  There are two ways to climb the mountain; you can either climb a very steep path or take a train that winds its way up the mountain. 

Near enough to the summit

I first saw the Puy du Dome on TV when the Tour de France had a finish at the top of it.  It was a very steep climb and the riders looked completely done as they crested the top.

We took the train to the top and spent half an hour or so wandering around the summit.  The Puy du Dome is an extinct volcano and  the largest of a string of them in Massive Central.  It was bitterly cold up there as the wind was howling at the summit.  I was lucky not to lose my cap.  

The little train with cog wheel for the steep climb
 
Nonetheless it was great to see and be on it although a strenuous walk up it would have been nice if we had had the time.

The countryside we drove through was lovely and soon we were travelling along a road into Tulle.  First impressions were not great and did not change a lot during our brief stay there.  We found our apartment which was very nice and on the main street.  What we didn’t know was that we were a kilometre or so from the medieval heart of the town. 

Then we went in search of a restaurant.  Unfortunately we turned left instead of right.  We had thought the main centre was near the river.  The first one we found was not serving food but we were told to go along the road.  We found a rather nice little place, which, after we arrived filled up.  The meals we had were very nice.  Not memorable but the food was very flavoursome and well cooked.  We were very happy. Later we found out that if we had turned right and walked for about ten minutes we would have come to the real centre where there are restaurants, and it is alongside the river.  

Tulle was a centre of lace making a long time ago and it is where the term tulle came from.  I don’t think it is something done now and it certainly showed no signs of being a centre for it.  


Looking alone the line of volcanoes

These stones seem to be the remnants of a temple here in Roman times


Looking down at Clermont-Ferrand - not the greatest photo


 
I thought this looked a little like Wellington houses

Comments

  1. Susan25 May 2026 at 23:20

    It does look like Wellington houses on the steep hill

    ReplyDelete

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