Frequently Asked Questions

At the last census carried out in 2012, Issoire had 14 296 inhabitants. All of Pays d’Issoire with its 93 communes has about 55 000 inhabitants.

By bus

• Line 20 – Anzat-Le-Luguet – Issoire – Clermont-Ferrand
• Line 36 – Issoire – Lamontgie
• Line 37 – Issoire – St-Germain-L’herm
• Line 38 – Issoire – Vic-Le-Comte
• Line 43 – Champeix – Clermont-Fd / St Sandoux – Cournon
• Line 44 – Besse – Saurier – Issoire
• Line 71 – Champeix – Issoire
• Line 85 – Issoire – Sauxillanges

Before taking the bus, call the bus companies to check times.

All the bus times: http://www.puydedome.com/?IDINFO=_38625

By train

A local TER train runs across Pays d’Issoire and stops at the stations of Parent-Coudes-Champeix, Issoire, Le Breuil-Sur-Couze and Brassac-les-mines. For train times, see http://www.voyages-sncf.com/

Perrier is a town in Pays d’Issoire, just to the west of Issoire, but it has nothing to do with the world famous sparkling water, which comes from a source in Vergèze near Nîmes in the south of France.

In Auvergne, there are no shortages of places to buy cheese…

Here are some of them:

• Directly at the farm, from cheese makers 
• Cheese shops 
• Markets

At the Tourist Office in Issoire, 9 Place Saint-Paul, there is free wifi access, and only an email address is needed to log on. To make your stay easier, we have also made a list of all the wifi hotspots in Pays d’Issoire.

See all the adapted parking areas in Pays d’Issoire

Our tips for Issoire:

• The Mas campsite, near exit n° 12 of the A75 motorway, has 6 pitches for camping cars
• Parking available in the town centre on Place du Foirail, next to the police station (except for Saturday, market day, and during special events).

Parking is free in the Place Altaroche car park in front of the abbey church. Parking is free on Boulevard Jules Cibrand, Boulevard Triozon Bayle and on Avenue de la Gare. Please note that some areas are ‘blue zones’ (limited duration).

There is a parking fee from Tuesday to Friday on Place Saint Paul on the Tourist Office side, on Place de la République, Boulevard Buisson, Boulevard de la Manlière and Boulevard de la Sous-Préfecture.

In the town centre, the following car parks are free: La Montagne (Place de La Montagne), La Cascade (Rue de la Cascade), Le Postillon (Place du Postillon) and L’Espagnon (Rue Espagnon). A little further away, there are also car parks at the train station and at L’Animatis.

• Ages 0 to 3
• Ages 3 to 6
• Ages 6 to 12
• Over 12s

There are many banks with ATMs (cash machines) outside in the centre of Issoire.

See all the ATMs on this map

• Not to be missed: la truffade, potatoes, Cantal or Salers cheese, garlic and parsley, served with a plate of charcuterie
• Nice and filling: la potée auvergnate, a cabbage and pork dish
• Surprising: le pounti, a sweet and savoury terrine with chard, bacon and prunes
• A typical dish: le chou farci (stuffed cabbage)
• Autumnal: la pompe aux pommes, the Auvergne dessert par excellence
• For the morning: les Tripoux, made with sliced calf’s tripe served with pieces of rumen, and rolled up and tied with a sheep’s stomach and fine entrails
• Smooth and creamy: le Suprême d’Issoire: a famous local cake that can only be found in the Couronne d’Arthur shop in Rue du Ponteil in Issoire
• Unforgettable: the wine from Boudes AOC Côtes d’Auvergne: see the winemakers in the village of Boudes.

Weekly markets

• Monday: ARDES (Place de la Fontaine),  VERNET LA VARENNE (1st and 3rd Monday of the month).
• Tuesday: SAUXILLANGES (centre).
• Friday: CHAMPEIX (Place du Pré).
• Saturday: ISSOIRE (Place de la République, Place du Foirail, and Rue de la Berbiziale).
• Sunday: BRASSAC LES MINES (centre).

Evening markets

• Wednesday evening in July and August: CHAMPEIX (Place du Pré)

Summer evening markets

• Thursday from 6 to 10 p.m. in summer only: SAINT-GERMAIN-LEMBRON

During your stay in Pays d’Issoire, you will be required to pay a tourist tax, which is a tax set up to help tourist development in Pays d’Issoire. It is paid directly to the owner of the accommodation where you are staying. The amount due is set per day and per person and may differ according to the type of accommodation, and sometimes to the accommodation rating. Please note that visitors under 18 are not subject to the tax.

Detailed rates:

For all towns (except in and around Issoire)

• All accommodation: €0.65
• Campsites: from unrated to 2 stars = €0.20, 3* campsite = €0.40, 4* and 5* campsite = €0.50
• Camping-car areas: €0.40

For the towns of Issoire, Le Broc, Perrier, Pardines, Meilhaud

• Bed & breakfasts: €0.40
• Campsites:from unrated to 2 stars = €0.20, 3* campsite = €0.30, 4* and 5*campsite = €0.30
• Camping-car areas: €0,40
• Holiday villages: up to 1* = €0.30, 2* and over = €0.50
• Furnished flats, gîtes, residences and hotels: unrated = €0.30, 1* = €0.40, 2* = €0.50, 3* = €0.60, 4* and 5* = €0.70

The two nearest public toilets are:

• near the abbey church on the corner of Rue des Fours and Boulevard Triozon Bayle,
• between Rue de l’Ancien Hôpital and the little Rue Auguste Bravard.

See on the map