THE SLEEPING GIANT

In the heart of Auvergne, the Puy de Dôme overlooks the volcanoes of the Chaîne des Puys. From the city of Clermont-Ferrand, you only have to look up to admire the tall silhouette of the dormant volcano. It stands there, like a lighthouse guiding travellers, an immutable guardian of the horizon and an indispensable meteorological indicator for the inhabitants of lower Auvergne.

From generation to generation, the men and women who are born and live in the department to which it has given its name have a special bond with this strange volcano. For those whom life has taken away from their native land, returning home is inevitably marked by a feeling of peace at the mere sight of the giant’s silhouette rising on the horizon: the feeling of finally ‘coming home’.

Since the Gallo-Romans built one of the largest sanctuaries in the Roman West on its summit, the site has been the scene of many human adventures: scientific experiments, technical and sporting feats. Through the long and rich history of the dormant volcano, another story unfolds: the universal story of the bond between humans and the landscape. But this story also raises many questions about the evolution of the landscape under human influence and the adverse effects of excessive tourism.