Riom: Architecture, Museums and Nature

Get to know Riom through its historic architecture, collections and nature. The different themes can help you plan your trip according to whether you are particularly interested in architectural history, art and everyday life, or a nature-related theme.

Historic Buildings and Their Stories

The Sainte-Chapelle was built at the end of the 14th century by Hugues Foucher for Jean de Berry. It preserves a fragment of the True Cross and features a freely adapted form of late medieval Flamboyant Gothic. The construction period, patron, relic and style offer different perspectives on the same building: you can understand it through its history as well as its architecture. Riom’s architectural heritage reflects significant periods of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the 18th century.

The Tour de l’Horloge also combines a historical connection with a specific visitor experience. It has been classified as a Historic Monument since 1862. Visitors can explore the former town tower independently; the experience includes permanent exhibitions, tactile models and a 360-degree panorama. Unlike at the Sainte-Chapelle, the panorama is a focus of the visit here, alongside the building’s history. As visitor offerings may change, check the latest access information in advance.

Museums: Art and Regional Ways of Life

The Musée Mandet houses around 10,000 paintings, sculptures and works of art dating from antiquity to the 21st century. The Musée régional d’Auvergne presents more than 4,000 objects relating to rural Auvergne in the 19th century and the region’s inhabitants today. The two collections have different emphases: the Musée Mandet spans the period from antiquity to the present day, while the Musée régional d’Auvergne focuses on a specific region and its ways of life.

Rural life and traditional crafts feature prominently at the Musée régional d’Auvergne. These include lace-making and rosary-making, spinning, weaving, stoneworking, pottery and basketry. If you are interested in the history of everyday life and crafts, these subjects offer a concrete guide to choosing which museums to visit.

Summer Performances and Nature

For more than ten years, Riom has hosted free performances for the whole family, with a program running throughout July and into early August. Dates and formats may change. If you want to plan your trip around the performances, check the specific event dates.

The Colline de Mirabel is part of the European Natura 2000 network and is designated an Espace Naturel Sensible (Sensitive Natural Area). The hill is home to 21 orchid species, including the fly orchid, the spider orchid, the red helleborine and the small-leaved helleborine. The species inventory may be updated. The marked Sentier des orchidées (Orchid Trail) lets you explore the hill; check trail conditions locally if you plan to take this route.

Another landscape attraction is Parc Dumoulin. It is a landscaped garden with a pond crossed by a bridge and notable trees. Its description draws attention to garden design and individual landscape features, while the Colline de Mirabel is characterized by its designated protection status and orchid trail.

Planning Visits and Getting Around

The visitor guide for Riom can help you organize visits and walks using guides, maps and interactive maps. It also provides information about local transport, parking and train stations. Use these topics to plan your journey and check the details again, as transport and parking information may change.

You can choose from different types of visits when deciding what to include in your stay: historic buildings and their stories, collections with different time periods and themes, summer performances, and nature and garden attractions. This makes it possible to search for a hotel in Riom based on the interests that really matter to your trip.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Eloy-Les-Mines, Thuret, Condat-En-Combraille, Besse-Et-Saint-Anastaise, Montpeyroux, Baffie, Dallet, Murol.

For the overview of the wider region: Puy-De-Dôme.