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When you think of France, I bet it's probably places like Paris, Nice, Lyon, Marseille that come to mind.

The touristy quartet, and hey, no shame in loving them, by the way: I'm a proud adopted Parisian myself. What can start getting on your nerves, however, especially if you're here in the frog-eating heartland for a relaxed European city break, is the TikTokers running around in their silly beret hats, the long waiting lines at the entrance of museums, and can we talk about the overpriced food?

Listen, Paris is a literal food mecca, and I simply won't hear otherwise, but when you do get served a mid blanquette, not awful by any standards, but not exceptional either, and you still get billed like you've had a royal feast, it does sting, pretty badly.

I've been here for 5 years. Trust me, I know.

I've also spent the same amount of time shining a light on lesser-known French destinations Americans are still sleeping on, and this week it just dawned on me I never wrote up a piece on one of the most innofensive, no-drama, chillvilles that there are in our beloved Hexagon.

Home to a gorgeous Gothic cathedral—one of Europe's most beautiful—and with barely any foreign tourists, Clermont-Ferrand is one of those hidden gems that let you wander at your own pace:

A Beautiful Cathedral City In The Very Middle Of France

There's a reason why you've never heard of this mysterious French city before.

Open a Google Maps tab, and type Clermont-Ferrand into the search bar. It's located just slightly south of the very center of France. You might be thinking, well, what's that got to do with anything? It explains it all, my friend.

Central France is probably the most sparsely-populated region in France, something they like to call a ‘human desert'. Unlike the north, or the south, there aren't huge agglomeration areas.

As a matter of fact, Clermont-Ferrand is the largest city in any central (or central-ish) département by a wide margin. It's home to around 145,000 people in the city proper, while the metro area reaches over 280,000.

Just to give you an idea, the second-largest town in the central region would be Montluçon, and it has only 35,000 residents.

That's point one. Point two is that, unless you're specifically headed for Clermont-Ferrand, it's not somewhere you'll even get to just whoosh past with the train:

Most southbound trains from Paris pass via Lyon, making it a popular transit hub halfway between north and south, and while the Clermont-Ferrand line shares the same tracks for part of the journey, it then branches off on a slower line.

There's not even a direct high-speed trains linking Paris to this (technically) remote inland metropolis. France has many islands, but I'm starting a petition to officially class Clermont-Ferrand as one.

Clermont-Ferrad

An Ancient Cathedral City Built In The Heart Of Volcanic Landscape

That said, why would you go out of your way—and I mean, really out of your way—to visit?

I mean, have you taken a proper look at the gorgeous cathedral yet? It's Kölner Dom-level of pretty.

Clermont-Ferrand (CF if we're being lazy) sits right in the heart of Chaîne des Puys, a chain of dormant volcanoes that have shaped the city's culture, and even its most iconic edifice. If you're wondering why the cathedral looks so… hem… dark, just know it's not due to the ageing of the bricks.

A unique construction for its time, and even in the present day, the 13th-century Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption has soaring twin spires you can see from several miles away, an intricately-carved western façade, and flying buttresses and details all meticulously carved out of volcanic stone.

How insanely cool? Yet, that's merely the tip of the iceberg.

All This Ancient Charm, And No Tourists To Be Seen

Clermont-Ferrand just happens to be one of the oldest cities in France, founded in the Roman era, in around 50 BC, and it simply exudes ancient history everywhere you look.

The Romanesque church right in the downtown area, Basilique Notre-Dame-du-Port—funny name as there's no port for hundreds of miles—is another one of the city's prized religious assets:

Part of the UNESCO-recognized Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France, it's commonly visited by more adventurous pilgrims who set off on the Camino from Paris, all the way to the Galicia in Spain.

If it's medieval streets that make your heart skip a beat, the narrow Rue des Gras is lined with old stone buildings, and it offers that postcard-perfect framing of the cathedral towers.

Bordered by boutiques, coffeeshops and commemorative statues, Place de Jaude is CF's hub of social life, and the best spot in town to grab a pint of local beer and a quick bite to eat as you people-watch, after a whole morning of sightseeing.

For the nature enthusiasts, what else can I say other than you're literally at the doorstop of one of the most unspoiled, least-treaded, mind-blowing mountainous scenery you'll get in France? Forget the hyped-up Pyrenees or the Alps: the forest-covered Chaîne des Puys and its dramatic craters is in a league of its own.

If you're not here for hiking exactly, you can still find a killer view of the city and its cathedral backed by the mountains from up Parc de Montjuzet. Needless to say, sunset hours are best.

CF Is As Affordable As French Cities Get

When it comes to affordability, CF is about as easy on the wallet as French cities come. It’s not Paris-level painful—especially for food and drinks—but let’s not pretend it’s Albania-cheap either.

This is sensible France pricing, not bargain-bin Balkans.

Le Bistrot d’à Côté, one of the old-school staples in town, pours regional Auvergne wines and plates up steak with seasonal sides in a polished but unfussy setting (around $35 per person).

L’Instantané is another local darling, known for giving classic French dishes a creative twist (roughly $29), and if you’re craving exceptionally-good grilled meats, Le Comptoir has you covered (about $35).

You’ll likely spend about what you would in any mid-sized French city when it comes to meals, but where CF really wins is accommodation.

Affordable Hotels In Clermont-Ferrand, France

A night at the centrally located 3-star Kyriad Hotel starts at around $66.

Want to shave that down even more? The Originals Residence Appart’Hôtel can go for as little as $48 per night for a solo stay.

And if you’re feeling mildly bougie? Here’s the kicker: what counts as “splurging” in Clermont would barely get you a tired B&B on the outskirts of Paris. A 4-star stay at the Radisson Blu comes in at roughly $128 per night. Not exactly ruinous.

Is Clermont-Ferrand worth the detour? I'm inclined to say yes. It's a cultural behemoth that rarely gets the praise it deserves, and that magnificent, black-beauty of a cathedral truly is a vertical bridge to Heaven, but if anything, it just mounts up to a pleasant-enough old city weekend stroll without the usual hordes of Instagrammers.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.