The road to the summit is reserved for service vehicles: on Puy de Dôme (1,465 m), everyone goes up on foot or by train. Good news: the two combine really well, and the summit more than repays the effort, with the Chaîne des Puys lined up as far as the eye can see and the remains of the Temple of Mercury.
The Panoramique des Dômes: the rack railway
The train leaves from the Maison de site (the visitor centre), chemin du Couleyras in Orcines (free car park with about 1,000 spaces, bus line P36 from Clermont-Ferrand). The ride up takes 15 minutes. In 2026, a train leaves every 20 minutes in July and August (9:00 to 20:00), every 40 minutes from 28 March to 30 June and again from 1 September to 1 November (9:00 to 19:00), once an hour from 1 to 22 March and again from 4 November to 18 December (10:00 to 17:00), and every 30 minutes from 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 (10:00 to 17:00). Watch out for the catch: the high season for prices (April to September) and the high season for the timetable (July-August) don't line up, so in September you pay the full price and get a train every 40 minutes.
2026 prices: adult return €18.60 from April to September (€17.20 from October to March), €11.70 for young people aged 4 to 14 (€10.10 in low season), family pass for 2 adults + 2 young people at €49.90, free under 4. There's also a one-way ticket (€15.50 adult in high season, €14.40 the rest of the year): that's the one that makes the smart plan possible, walk up and ride down, or the other way round. No need to book, except for the evening runs, which must be booked. In 2026, they ran every Thursday from 23 July to 20 August, five evenings in all, with a last departure at 23:40 and a last ride down at midnight. The sunset from up there is worth the planning, but it's a handful of summer Thursdays, not the whole summer.
Dogs ride for €5.50 (except category 1 dogs under French law). The train doesn't run every day. In 2026, it's closed on Mondays and Tuesdays in March up to the 17th and again from 2 November to 15 December, during its two maintenance weeks (23 to 27 March and 16 to 20 November) and on 25 December. On 24 December 2026, the last ride down is at 15:30.
On foot by the Chemin des Muletiers: the most direct
It's said to be the old pilgrims' path to the Temple of Mercury. You start at the Col de Ceyssat: 1.9 km, 350 m of climbing, allow 45 minutes to 1 hour of steady switchbacks, with yellow waymarks and interpretation panels along the way. Short but tough: it's a real climb, not a stroll.
The Col de Ceyssat car park fills up fast in season and parking along the D68 is not allowed: at busy times, start from the Maison de site instead (long variant: 6 km, 1.5 to 2 hours).
The Chemin des Chèvres: the easy-going climb
Starting from the Maison de site car park, this path follows the route of the GR 4-441: about 6 km and 1.5 to 2 hours of walking, first through forest, then with the view opening up over the neighbouring puys, and built steps on the steep sections. The last 500 metres run alongside the railway line.
At the summit: the Temple of Mercury and the view
You earn the summit, then you savour it: the remains of the Temple of Mercury, the largest mountain sanctuary in Roman Gaul (2nd century), can be visited freely, with a museum space next door (films, models, audio guides). The Grand Site de France space rounds off the visit, and you can eat up there: a brasserie, a restaurant and a takeaway counter. One drawback: the panorama interpretation tables were removed during the summit works, and their reinstallation was announced for summer 2026.
On a clear day, the view takes in the whole Chaîne des Puys, including the Puy de Pariou right opposite: our Puy de Dôme page and our Puy de Pariou page help you make a full day of it.
What you need to know
- Driving to the top: not possible. The road alongside the train is reserved for service and emergency vehicles.
- By bike: same rule, the road alongside the train is reserved exclusively for service and emergency vehicles.
- Paragliding: Puy de Dôme is a major free-flight site, with eight take-off areas, one for each wind direction, and tandem flights with a state-qualified instructor; the train even sells a three-trip “paragliding flight” ticket, valid for one day.
- Dogs: on a lead on the paths (herds on summer pasture), allowed on the train.
- Weather: the summit has its own weather, often windy. Check the webcam on the official website before you go up, and avoid the Muletiers path in the rain.
Good to know before you go
How long does it take to walk up? Allow 45 minutes to 1 hour from the Col de Ceyssat via the Muletiers (1.9 km, 350 m of climbing), and 1.5 to 2 hours from the Maison de site via the Chèvres or the long variant of the Muletiers.
Do you need to book the train? No, except for the evening runs (booking required). In 2026, a train leaves every 20 minutes in July-August, every 40 minutes from 28 March to 30 June and from 1 September to 1 November.
Can you go up with children? Yes: the train puts the summit within everyone's reach, and the Chèvres path works well with children who are used to walking. The Muletiers is steeper but short.
Do you have to pay to visit the summit? No. Only the train costs money; the paths and the Temple of Mercury are open access.