Vulcania is the big park devoted to volcanoes and Earth sciences, set right in the Chaîne des Puys at Saint-Ours-les-Roches, about twenty minutes from Clermont-Ferrand. Opened in 2002 on the initiative of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, it's now one of the big family days out in Auvergne, somewhere between thrill rides, motion cinemas and real science outreach. Here's how to plan your day properly.
When to go
In 2026, the park is open from 25 March to 1 November. It opens at 10:00 and closes at 18:00 or 19:00 depending on the period, later on late-opening nights (14 dates in May, July and August 2026). Good to know: access to the car parks and ticket desks closes two hours before the park closes, so don't aim to arrive in the last hour.
To avoid the crowds, go in low season (outside school holidays and bank holiday weekends): waiting times at the attractions are generally short then. During school holidays, Wednesday and Thursday are usually the busiest days, so as a family you're better off going at the weekend. One detail that can ruin a day: in 2026, from 1 September to 13 October, the park is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. In September and early October, plan your visit between Wednesday and Sunday. The park only reopens every day from 14 October, through to 1 November.
How long to plan
Allow a full day at least: the average visit lasts more than six hours, and a good part of the park is underground, sheltered from the weather. To spread the visit out, the 2-day ticket, sold online only, covers two consecutive days: in 2026, that works out from €21.50 per day for an adult.
Prices
In 2026, a one-day ticket costs roughly €28 to €33 for an adult and €23 to €27.50 for a child aged 6 to 16, depending on the period (the most popular dates are the most expensive). It's free for under-3s, and you'll pay €7.50 to €9.50 for a little one aged 3 to 5. The two-day ticket comes to roughly €43 to €47 for an adult. To pay a bit less, the "billet malin" (smart ticket), sold online only and no later than 5 days before your visit, costs €27 instead of €28 for an adult in low season in 2026.
With kids: from what age?
For little ones, Vulcania has several play areas for children aged 3 and up: the Cité des enfants, the Maison and the Galerie Pitoufeu, the Geyser, with water games, slides and a suspension bridge. But be careful: the motion rides have a minimum height (1.20 m for Namazu, 1.10 m for the Dragon Ride), and some scenes may upset the youngest. If you're coming with young children, pick out the gentle attractions and the shows in advance.
Older kids, for their part, will love the big thrills: the Namazu roller coaster, the Dragon Ride, the Premier Envol, or the planetarium, the biggest in France under its 22-metre dome.
What's new
Vulcania refreshes what it offers on a regular basis. New for summer 2026, Expédition Hawaï takes you into the heart of Kilauea, in the footsteps of Katia and Maurice Krafft: guided by the volcanologist Lila, you surf on a lava lake and sail along glowing lava flows (15 minutes, from 90 cm tall). At the planetarium, the film Destination Lune, about the Artemis mission, is showing from 9 September to 1 November 2026. The night show Primordia closed the 14 late openings of 2026, the last one on 26 August.
On site and getting there
On site, several places to eat range from sandwiches to self-service, and you can also have a picnic (a covered room and shaded outdoor spots). The park sits at 1,000 metres above sea level, and its car parks are free.
What about the Volcan de Lemptégy?
People often mix them up, but Vulcania and the nearby Volcan de Lemptégy are two independent sites: there's no combined ticket for the two. Lemptégy has its own combined pass with the Grotte de la Pierre de Volvic. The two go together really well on a volcano weekend: Vulcania for the science and the thrills, Lemptégy to walk through a real volcano laid bare.
To see where Vulcania fits in the bigger picture, have a look at our guide visiting the volcanoes of Auvergne and the full Vulcania listing.
