Location

Clermont-Ferrand is a lively city located at 410 altitude meter in the heart of the Auvergne Volcanoes chain. It is overlooked by the Puy de Dôme at the West and the former battlefied of Gervovia where Vercingetorix defeated Caesar, and at the East by the Limagne Plain, which is an important rich soil.

This climate is characteristic with an important thermal amplitude. The summer is hot and dry with some storms whereas the winter is very dry cold.

This European metropolis is pleasant to live not only for its natural beauty and geographical position but also for its history.
Clermont ranks among the oldest cities of France. The first known mention was by the Greek geographer Strabo. At that time, the city name is Nemessos - a Gaulish word for a sacred forest. In the late fifth century, Auvergne was the target of Visigothic expansion, and the city was besieged by Euric. Although defended by Sidonius Apollinaris, it became part of the Visigothic Kingdom in 475. A generation later, it became part of the kingdom of the Franks.
In 848, the city was renamed Clairmont, after the castle Clarus Mons. During this era, it was an episcopal city ruled by its bishop, and it was the starting point of the First Crusade from the Christian world to free Jerusalem from Muslim domination - Pope Urban II preached the crusade there in 1095 at the Council of Clermont.
In the 20th century, the implantation of the Michelin factories support the international developement of Clermont-Ferrand and its economy expands to all sector of industry.

Moreover, the city keeps these human characteristics despite its 140,000 inhabitants. The Auvergne region knows how to receive people and is eager to introduce its cultural heritage and traditional dishes like "pôtée auvergnate" (potatoes, cabbage and pork), "aligot" (potato puree with melt tomme cheese) or "truffade" (potatoes with cantal cheese, garlic and lardons).

This is with all these reasons, that we decided to organise the EGEE User Forum, here, in Clermont-Ferrand.