Vulcania
Vulcania opened on 20 February 2002 at 20.02 at the instigation of the former President of France, the late Valéry Giscard d’Estaing and the world-renowned volcanologists Maurice and Katia Kraft.
Vulcania – the volcanic theme park !
Of course, Vulcania is a theme park but it likes to be seen above all as a centre for activities with the themes of Volcanoes and Planet Earth. It has always been thought of as a scientific park with the motto : « Learn by having fun ». Totally dedicated to families, older visitors, couples and friends, the park is a mixture of scientific and fun discoveries. The huge outdoor space also provides lots of information about the flora and fauna found in the Puy de Dôme département.
Plunge into the heart of the Parc des Volcans d'Auvergne
Situated in the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d’Auvergne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2018, Vulcania aims to offer tourists from all over Europe a reason for exploring this region rich in volcanoes. What makes the park special is that visitors can actually see for themselves the 80 volcanoes which make up the Chaîne des Puys and the famous Faille de Limagne, then go to Vulcania to understand the phenomenon.
Exhibitions about volcanoes, earthquakes and natural phenomena
In 2019 three new worlds were opened on the themes of volcanoes, natural phenomena and the Earth in Space. The highlight of Vulcania for families with young children is the Cité des Enfants, an area created in partnership with the Cité des Sciences in Paris where children can experiment with water, explore senses and movements and discover how light is used. There are also a large number of educational workshops run by qualified monitors for both children and grownups.
The quality of the park lies in the mix of fascinating attractions and educational workshops which appeal to everyone and are a way of passing on knowledge to make us more aware of the major issues of the 21st century. In these times of environmental change, Vulcania can provide many answers to your questions.
It takes around 6 hours to see everything in the park. If you would like to stay in the neighbourhood the nearest gites are at Chanat la Mouteyre and Orcines.
Discover Puy de Dôme with Gites de France Puy de Dôme : Chaine des Puys, Puy de Dôme
How to get to Vulcania ?
By road : From North via A71 autoroute, then A89 towards Bordeaux, exit Vulcania / Bromont
From South via A75 autoroute, then A89 towards Bordeaux, exit Vulcania / Bromont.
From West via A86 autoroute, exit Vulcania/Bromont
From East via A72 autoroute, then A71 and A89 exit Vulcania / Bromont.
By rail : to Clermont-Ferrand
A shuttle bus runs during (French) school holidays between Clermont-Ferrand and Vulcania
The park is open late March – early November, 10.00 -18.00. Visit website for more precise details of opening times.
Address : 2 route de Mazayes – 63230 Saint-Ours-les-Roches – Tel : 04.73.19.70.00
