The Temple of Mercure at the summit of Puy de Dôme

As early as the 1st century AD, a temple was erected on the summit of Puy de Dôme, above the town of Clermont-Ferrand (Augustonemetum at the time). Initially built in Arkose, a rock native to the Auvergne region, it became too small and was quickly rebuilt and enlarged in trachyte, a rock extracted directly from the foot of the mountain. Pilgrims could reach the temple via the Roman road that linked Lyon to Saintes and passed over the Col de Ceyssat. From there, it was possible to climb to the summit of Puy de Dôme on the mule track.

With its imposing dimensions, the temple of Mercury was even visible from the town of Augustonemetum on a clear day.

Abandoned in the 5th century, the Temple of Mercury gradually disappeared from the landscape as nature gradually reclaimed its rights.

The Temple of Mercury before restoration work in 2024:

It wasn't until 1872 that the remains of the Puy de Dôme temple were uncovered by chance during the construction of the meteorological observatory. Work on the observatory then gave way to methodical excavations carried out by the Académie des Sciences from 1873 to 1878. These excavations enabled the first plans of the ancient Temple to be drawn up.

The ruins were not finally listed as a historical monument until 1889.

Further excavations were subsequently carried out, revealing another small temple nearby and a statue of Mercury.

Despite this classification as a historic monument, the construction of the Puy de Dôme antenna in 1956, which was carried out without any preliminary excavations, brought to light a monetary treasure.

But it was the most recent excavations in the early 2000s that revealed the most precise architectural plans of the temple, using the latest methods and tools.

Following these latest excavations, the Departmental Council, which owns the site, decided to launch restoration work on the parts of the temple that had been clearly identified. This will involve the southern enclosure wall and the south-east corner of the temple's terrace wall. The project was launched in 2008 and will be completed in 2024, at a total cost of €7 million.

The remains of Mercury's temple are finally back in their monumental place at the summit of the volcano, with the regular sweep of paragliders now a welcome addition compared with the Gallo-Roman era.

Imposing from below, the remains of Mercury's temple are even more so from the air. So if you'd like to take a bird's eye view of the site, don't hesitate to contact us to book a paragliding experience at the summit of the Puy de Dôme. You won't be disappointed!

The Temple of Mercury after restoration work in 2024: