Créé par Emilie, le 20 juin 2026
Votre guide Ryo
Top 10 Culinary Specialties of Clermont-Ferrand
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Historic capital of Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand also stands out for its gastronomy. Auvergne local products are a real delight for food lovers. During your visit to Clermont-Ferrand, you must honor our heritage by tasting the best cheeses that this region produces. Auvergne is also renowned for its wines, some of which are produced on the volcanic lands of the Puys range. With no less than 80 inactive volcanoes extending over 45 kilometers, viticulture is more than present in this area. The minerals emanating from the volcanic lands allow the production of quality wine. It's impossible to leave Auvergne with an empty stomach!
1- Fruit paste
Fruit paste has been an Auvergne tradition for several centuries. The first traces of making these little sweet and fruity treats appeared in the 15th century. Fruit paste is made from sugar and fruits like quince, apple, apricot or plum. The fruits are pureed before being cooked with sugar. The cooking ends before they caramelize. Once dried for 3 days, these little delights are cut, rolled in sugar, and you can enjoy.
2- Petit salé with lentils
Undoubtedly one of the favorite winter dishes of Auvergne people. This comforting dish is composed of several pieces of meat that come mainly from pork. Rind, bacon, knuckle, ham hock, ribs, all pieces of meat are welcome in this recipe. Everything is accompanied and cooked with a good portion of lentils.
3- Bleu d'Auvergne
The Auvergne region is renowned for its substantial number of very high quality cheeses. Obviously bleu d'Auvergne is part of it! This cheese is produced from cow's milk. Once the curdling process is finished, the cheese is salted manually before moving to the piercing stage. Using large needles, producers pierce the cheese so that air passes through to create this mold. All that's left is to place the cheese in a cool and humid cave for at least 4 weeks for it to ripen. As they say when talking about cheese: 'The stronger it smells, the better it is!'
4- Truffade
Auvergne knows how to make us salivate with these hearty meals that delight our stomachs. And truffade will surely please you. This dish is made from potatoes cut into rounds before being cooked. Once cooking is finished, garlic and fresh tome are added. This dish is very simple to make and pleases everyone!
5- Auvergne stew
Auvergne cuisine is very skilled when it comes to making winter dishes. During the cold period, Auvergne stew will warm you up. This dish is composed of cabbage, carrots, potatoes, knuckle, bacon and sausage. All ingredients are cooked together to give additional flavor. Broth is added and served like a soup. For maximum conviviality, this meal goes wonderfully with red wine like Cahors.
6- Pounti
Pounti is the perfect example of the old traditional peasant dish from Auvergne. It's a pâté made of wheat flour mixed with eggs and milk, bacon, chard leaves and prunes. To accompany this country pâté, nothing beats a good dry white wine from the Auvergne hills.
7- Fresh tome tart
Like an institution of Auvergne gastronomy, fresh tome is used in several ways. This tart is prepared with shortcrust pastry on which fresh Cantal tome is placed. This dish is very appreciated by locals. It is often served during holiday periods or family meals. It is usually served with a salad or grilled vegetables.
8- Green lentils
Puy green lentils have a characteristic that makes them unique. These are planted at altitude, in the Puy massif, renowned for its volcanic soil allowing the production of various quality products. Their particularity earned them a Controlled Designation of Origin (AOC).
9- Gentian liqueur
Gentian liqueur is a very renowned digestif in the Auvergne region. This alcohol is made from yellow gentian root, a plant cultivated in several mountain ranges including the Massif Central. The distillation and maceration process gives it its very pronounced bitterness. This digestif is renowned for its benefits on digestion. It is also nicknamed the 'yellow fairy'.
10- Côtes-d'Auvergne
As mentioned in the introduction, Auvergne has made a place for itself among the many vineyards of the French landscape. Its basaltic soil offers quality wine. In Auvergne, two grape varieties are mainly used: Pinot Noir and Gamay. The characteristic of its wines allowed them to obtain AOC and AOP appellations. Whether red or white, these wines accompany a good number of traditional dishes like truffade.