- Clermont-Ferrand's cathedral is unusual in that it's made of black volcanic rock
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clermont-Ferrand - Statue of Vercingetorix - a Gaulish king who defeated Julius Caesar's forces near here in 52 BC
Later that same year, though, Julius Caesar won the rematch - making this area part of the Roman Empire. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vercingetorix - Clermont-Ferrand is dominated by this 4,800' extinct volcanic cone - 'Puy de Dôme'
(part of a large chain of volcanic cones in this area) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puy_de_D%C3%B4me - Another famous local - the mathematician Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_Pascal