Stays in Clermont-Ferrand

Mercure Centre Jaude faces Place de Jaude, Clermont-Ferrand's main square, and stands about 500 metres from the cathedral, so families can see the centre on foot. Rooms are air-conditioned, which helps in summer, and breakfast is continental. There is a bar, a terrace and a fitness room, but nothing listed specifically for children. I would choose it for a short city visit with kids who enjoy walking rather than a pool holiday.

Student Factory Clermont République is an aparthotel in Clermont-Ferrand with air-conditioned units, each with a kitchenette, a private bathroom and a balcony with city views. For a small family, the kitchenette makes breakfasts and simple meals easy, and the balcony gives a little outdoor space. There is a shared lounge and WiFi is free. The units suit short or longer stays. No pool, play area or restaurant is listed, so this is a practical base from which to explore the city rather than a place to spend the day.

Grand Mess Clermont-Ferrand is a four-star with air-conditioned family rooms, and I find it one of the more comfortable picks for families in the city. Each room has a private bathroom, a desk and a TV. The terrace looks out to the mountains, and parents can use the spa and fitness room. The modern restaurant serves French cuisine for brunch, lunch and dinner, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, which helps with fussy or allergic eaters. Pets are welcome.

I would recommend the Novotel Suites Clermont Ferrand Polydome to families who want room to spread out in the city centre. The suites are spacious, with a seating area, a fridge, a microwave and tea and coffee facilities, which makes simple meals easy. The hotel faces the Polydôme Congress Centre and is a short distance from the train station. There is free WiFi, a lounge bar and a fitness room open 24 hours.

Near Clermont-Ferrand train station and the Polydome Congress Centre, the Kyriad ECO Estaing is a simple, well-rated base for families. Family rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms and walk-in showers, practical with small children. A sun terrace offers a spot to relax, Wi-Fi is free and the front desk is open 24 hours for late arrivals. Pets are accepted, and more than 7,400 reviews averaging 8.7 show that the formula works well for a 2-star hotel.

Residhome Clermont Ferrand Gergovia is an aparthotel in a quiet, natural setting a short drive from the city centre, and I find it suits families who like to self-cater. Each studio has an equipped kitchenette, a flat-screen TV, a work area and free WiFi. Public transport links directly to the city, and the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Natural Park is close by for outdoor days. Breakfast, parking and laundry are available for an extra fee, and pets are welcome.

Interconnecting family rooms are the reason to look at the Aiden by Best Western in Clermont-Ferrand: parents and children get their own space while staying side by side. Rooms are air-conditioned, with bathrobes and free WiFi. The wellness area has a spa, sauna, hammam and hot tub, and the restaurant serves French and European dishes in a family-friendly setting. Breakfast includes local specialities, and pets are welcome.

Free private parking and easy access to the motorways and airport make Hôtel Le Kennedy convenient for families driving through Auvergne, a short drive from central Clermont-Ferrand. Rooms are air-conditioned with classic decor and a private bathroom. A buffet breakfast is served, the bar is open 24 hours, and the adjacent La Boucherie restaurant saves a drive at dinner. Parents can use the spa and thalassotherapy centre, and pets are welcome.

Families will find the essentials covered: air-conditioned rooms, a kettle for warm drinks or bottles, and a sweet and savoury buffet breakfast that suits every taste at the table. Bathrooms have a shower rather than a bath, worth knowing with toddlers. The hotel sits 2.9 km from Clermont-Ferrand city centre, so plan a short ride to the cathedral and Place de Jaude, and keep Vulcania in mind for a day out by car.

Break & Home Les Carmes Dechaux gives every room a kitchenette, and for a family that wants to prepare its own meals in Clermont-Ferrand I would choose it over a standard hotel. Rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms, the sun terrace adds outdoor space, and the continental buffet breakfast includes gluten-free options, useful for children with dietary needs. The 24-hour front desk and bicycle parking help too. An 8.5 score over more than 3,000 reviews is reassuring.

Hôtel Le Lion stands on Place de Jaude, the main square of Clermont-Ferrand, a short walk from the Tourism Office. Rooms are air-conditioned and soundproofed, which matters in such a central spot, with private bathrooms and free Wi-Fi. The restaurant serves pizzas and regional specialities, an easy option with children, and there is a bar and a terrace. Breakfast is a buffet and the front desk is open 24 hours. I recommend it to families who want to explore the city on foot.

The sixth-floor terrace of the Hotel Litteraire Alexandre Vialatte looks over Clermont-Ferrand's cathedral and the volcanoes of the Chaîne des Puys, a view that gives children a first look at the landscape before a day trip. Breakfast is served in a panoramic dining area. Rooms are spacious and air-conditioned, some with balconies, and the historic quarter is a short walk away. Pets are welcome, which helps on a road trip.

Novotel Clermont-Ferrand sits near the motorways, about 5 km from the city centre, and I would suggest it to families arriving by car who want space to play. The garden has pétanque and table tennis, and the fitness room includes two hot tubs overlooking the greenery. Rooms are air-conditioned, with satellite TV and WiFi. The Novotel Café serves simple regional dishes with Auvergne wines and cheeses, and pets are welcome.

For a family driving south on the A71 or A75, this B&B HOTEL makes an easy overnight stop: free private parking, a lift for luggage and air-conditioned family rooms with private bathrooms. There is also a traditional French restaurant for lunch and dinner, so no one has to go out again after a long drive. The buffet breakfast includes local specialities, a nice first taste of the Auvergne for children.

Kitchenettes with a microwave, dishwasher and coffee machine make Privilodges Carré de Jaude easy for families who prefer to cook some meals in central Clermont-Ferrand. Apartments and studios have a living area with a sofa, desk and flat-screen TV. The Opera House is a short walk away, the 24-hour reception helps with late check-ins, and parents can use the fitness centre and spa. Pets are accepted.

I would consider the ibis Styles Clermont-Ferrand Aéroport for families who fly in or drive and want a quiet stop near the airport. The hotel is 2 km from Clermont-Ferrand Airport, with soundproofed, air-conditioned rooms and WiFi. Free private parking is included, a buffet breakfast is served, and a traditional French restaurant is on site. Pets are welcome, so the stop works for a family with a dog.

Rooms at the Ace Hôtel Clermont Ferrand La Pardieu sleep up to four, so a family can share one space instead of booking two. They are spacious, air-conditioned and soundproofed, which helps children sleep near a business district. Free WiFi is available, and pets are accepted. The hotel is near the city centre and convenient for a day trip to Vulcania or an event at the Grande Halle d'Auvergne.

The heated indoor pool is the family draw at this ibis Styles, welcome on a cool Auvergne evening after a day at the volcanoes. Rooms are air-conditioned, with a flat-screen TV that supports Chromecast, handy for a family film night, and a safe for valuables. The terrace and bar give parents a place to relax. The hotel is 15 minutes from Clermont-Ferrand city centre, so a car or public transport is needed for sightseeing.

Campanile Nature Clermont-Ferrand Le Brezet sits close to the airport with easy motorway access, and for a family driving through the Auvergne I would see it as a sensible stop. Rooms are air-conditioned with feather beds, and the on-site restaurant means no need to go out again after a long drive. Pets are welcome and the hotel suits families. It is not in the city centre, so plan the car for sightseeing. An 8.3 score over nearly 3,000 reviews is reassuring.

Oceania Clermont Ferrand is a four-star in the city centre with panoramic views of the Puy de Dôme. Families can use the spa area, with a hot tub and hammam, and a fitness room. Rooms are air-conditioned, with walk-in showers and free WiFi. The restaurant, set on a mezzanine, serves traditional and regional French cooking from Monday to Friday, and breakfast is a daily buffet. Pets are accepted. More than 900 reviews give it 8.3.

The Originals City Hotel Artyster is a three-star hotel 350 metres from Place de Jaude in central Clermont-Ferrand, and I like it for families who want to explore the city on foot, with the shops and restaurants of the pedestrian quarter close by. Rooms are soundproofed, which helps children sleep, and each has a private bathroom, a flat-screen TV and free WiFi. A lift serves the rooms, useful with a pushchair, and a buffet breakfast starts the day.

Résidence Nemea Clermont Centre gives families an apartment with a kitchenette and a private bathroom in the centre of Clermont-Ferrand, so meals can be prepared without eating out every day. The cathedral is less than 1 km away, which makes short walks with children easy. There is a fitness room for parents and bicycle parking for families exploring by bike. WiFi is free. No pool or play area is listed, so this is a practical base rather than a place to spend the day.

Ibis Clermont-Ferrand Centre Stade faces the Marcel Michelin stadium, and for a family coming to see an ASM Clermont rugby match I would book it for that position alone. Rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms, a continental breakfast is served daily and pets are welcome. Reception staff speak English and Spanish, helpful for visiting families. The bar suits parents after the game. An 8.1 score over nearly 3,000 reviews suggests a dependable stay.

CIT'HÔTEL Le Dav is on a pedestrian street in central Clermont-Ferrand, which means a quieter doorstep for children than a busy road. Place de Jaude and the cathedral are a short walk away, and bus and tram stops nearby make it easy to go further without a car. Rooms are basic, with satellite TV and a private bathroom. Luggage storage and a concierge help on arrival and departure days, and pets are welcome. I would treat it as a simple base for walking the old centre.

For a family crossing France by car, this Ibis Budget is placed where three motorways meet: the A89, A71 and A75 junctions are close, so you can stop for the night without detouring into the city. Rooms are modern, with private facilities, a desk and an LCD screen, and family use is catered for. Pets are accepted. It sits in the Le Brezet area near the airport, so treat it as a stopover rather than a sightseeing base.

Hôtel Le Marmotel welcomes families and pets and sits a 10-minute drive from Clermont-Ferrand city centre, so for a family touring by car I would consider it a calm base. Rooms are air-conditioned and the spa gives parents a way to rest after a day in the Auvergne. The restaurant serves homemade meals on weekdays only, so plan weekend dinners elsewhere. A score of 8.1 over nearly 3,000 reviews suggests a dependable stay.

I would pick the ibis Styles Clermont-Ferrand Gare for families who arrive by train and want to be in the town centre. The hotel stands directly opposite the train station, with soundproofed, air-conditioned, non-smoking rooms and free WiFi. It is family-friendly and welcomes pets. The location makes it a convenient base for the historic city, since there is almost no distance to cover on arrival.

Best Western Clermont-Ferrand Centre is close to the Jardin Lecoq, the city's large park, which gives children a green space for a run between visits. It sits near La Maison de la Culture, with the Volcans d'Auvergne park a short drive away for day trips. Rooms are air-conditioned with free WiFi, the restaurant serves Auvergne cuisine, and parents can relax in the spa. Pets are welcome. I would use it as a central family base for city and volcano days.

The Radisson Hotel Clermont-Ferrand sits a short drive from the city centre, so it fits families travelling by car more than those planning to walk everywhere. Rooms are air-conditioned and en suite, with satellite TV and free WiFi. Breakfast is served in the Bar Lounge, which also offers snacks through the day. A laundry service helps on longer trips, parents can use the fitness centre, and pets are accepted.

The Ibis Styles Clermont-Ferrand République has fully renovated, air-conditioned rooms, an on-site restaurant and a daily continental buffet breakfast, which covers the basics for a family stop. It sits 2.5 km from the city centre, near the Polydôme and the Michelin stadium, with quick access to the motorways. That suits families driving through the Auvergne. Pets are accepted, and guests rate it 7.9 out of 10 across 346 reviews.