Bargoin Museum

With its stunning neoclassical façade, the Bargoin Museum immediately catches the eye. Inside, you’ll find two main collections: one focused on archaeology — with discoveries made in and around Clermont-Ferrand — and the other on textile arts from around the world. The museum opened its doors in 1903, thanks to a donation from Jean-Baptiste Bargoin, who wished to create a public building dedicated to the arts. Originally intended as a fine arts museum, its purpose shifted over time when the art collections were moved to the Roger-Quilliot Museum at the end of the 20th century. Today, the Bargoin Museum showcases archaeological artifacts from Prehistory to the Middle Ages, alongside non-European textile collections dating from the 18th to the 21st century. Definitely worth a visit for the more curious among you! On your right, standing in the middle of the roundabout, you’ll see an impressive fountain made of Volvic stone. The monument pays tribute to General Desaix, considered by Napoleon Bonaparte to be one of his most talented commanders. It was designed in 1801 by architect Pierre Laurent, in the form of an obelisk — a reference to the Egyptian campaign, one of Desaix’s greatest victories. And yes, it’s called “the Pyramid” simply because he won the Battle of the Pyramids. The base was sculpted by Joseph Chinard, though it has been altered over time. At the very top of the obelisk sits an urn, which was originally meant to hold the general’s heart. In the end, that never happened — but the monument was still listed as a Historic Monument in 1992.