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Discover the Art of Petrification
Open

Today Tuesday 19 March : 9.30 am -12 pm / 2 pm - 6 pm

Type of visit: Self-guided tour of about 1 hour

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Tuesday
19
March

9.30 am -12 pm / 2 pm - 6 pm

Self-guided tour of about 1 hour

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9.30 am -12 pm / 2 pm - 6 pm

Self-guided tour of about 1 hour

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8,5 €
Adult fare
+15 years
5,5 €
Child fare
7-15 years
Free
Children
-7 years

Fontaines Pétrifiantes de Saint-Nectaire

Discover a site unique in Auvergne, midway between a petrifying cave and a special know-how!

In the heart of the Sancy Massif, amid the Auvergne volcanoes, follow the hot springs which lead you to explore some strange curiosity. Families and groups are made welcome to the petrifying cave and its volcanic waters for an underground immersion. Eric Papon, Master Craftsman in Petrification, opens the doors of the making workshops to you. The secrets of his rare and ancestral know-how will be unveiled to you during that pleasant and educational visit. Situated 45 minutes away from Clermont-Ferrand, the site invites you to come and discover a unique French know-how: the Petrification Craftsmanship. Here is an unforgettable business visit for young and old alike! Going around the visiting circuit                Preparing your visit

« A craftsmanship transmission for 7 generations »

The firm Fontaines Pétrifiantes de Saint-Nectaire is a family-run atelier established in 1821. The petrification craftsmanship, a unique-of-its-kind know-how has been transmitted from father to son. Located within the natural reserve of the Auvergne volcanoes, bellow the Sancy Massif, the town of Saint-Nectaire has rich underground thermomineral springs. The craftsman at the Fontaines Pétrifiantes de Saint-Nectaire have used those volcanic springs to make calcium decoration artworks for 2 centuries.

Entering into the family history                Discovering the know-how

 

An exceptional site

Taking you from an underground immersion to the astonishing petrifying ladder, come and visit the Fontaines Pétrifiantes.

The tour

An ancestral know-how

Incrustation on mould or crystallization, discover the trade techniques of those calcium artworks.

The petrification process

Unique creations

The calcium low-reliefs and crystallizations we make reveal a matchless finish, let us unveil our collection.

The products

The handicraft of Petrification

The craftsmen at the Fontaines Pétrifiantes de Saint-Nectaire have held the petrification know-how for 200 years. In that family-run atelier, the gestures have been transmitted from father to son for 7 generations. Eric Papon, Master Craftsman in Petrification, carries on experimenting with calcium. He explores the potential of calcite and reveals its incredible capacity to perfectly reproduce a pattern. Combining tradition with innovation allows the creation of unedited calcium items.

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