Clermont-Ferrand

Fun to see this name pop up. I was in Clermont-Ferrand 55 years ago but I'm sure I'm no help to you at this point.

I wouldn’t describe it as a village, from a google it looks like it has a population of 140,000ish.

I’ve never been, but an ex boyfriend was from there. From memory, it has a very long history, some good churches and is in attractive countryside ( Massif Central) for hikes etc.

Clermont Ferrand is an important city, the headquarters for the Michelin company.
If you saw the word ville, it means city in French, not village.

As mentioned above, Clermont-Ferrand is a major city, it's actually the capital of the Auvergne region. (In France, a place is typically considered a "village" if it's a municipality with roughly fewer than 2,500 residents, whereas Clermont-Ferrand has a population of over 150,000.)

The city itself might not be anything extraordinary from a tourist standpoint. It can even seem a bit austere because of the old houses in the historic center built from black volcanic stone, but the entire region is well-known and a popular tourist destination (at least for the French and many Europeans).

It's right in the heart of a chain of dormant volcanoes, the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Nature Park, absolutely perfect for hiking, walking, or even biking. And you will eat incredibly well there, the local cuisine is highly renowned.

If you love nature, it's a must-see. But if you're going to visit the area, you're actually better off staying somewhere a bit more out in the countryside.

I’d say that in terms of atmosphere and mindset, it is basically the opposite of Nice and the French Riviera, though I’m not sure if that comparison helps :-)

Some links:

https://www.clermontauvergnevolcans.com/en/

https://www.vulcania.com/en/

So far the comments are leading me to pick another city to visit. I’ve traveled in France for many years and have been in every region in all kinds of weather. I was hoping for a not-very-often-visited destination and am not having much luck. I may just return to an old favorite but I’d really like to be somewhere unknown to me.

It certainly would qualify as a place not often visited (by tourists). Another thing Clermont-Ferrand is known for is that it was the setting for a well known movie, a two part documentary made in 1969 by Maurice Ophuls about collaboration and resistance under the World War II occupation, called “The Sorrow and the Pity.” This was the first major work to grapple realistically with the complexities of France at that time.

If it’s any consolation, you’re barely going to see any Americans in Clermont-Ferrand, or the Auvergne region as a whole. If you want, you can also go a little further north to "Guéret" in Creuse departement. It's the least populated area in France and totally off the tourist radar.

https://www.tourisme-creuse.com/en/all-of-creuse/discover/ideas-for-day-trips/a-day-around-gueret/

Or south to Le-Puy-en-Velay.

I really recommend the region immediately to the west and south of Clermont-Ferrand: it is beautiful!
You need a car, though, and you might as well not stay in Clermont proper. Nearby Royat, a spa town, is a good base if you still want to be close to the city for dinner options. Otherwise I like Besse-en-Chandesse, a cute small town that's perfectly located.