The Lava Cathedral
When the fire of the Earth meets the fire of faith
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
Clermont-Ferrand is the only city in the world whose cathedral is built entirely from black lava stone. In 1095, Pope Urban II preached the First Crusade here, sending thousands of men toward Jerusalem. Blaise Pascal was born here, between faith and reason. The Auvergne volcanoes rumble beneath the surface — and the city still bears the marks of their fire.
Beneath the black lava, the Crusaders left an oath no one has found
The Cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption rises like an obsidian monolith in the heart of Clermont-Ferrand. Its Volvic stone, quarried from nearby volcanic flows, gives it that unique black hue that contrasts with the white limestone cathedrals elsewhere in France. It was here, on the square before it, that Urban II launched the call that would shake the medieval world. Your quest begins before this monument of fire and faith.
« "God wills it!" »— — Cry of the Crusaders after Urban II's speech, Clermont, November 27, 1095
Clermont — the lava city that launched the Crusades
On November 27, 1095, on a piece of open ground in Clermont, Pope Urban II delivered one of the most influential speeches in history. Before a crowd of thousands of clergy, knights, and peasants, he called on Christendom to reclaim Jerusalem from the Seljuk Turks. The crowd roared "God wills it!" — and the First Crusade was launched. Tens of thousands of men set out with crosses on their chests toward a Holy Land they had never known.
Clermont is also the city of Blaise Pascal, born in 1623 in a house just steps from the cathedral. Mathematician, physicist, and philosopher, Pascal embodies the tension between reason and faith that runs through this volcanic city's entire history. It was here that he conducted his experiments on atmospheric pressure, using the nearby Puy de Dôme as a natural laboratory.
The cathedral itself is a masterpiece of Gothic art, built between 1248 and the 19th century entirely from Volvic stone — that black, resilient lava found only in Auvergne. Its 13th-century stained-glass windows are among the finest in France. Nearby, the Romanesque basilica of Notre-Dame-du-Port, a UNESCO site, testifies to an even older art — that of Romanesque builders who carved capitals of extraordinary finesse from lava stone.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
The game downloads to your phone on start. Once the "✓ Downloaded" indicator appears, everything works without data — narration, AR, GPS and puzzles. Perfect abroad without a data plan.
The Route
5 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Volcanic stone
Explore the only cathedral in the world built entirely from black lava stone.
Call to Crusade
Relive Urban II's speech that launched the First Crusade in 1095.
Pascal's legacy
Walk in the footsteps of Blaise Pascal, between science and metaphysics.
Romanesque art UNESCO
Decipher the capitals of Notre-Dame-du-Port, a UNESCO Romanesque masterpiece.
God wills it — and the lava keeps it.
From the black cathedral to the Romanesque capitals, uncover the volcanic city's secret.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01What's the difference with a regular indoor escape room?
Outdoor escape game format: no physical locks, no actor, no fixed time slot. You start when you want, progress through Clermont-Ferrand · Black cathedral & old center with your phone, and the city itself is the set. More immersive on local history, more flexible in pace.
Q02How long does it take to finish The Lava Cathedral?
Plan 1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. Some finish in 1 h 10, others take 3 h in slow-mode. No pressure: the clock only counts for the leaderboard, you play at your tempo.
Q03Do we need to be several people to enjoy it?
No, solo works very well. The outdoor escape game format in self-guided mode leaves room for introspection: read the story at your pace, hunt clues like a detective. 2-6 players is more social, solo is more contemplative.
Q04Best season to explore Clermont-Ferrand · Black cathedral & old center like this?
Spring and autumn are the best seasons: mild temperatures, fewer tourists, gorgeous light. Summer is also great but go for early morning before 11 or late afternoon. Winter is perfectly playable, especially in southern cities — Clermont-Ferrand · Black cathedral & old center often feels more authentic then.
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Your turn to play
Between black lava and burning faith, from the Gothic cathedral to the Romanesque capitals of Notre-Dame-du-Port — reconstruct the lost oath of the First Crusade in an outdoor escape game in the heart of Clermont-Ferrand.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+15 TripCoins granted with your booking
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