Puy De Dome closed 2011

I just found out that the Puy de Dôme will be closed for all of 2011 to build a railway. However, I talked to the Tourism Office and they told me that you can walk up the Puy De Dôme. It takes a few hours but you can see all of the chain of volcanoes and different cities from the top. If you look for the Office Of Tourism for Clermont-Ferrand, you'll find many activities that are and will be available.