Few French towns can boast that a Pope once lived there. Aurillac is a member of this exclusive club thanks to Gerbert (938-1003), a humble shepherd who, having attracted the attention of the monks of Saint-Géraud, was sent to study in the Arab universities of Spain. A doctor and mathematician, he is said to have introduced Arabic numerals to the west, built the first weight-driven clock, and invented an astrolabe. This technical genius was elected Pope in 999, taking the name Sylvestre II.