Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne
Fans of French formal gardens will enjoy the 15th-century Château de Cordès, 2.5km north of Orcival off D27. Visitors can explore the manicured lawns and precision-trimmed hedges planned out by Versailles’ landscape artist Le Nôtre in 1695, and follow a guided tour inside the château's fairy-tale stone towers.
There are three daily tours (French only) during July and August.
13.02 MILES
Clermont-Ferrand’s skyline broods with volcanic stone, but its most impressive edifice is Cathédrale Notre-Dame, whose 108m twin spires pierce the sky…
14.21 MILES
This midnight-blue crater lake, enclosed by a fuzz of pine trees, lies 6km southwest of Besse. Blasted out of the earth by a volcanic explosion nearly…
9.4 MILES
Feel the Auvergne's smouldering terrain beneath your feet at this mined volcanic site, across the main road from amusement park Vulcania. In summer, at…
10.01 MILES
Roosting on a basalt knoll above Murol village, the 12th-century Château de Murol offers peerless views along with insights into a brutish medieval past…
14.79 MILES
Housed in an Ursuline convent 3km northeast of central Clermont, the city’s premier gallery takes design cues from NYC’s Guggenheim, its white spiral…
18.8 MILES
Dating back to 1866, the Musée Mandet's splendid collection of art is arranged across two atmospheric hôtels particuliers (town houses). Exploring these…
11.08 MILES
The Papon family put St-Nectaire's hot springs to creative use at the 'Petrifying Fountains', channelling the mineral-rich waters to make art. Calcium…
5.6 MILES
One kilometre north of the turn-off to Lac de Guéry is a lookout that gazes towards two of the Sancy region's most noteworthy geological features. The…
1.35 MILES
The Romanesque basilica towering over Orcival is one of the most impressive churches in the Auvergne. With its octagonal tower and broad stone arches,…
2. Roches Tuilière et Sanadoire
5.6 MILES
One kilometre north of the turn-off to Lac de Guéry is a lookout that gazes towards two of the Sancy region's most noteworthy geological features. The…
7.76 MILES
An enigmatic imprint of the distant past stands atop the summit of Puy de Dôme: a 1st-century Gallo-Roman temple undergoing gradual restoration…
8.98 MILES
Le Mont-Dore's graceful 19th-century buildings grew from its centuries-old spa heritage, which long pre-dates its reputation as a ski hub. See the source…
9.07 MILES
The Auvergne's long-extinct volcanoes are brought back to life in spectacular style at Vulcania theme park, 15km west of Clermont on the D941. Combining…
9.18 MILES
La Bourboule's pale lava-stone church, completed in 1888, cuts an elegant silhouette against its mountainous backdrop.
9.4 MILES
Feel the Auvergne's smouldering terrain beneath your feet at this mined volcanic site, across the main road from amusement park Vulcania. In summer, at…
9.63 MILES
The relatively shallow (and thus warmish) waters of Lac Chambon, 1.5km west of Murol, make this crater lake a much-loved place for families to splash…