This castle keep is the stocky centrepiece of the medieval walled town of Montpeyroux, 12km north of Issoire. Montpeyroux's fortifications were built as a place to retreat during fires and attacks. Visitors can climb up the 33m-high tower, built in the 12th century, for a vantage point over the village's labyrinth of sandstone lanes, and across the Chaîne des Puys and Monts du Cantal.
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±'s must-see attractions
12.29 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…
17.63 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…
23 MILES
Split across two buildings, this museum gives an entertaining account of cutlery-making history. In number 23, a kid-friendly sound-and-light show evokes…
18.34 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…
12.95 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…
12.64 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…
19.27 MILES
Dating back to 1866, the Musée Mandet's splendid collection of art is arranged across two atmospheric hôtels particuliers (town houses). Exploring these…
10.67 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…
Nearby Auvergne attractions
5.81 MILES
Issoire is the proud home of the Auvergne’s most extravagantly decorated Romanesque church. The exterior of this 12th-century edifice is festooned with…
2. Jardins du Château d'Hauterive
6.09 MILES
Amble in 7 hectares of manicured gardens next to this romantic 17th-century chateau, 2km southwest of central Issoire.
9.1 MILES
Designed as an impregnable citadel, the village of Usson roosts atop a volcanic plume, 8km east of Issoire. The daughter of Henry II and Catherine de…
9.53 MILES
To buy cheese from the source (and get a little muddy), take the winding road 3km uphill from St-Nectaire to this multi-generational family dairy farm…
10.57 MILES
This ornate Romanesque church on a hilltop is unmissable as you arrive in St-Nectaire, and it's worth the uphill walk to look inside. Within, you'll see a…
10.65 MILES
Don a hard hat for a 45-minute tour of St-Nectaire's Roman baths, deep in a cave that glimmers with damp limestone. Two-thousand years ago, these man-made…
10.67 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…
10.71 MILES
Pick a round of St-Nectaire cheese, along with terrines, jams and other regional nibbles, from this dairy shop across the road from the Grottes du…