Uncover the charm of Vodable, Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne

Part of the Pays d'Art et d'Histoire of Issoire Val-d'Allier, the path offers a view of the Lembron and its cereal fields and the Pays des Couzes from the summit of the puy d'Ysson (856 m). The volcano is frequented by paragliding enthusiasts. Starting point - From the car park located 50m above the starting sign, go up the street and walk along the cemetery. 50m after a cross, turn left to the picnic area. 1 - Take the track on the left and then the first path on the right which climbs into the oak grove amidst the remains of old buildings. When you reach the road, turn right until you reach the bend. 2 - Leave the road and take the downhill path (round trip option: continue on the paved road until the top of the peak - 360° panorama, orientation table). Halfway, viewpoint on the hilltop of Vodable. Continue until you reach a T-junction. 3 - Go up to the right (300m further on, cyclopean walls with stone shepherd's hut). Then the path goes down by taking a stone path that leads to an agricultural path. 4 - Take it to the right, then leave it and continue straight ahead. Cross the Florat road and continue opposite on the grassy path, ignoring the right and left paths until you reach the crossing under the power line. 5 - Go up to the right and at the top go straight down to Solignat.

A remarkable hike for the built heritage of Mareugheol with one of the most beautiful villages in Auvergne and for the variety of landscapes and environments such as lime, streams and couzes. Nice views. Starting point - Go down rue du Fort. Walk along the surrounding wall, cross the square between fountain and washhouse (fort, fountain and washhouse). Go left between two stone walls, go up to the second crossroads; go left to a stone cross. 1 - Continue straight ahead (view on the plateau de la chaux du Broc) ignoring the adjacent paths. At the entrance to the village of Villeneuve, at the cross, turn left to the church (Villeneuve-Lembron castle and square tower). 2 - Turn right. Continue along the Mousteloux path until you reach a fork. Go to the right (another PR opposite), go up in the woods the path between low walls to the plateau (Villeneuve lime). Turn left on the path. After the fence, stay on the main road until you reach an intersection with a wide road at the wireless relay. 3 - Turn right (viewpoint). Progress between grazing and hardwood coppice. Pass in front of the water tank before going down to a road. Cross it and go down chemin du Moulin to an intersection before a building (old mill). 4 - Turn right above it, follow the stream for 500 m, go up to the right the small path leading to the village of Pouzeix. Cross it (bread oven, vat room for laundry, shoeing machine). Cross the road, pass under the power line, continue for about 700 m until you reach the intersection with a small undergrowth path. 5 - Go down to the right the chaotic path between low stone walls. In the descent, on the left: shepherd's hut. At the fork, go left. When you see the village below, go straight ahead and get off at Mareugheol to return to the start.

A hike through the Lembron valley, south of Issoire. Starting point - From the starting sign located on a bus shelter, go down rue du Fort. Turn right, go between the fountain and the washhouse (Fort Villageois, church). At the end of the square, go up on the left the rue des Jardins then the rue du Teurail. At the T-junction, turn left and continue straight ahead until the first junction after leaving the village (stone cross, view of the plain and the villages of Le Lembron). 1 - Go down to the left. Cross the road and continue opposite for 150 m. Turn right along a wet ditch and continue to a footbridge crossing the Lembronnet. Immediately turn left onto the path along the stream. In Antoingt, turn left until you reach the place de la Fontaine. 2 - Turn right and go around the church by the Place du Foussat (octagonal bell tower, information panels, work to be done). At Place de l'Église, go down to the right. At the end of the Place du Square, go up Rue de la Pougère. At the crow's feet, continue straight ahead along the Chemin du Chamaret. At the first crossroads (iron cross), continue in front. At the fork, go up the path to the right, until you reach Vodable. At the Cross of Nazareth (cross, washhouse, fountain), turn left. At 150 m, cross the Chemin des Remparts and climb the narrow rue de l'Église (Christ of the 15th century). Cross the Place du Marchidial (fountain). Cross the door (Porte Neuve) and go up rue du Rocher to the left until you reach a flat spot. 3 - Go up to the right by the path of Panassat (view on the chain of Puys, the church of Ronzières, the plateaus of Gergovie, Corent, Pierre-sur-Haute). Ignore the paths on the right to an old oven. Go down to the right and then immediately to the left on a grassy path, for 30 m. Turn left again. In front of the entrance of the castle, turn right into the rue des Dauphins d'Auvergne and then go down the rue de la Liberté. In the bread oven, continue the descent via rue Gaultier de Biauzat. Cross the D124 to reach the church directly (Romanesque church of Colamine 11th century). Cross the cemetery and join a small road. Take it to the right. At a crossroads (iron cross), continue on the road to the left. Turn left after an agricultural shed to go down a wide path to a crossroads (view of Vodable, Solignat, Livradois, Forez). 4 - Go down to the left until you reach a washing-drinking trough. Turn right to cross Longchamp until you reach Place du Coudart (fountain and washhouse). Turn left on Chemin du Bourly. Reach Mareugheol directly by road (view of the plain and the villages of Le Lembron, Le Forez, Le Livradois).

From Ternant-les-Eaux, the path leads to the chapel of Dauzat-sur-Vodable perched on a volcanic peak. The descent into the forest leads to several ferruginous springs. Starting point - From the starting sign (Romanesque church, bread oven, old well, old washhouse, water trough) go up the steep street behind the church chevet. At the last house turn right on the asphalt road until you reach a first road on the left. Take it to the road. 1 - Go up the road for 10 m, turn right and climb a stony path. At the top follow the asphalt road on the right and then the first asphalt road on the left until you reach the road. Take this one on the right then a wide track on the left up to a crossroads. Turn right to reach a crossroads (view of the hillock of Vodable and the Puy d'Ysson). 2 - Go down to the right, ignoring the right and left paths to the bottom of the valley. Continue straight ahead until you reach the crossing on the plateau (360° viewpoint: view of the Sancy massif, the Puys chain, the Allier plain, the Livradois-Forez mountains). 3 - Turn left. Continue until you reach the T-junction in front of a dry-stone hut. Turn right and then left 150 m further on. At the crossing, continue straight ahead towards Dauzat-sur-Vodable (view of the priory and the site of the old castle) until you reach the war memorial. 4 - Cross the road, go down to the left on the asphalt road then grassy. Continue in the undergrowth. Leave a path on the left. At the next crossroads, continue straight on the main road on the ridge until you reach a footbridge crossing Rivaux Creek. 5 - Take it, then cross a step ladder. Cross the meadow and take the path in the valley along the stream (ferruginous source). In a curve, leave a path to the right. Join the D148 which brings you back to the starting point.

This route takes you back in time of three villages marked by the power of the former local lords, the Chalus and Aureilles (castles, village fort, keep, churches and castle chapels, statue of Saint-Verny). Starting point - From the starting point (15th century church and Renaissance castle), walk along the church, go up on the left and continue along the Chemin de Mousteloux. After the second stone cross, continue straight up (leaving another PR on the right) to reach the pass (641 m) ignoring the side roads. Go down to Boudes, between woods and meadows, until you reach the first vineyards (view of Boudes, its ochre lands, the Dauphiné d'Auvergne). 1 - Go to the left above the vineyards, on the hillside, then go down the first path to Boudes. Take the D48 on the left for 10 m, then turn right into a small passage leading to the Place de la Mairie. Go along it, pass in front of the weighbridge and continue on rue du Coufin then on the D48. After 250 m, at the level of a hangar, go up a wide dirt road on the left until you reach a crossroads in view of the Château de Chalus (view of Nonette, Saint-Germain-Lembron, le Livradois). 2 - Go up on the left to reach Chalus. Cross the D125 and, on Place de la Fontaine, head towards the castle (castle and Sainte-Foy church). Go around it on the right, rue du Rabichou, then continue on the left by a path. At the cemetery (view of Vodable, Solignat, Villeneuve, Le Lembron), continue down. Turn left, then right onto a small road (Chapelle Sainte-Madeleine). At the intersection, turn left onto a wide track at the bottom of the hillsides, until the second crossing. 3 - Go up on the left then, after about 70 m, turn right. At the crossroads of five paths, continue to climb up the widest. At the intersection, turn right between the stone wall and a trough catchment to reach the starting point.

A loop where you can stroll through the 5 villages and where each of them keeps a precious testimony of the past (churches, oppidum, castle...). The path passes from valley to valley and reveals the Dauphiné d'Auvergne and the mountains that border it. Starting point - From the starting sign, at the back of the castle take the Tourzel road on the right. After the stream follow the alley to Meilhaud's first house. Turn left for 10 m and follow the wall to the right. Continue along rue du Pré Clos. At the tipping point turn left until you reach the fountain. 1 - Turn right into rue des Remparts, then rue d'Antaillat. At the end of the village go straight ahead and climb the Way of the Cross. On the plateau take the grassy path to the left. At the intersection, continue to the right (panorama on the puy d'Ysson, the Sancy massif, the puy de Lavelle, the villages of Chidrac, Saint-Cirques-sur-Couze and Meilhaud). Go beyond the large dry stone walls and continue until you reach the wide stone path. 2 - Turn right on it. At the road go down the wide path to the left (view of the Livradois-Forez mountains and the hillock of Vodable). Cross the Gripet stream and climb to Ronzières. At the intersection, under the farm, turn left and at the sewage treatment plant go up to the right towards the village centre. Continue along rue du Coudrat to the church (Romanesque church) and its enclosure (orientation table). 3 - Exit through the porch, go around the small tower and the church (oppidum) on the right. Go down the path to the left along the fence. At the crossroads in the woods turn right. At the exit of the wood turn left. In view of the Gripet stream, turn left and cross the bridge. Go up to the village of Tourzel. At the fork take the stairs to the left and turn right immediately. Cross the village by the rue du Dauphiné d'Auvergne to a fork at the exit. 4 - Turn left, continue straight ahead, leaving a path on the right. At the T-junction, take the wide road on the right, and continue down to Saint-Vincent. On the asphalt road take opposite rue de la Cure. At the crossroads, turn right into rue des Fontaines and then rue du Mas. At the exit of Saint-Vincent continue on the main road. At a fire hydrant go left, rue de la Tour Madame to enter Saint-Cirgues-sur-Couze and join the castle (Château de l'Anglade, 18th century).

From Saint-Vincent you can walk along the rather arid hills characteristic of the south of the Puy-de-Dôme. We climb to the top of the puy of Lavelle with a beautiful view of Issoire, the Lembron and the Sancy massif. A hike appreciated for its panoramic views. Starting point - Follow the street towards the D26, then take the first street on the right. Walk along the cemetery, then the stadium. Turn left to take a street parallel to the D26 for 100 m. To cross it. Follow the D629 in front for 100 m then turn right onto a paved road. Continue the ascent until the first intersection and then turn left. Ignore two paths on the left. Continue until you reach the D629. Take it to the right until you reach Lavelle. 1 - Turn left on rue de La Ribe. Pass in front of the church to take the rue de La Chapelle on the left. Continue on rue du Suquet. At the end of the village, on the right, basalt organs. At the next two intersections, take the right lane. After two wooden benches, go up to the right to follow a track climbing in the moor between junipers. Follow the track on the right (view of Clémensat, the church of Saint-Floret and the Monts Dore) around the rocky summit, bordering a cliff (view of Lavelle and Saint-Vincent). Continue the climb up to a wide path. Turn right and go down to a crossroads. 2 - Go to the left. At the fork, turn right until you reach the entrance to Clémensat. 3 - At the T-junction, turn left. At the next one, go down to the right. At the next crossing, continue the descent to the left (view of the puy de Lavelle). Turn right on a small path that goes down quickly into a ravine and joins the D26 at Saint-Floret (stone cross). Cross the road, turn right to a footbridge. 4 - Cross it, turn left to follow the Couze Pavin, cross the D28, pass over a lock, continue along a path and then a path and reach the starting point at Saint-Vincent.

From the plateau of Ussel, you can distinguish the country cut off from the couzes and the Dore mountains and then the beautiful village of Malnon. The visit of the Cistercian abbey of Mégemont founded in 1206 (nearby) is not to be missed under any circumstances. A beautiful journey. Starting point - From the starting sign, reach the cemetery, turn left on the D23 until you reach the village of Pouchenirgue. 1 - After the washhouse, turn right and continue straight ahead on this asphalt road until you reach the road. Go left, then leave it by the first path on the right. After the big bend to the right, go down ignoring the two paths to the left, (view on the Sancy massif, the peak of Brionnet with the Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel chapel and the puy de Dôme) until the crossing. 2 - Take the wide track on the right to go up on the Ussel plateau. At the T-junction, turn right, go to the road and turn left. Leave it for the first road on the left and go up to the crossing. Turn right and go down (view of the Monts du Livradois and Forez) until you reach a T-junction. Turn right to go down to the D23. Follow it on the left, then take the small road to Chassagne on the right. Go through the village (church and house with side gables and redents) to reach the starting point.

From the medieval village of Saint-Floret, you can cross the Pède bridge to discover orchards, meadows and old terraced vineyards. Beautiful views over the village and the gorges of the couze Pavin. Starting point - From the sign in Saint-Floret, on the Hôtel des Voyageurs car park, place du Marronnier, crossroads between the D26 and the D627, follow the Couze upstream, along the D26, towards Saurier for 200 m. 1 - Just before the speed bump, take the Chemin de la Rochette on the right, which climbs through the gardens to the top of the hill. 2 - 20 m after the power line, take the wide track on the left and go down in front of the houses. At the first crossing, turn left and follow the EDF line (during the ascent, point of view on the village and the church of Chastel). Ignore the first crossing by staying on the left then, when you reach the crow's feet, continue on the right the path that goes up on the plateau. Cross the car park under the power line and take the road in front of it. 3 - Take the road on the right towards the village of Clémensat. Cross the village to the fountain and continue on the road to Saint-Floret. At the end of the village, opposite the campsite, turn left for 20 m and then right (on the climb, view on the terraces: pailhats) and continue until you reach a path on the right (view on the church of Chastel located on the other side of the valley). 4 - Leave the path to follow this path which goes down perpendicularly to the right, then 300 m further on take a left on 400 m. Turn right on the small steep path that goes down in front of the village. At the cross, take the road on the right and cross the village to return to the starting point.

This plateau of summer pastures offers panoramic views of the points of the Massif Central. Its natural spaces conceal many treasures: peat bogs, lakes and waterfalls.... Starting point - From the Place du Marronnier, cross the Couze on the old bridge, (16th century Pède bridge, oratory housing a polychrome wooden virgin with a child), follow the D627 towards the church of Chastel, until the sign indicating the exit of Saint-Floret. Turn left at the cross. Go up to the road, follow it on the right, and then turn right again for 50 m. 1 - Turn left onto a wide track. At the fork, go up on the left, in the middle of the orchards. Take the road on the right, then the first track on the left. Follow it straight on, until you reach a new fork at the entrance to the village of Orphange. 2 - Leave the three drinking troughs on the left, cross the village. At the exit, continue straight on the road (view on Sancy and the peak of Brionnet). In the village of Le Montel, turn left. After the last houses, climb between hedges to a wide path. Take it to the right for 50 m (viewpoint), then turn left on the first path up to the Chaubasse plateau (at the top, very wide panorama). Always go down the same path (leave the transversal paths) to the hamlet of Chazeras. 3 - Turn left, pass in front of the water trough and the washhouse. Continue straight ahead on the hillside. At the fork, follow the right track, until you reach a T-junction. 4 - Go down to the right (view of the Couze valley and its various villages, as far as Issoire), pass under the high voltage line and take the first path on the left until you reach the road you cross. 5 - Possible return to the Chastel site (chapel, ossuary, necropolis). Go down to Saint-Floret by the grassy path, to the right of the hill (Way of the Cross and halfway down the hill, stone cross engraved with a heart, view over the village and the castle). At the road, turn right, cross the Couze on the footbridge, and follow the road on the left to reach the starting point.

From the woods of La Comté to the villages of Livradois, this route is dedicated to Queen Margot. On the way, superb panoramas and discovery of beautiful villages like Usson. The itinerary begins in Parent. Villages crossed: Yronde-et-Buron / St-Babel / Manglieu / Sugères / Sauxillanges / Usson / Brenat / Orbeil / Yronde-et-Buron / Parent.

The château will not be open to individual visitors this season Château de Batisse invites you on a fascinating journey through the centuries. Originally a medieval fortress, the Château has been transformed into a prestigious residence, bearing witness to the architectural savoir-faire of each era it has passed through. An exceptional estate is revealed step by step: waterfalls and crystal-clear rivers, pools with silvery reflections, sumptuous parks and formal gardens, a rose garden of a thousand colors and bewitching fragrances.

Family-hotel and restaurant near Lake La Cassière. The inn "Between Lakes and Volcanoes" offers a nature stop for a meal or a stay.

.Located on the Gergovie plateau - a true natural belvedere over Auvergne, this new generation plunges young and old into the Gallic Wars between Vercingetorix and Julius Caesar. It combines archaeological objects and multimedia tools. More than a visit, the Archaeological Museum of the Battle of Gergovie offers a lively and interactive journey. The space combines graphics, models, archaeological objects and multimedia with the highlight of an audiovisual room plunging the visitor into the atmosphere of the Battle of Gergovie between Romans and Gauls. The route also allows you to discover the civilization of oppida arvernes, to discover the archaeological secrets of Gergovie and to understand the natural and geological history of the Plateau and the magnificent landscapes that surround it.

Do you love climbing? Then come and discover this 1800m² bouldering park in Vétraz-Monthoux. Large, bright spaces to discover or rediscover bouldering. For experienced climbers, try out Europe's largest indoor "psychobloc". Detailed description

A visit to l'Aventure Michelin is astonishing, fun and friendly, and opens the doors to an exceptional world. L'Aventure Michelin is a scenographic journey of 2000m². Thanks to an interactive scenography, you will discover the history, the present and the future of the Michelin group. From the very first detachable tyre to the MICHELIN Visionary Concept not forgetting the famous maps and guides - or the good old Michelin Man - a whole world of excitement awaits you ! The museum exhibition is bilingual (French/English). You can also take a tour in German or Spanish, thanks to the audioguide available at the site reception, or in German, Spanish, Italian and Dutch by downloading the free l'Aventure Michelin mobile application.

Want to discover the world of volcanoes and the natural phenomena of planet Earth? Go exploring in Vulcania in Auvergne, unique park in Europe on the theme of volcanoes and the Earth. You can enjoy a 3-hour outing to explore the interior of a totally natural volcano on foot or on a little train, with the assistance of a knowledgeable guide. During this fun visit you’ll encounter some geological treasures and learn about man’s involveme

Explore the heart of a real volcano... Located at the center of the tectonic "Chaîne des Puys - Faille de Limagne" UNESCO World Heritage Site, we offer you the unique and unusual opportunity to discover the inside of a 100% natural volcano. Discover the secrets of volcanology with a 2h30 interactive tour of the Lemptégy volcano, comprising 5 stages: - The "volcano and men" tour: this fun, interactive introduction to the visit will familiarize you with the volcano and give you a better understanding of its metamorphosis. A 30-minute self-guided tour. - Guided exploration of the volcano's anatomy: meet your guide on foot or by train. He'll share all his geological and volcanological knowledge with you: bombs, volcanic chimneys, lava flows... and you'll leave with scoria (solidified lava). A wealth of information to help you better understand the landscape around you. - L'âme de Lemptégy": an unusual journey into the site's industrial past, with a visit to the old pozzolan extraction machines once used by quarrymen. - The immersive "Volcano 'Express" attraction: this sensory and emotional experience reveals all the secrets behind the formation of the Chaîne des Puys and the Faille de Limagne. What if the fault were to reopen... Will you reach your destination? - The dynamic 4D film "Aux Origines": enjoy an unprecedented flight over the volcanoes of Auvergne and relive the history of the volcano as if you were there, from its eruptions to the present day. While you're there, treat yourself to a gourmet break at the Volcan de Lemptégy restaurant. The chef offers traditional regional dishes (sausage/aligot, truffade, petit salé...). You can also stroll through the new boutique and discover a wide range of regional products, souvenirs, books... LE REVEIL DU VOLCAN" NIGHT TOUR: a breathtaking nocturnal experience! Entering at night, you'll be propelled into the heart of the Lemptégy Volcano for an extraordinary experience. Along the way, you'll plunge into an erupting volcano and discover magical creatures. A new world to discover and a new way to experience Volcan de Lemptégy. 1.5 km on foot. Prices and schedule: see website. IN JULY AND AUGUST

Classified 2*, this old house is located in the heart of the forest where you will appreciate its location, calm and comfort. Close to Lake Lastioulles. Enjoy the pleasures of the water (beach, pedal boats, swimming), fishing, hiking and mountain biking trails. 16 km from Bort-les-Orgues, 30 km from Super-Besse. Perfect for couples, families, groups and a dog. The house is large, with a ground-floor bedroom with shower room, WC, living room with inglenook fireplace (wood provided) and kitchen. Other bedrooms upstairs. Beware, 1 km of stony road to get there. Land not enclosed.

Meeting point in the place called “Colamine” following the direction of Antoing, at the South of Vodable (road D124). The municipality of Vodable is the old capital of the Dauphins d’Auvergne. This church is a typical example of the Romanesque art. The first mentions of Colamine came out at the end of the 10th century. Further to the clearings by the monks of Sauxillanges, a parish and a church have been constructed, between the end of the 10th century (choir) and the middle of the 12th century (nave). The building has been completed probably in the 17th and 18th century by the Northern chapel and the sacristy. The parish disappeared when the diocese of Clermont was reorganized after the Revolution of 1789, and the church entered in lethargy. It took life again at the end of the 1970’s thanks to few volunteers.

It is a modest but typical example of the Romanesque art. This original church, with a square bell tower, is covered with corbelled vaulting. Isolated at the centre of the cemetery, it is the vestige of the initial core of the village of Vodable and has interesting statuary. The chapel of Colamine had attracted the arrival of a population of peasants attracted by clearing work. Today, the church built in the middle of the clearing clearings has remained solitary. The building with a single nave is topped by a square bell tower and covered with lauzes. During its restoration in 1979, 7 statues hidden behind the main altarpiece were found.

Solignat is located at the foot of the volcanic puy of Ysson. This high point of the Lembron reaches 856m. It’s in fact an old extinct volcano, which only remains the neck (old lava base). It offers a 360° panorama, which overlooks the dry plateaus and the hills of the Allier valley. This site is integrated in the Natura 2000 network, and reachable by a pastoral marked out path. Solignat was, for 2 centuries, the property of the Dauphiné of Auvergne, and then for 2 others centuries, the one of the Bourbon’s family.

The "puy d'Ysson" is the ancient lava chimney of a volcano loomed up at the tertiary era, cleared by the erosion of surrounding sedimentary materials. Frm the top of his 937 yards, you will discover an amazing circular panorama on Massif of Sancy, Mounts Dômes, the Cézallier and Mounts of Livradois-Forez. The "puy" soars up above landscapes where alternate plain and volcanic peks constituting the region of Lembron and Couzes, affluent rivers of Allier.

The present church Notre-Dame de Ronzières of Saint-Baudime succeeded to an earlier sanctuary at the romanic time. Around this place, many legends with dragon or bull's foot... The church, built mainly in arkose, was built in the last third of the 12th century; preceded by a sanctuary given to the Cluny Abbey of Sauxillanges in the 11th century, it was fortified and raised in the late Middle Ages, and enlarged with side chapels in the 15th century. Classified as a Historical Monument in 1859, ND de Mailhat has a single nave plan and a half-timbered apse. An abundant decoration is found outside with anthropomorphic and zoomorphic heads on capitals and modillions. A man holding a purse, a fish, a woman nursing snakes frame the south door, adorned with Romanesque paintings and Gothic decoration. Inside, the motifs of the mermaid, eagles and griffins remind us of the influence of Antiquity during this Roman period. Dating from the 15th century, the bases of the south chapel, whose execution is remarkable, represent the angels who carry the instruments of passion.

Identifiable thanks to its bell tower from the 19th century in a shape of a dome and thanks to its imposing Virgin statue, the church of Ronzières is devoted to Notre-Dame and to Saint-Baudime, one of the first evangelists of Auvergne. Going inside by the arch portal from the 15th century, under a porch added in the 17th century, you’ll discover in the northern chapel from the 13th century (restored in 1882), a “Virgin with a child” (Historical Monument in 1908) in polychrome wood related to virgins in Romanesque majesty of Auvergne. The Marian piety began by Saint-Baudime provoked a radiant pilgrimage around the diocese of Clermont for this statue full of legendary traditions.

At the XIVth and XVth centuries, dynastic and seigniorial conflicts, known under the name of "Hundref Years War" made the insecurity considerably worse. So, inhabitants developed collective organization of the defence. Mareugheol is lucky to own spectacular vestiges of the fort that inhabitants raised during the XIVth century. They enclosed their homes behind high walls, about sixty cottages as well as the church. The wall, imposing and partcularly well-preserved, forms an almost perfect quadrilateral, flanked by the 4 round towers at the corners.

At the south of the fertile plains of the Lembron, and protected from the winds by the relief, Mareughol benefits from a favourable microclimate very close to the mountain. The village has a fort, built around the church in the Hundred Years’ War period. The wall of the village, really imposing, is a vast quadrilateral of 65m, adjoined on the corners of the circular towers and presenting surrounding walls of 10m high. Inside this fortification in a very homogeneous basalt, most likely constructed rapidly, the little streets of the medieval district are like a labyrinth around a really dense assembly. To discover: the fortified village (14th – 15th centuries), the Romanesque church Saint Victor and Sainte Couronne and its furniture (historical monument), the crosses of the 17th century: stripped cross, the cross of Saint-Rock, the group washing place-fountain-trough-laundry room (Mareughol has the chance to have kept intact its entire heritage dedicated to the uses of water).

This village is thus called because of the presence of 3 natural mineral springs on its territory, along the geological rift. The springs of the “Path”, the “Old Monk” and the “Salvation” were long-standing known. The “Salvation” spring offered the best flow and was used. In 1888, it got the official authorization of operation. A building (on ruin nowadays) was used for bottling. In 1900, it was the turn of the “Old Monk” spring to be used and commercialized. But, these 2 companies didn’t survive to the First World War, and the springs were abandoned.

Follow the direction of Ardes-sur-Couze (road D23) and the one of Dauzat-sur-Vodable (road D32). The church Saint-Géraud (Historical Monument in 1987) was constructed at the end of the 12th century-beginning of the 13th century, near an old parish which belonged to the abbey Saint-Géraud d’Aurillac. The church had, before, several statues of Saint-Géraud, but the establishment of the capital of the Dauphins d’Auvergne in Vodable at the end of the 13th century stopped this development of Dauzat. The painted decorations on all the building date back from the 16th to the 20th century. On the whole, the sculptures of the capitals datable to the 13th century reveal a transition between the Romanesque and the gothic art, with naturalist representations peculiars to the gothic art and visages or masks keeping the fantastic character of the Romanesque style (faces, not much realism). They take part into the movement of the capitals of Ardes, Nonette or Saint-Austremoine in Issoire.

In the heart of the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Natural Park, 20 minutes from Clermont-Ferrand, the restaurant is ideally located on the beach of Lake Aydat. The chef offers traditional cuisine and a range of pizza, burger, salad and snack.

Local and traditional restoration in the exceptional historical site of Gergovie. This restaurant offres a panoramic setting 15 minutes from Clermont-Fd.

Refrigerated gourmet racks with specialties from Auvergne and other regions. Sweet gourmet racks. Open 24 hours a day.

Menu based on fresh seasonal produce. Licence IV.

Specialties include grilled meats and regional dishes: pounti, truffade, Auvergne platters and tasting platters, all served in a bright, open-plan dining room, under a covered terrace or in the open air.

In the heart of the Cézallier, magnificent, fully restored buron. Home cooking, local produce, local meat, quality and tradition.

The Auberge de l'Allagnonette welcomes you to a building full of character. The chef prepares delicious dishes: millefeuille of black pudding with foie gras, duck breast with red fruit, etc. Regional dishes: cantal tart, pounti, truffade, tripoux.

This restaurant is located close to Lastioulles water sports centre and to the municipal campground. Tourist area for fishing, hunting and mushrooms gathering. Bar - tobacconist’s - restaurant - catering delivered Menu during high season - closed on Mondays during low season

The simple pleasure of dining by the lake... a creative cuisine that draws its influences from both land and lake, using the resources of the greenhouse, kitchen garden and forest to create recipes that revisit local produce with the seasons.

Ecolodge in mountain village in Cournols. Construction with ecological materials and feng-shui intervention and geobiology. Fully equipped. Parking and private outdoor space. Rent by week or by night.

Family-hotel and restaurant near Lake La Cassière. The inn "Between Lakes and Volcanoes" offers a nature stop for a meal or a stay.

Do you love climbing? Then come and discover this 1800m² bouldering park in Vétraz-Monthoux. Large, bright spaces to discover or rediscover bouldering. For experienced climbers, try out Europe's largest indoor "psychobloc". Detailed description

Opening 20/03/2020 > 01/11/2020 Stay in the Volcano region of the Auvergne! In the spa town of Royat, Huttopia Royat campsite welcomes you at the foot of the Puy de Dôme in a peaceful, natural setting.

Exceptional setting in the heart of the Artense lakes, with panoramic views of the Sancy massif, the Cantal mountains and the Tact reservoir. Tastefully renovated 5-bedroom gîte. At 900 m altitude, close to GR30 and mountain bike trails, 4 km from Lastioulles water sports center. Recommended by Routard, Guide Vert, Lonely Planet, Petit futé, Cantal Destination. Fishing label.

Self-contained gîte with garden and views of the Monts du Cantal and Sancy. Just 5km from Lake Lastioulles and its water sports center. Fully-equipped kitchen, living room with dining area and sitting area with fireplace. 3 bedrooms, shower room and separate WC.