Auvergne - Discover Dormant Volcanoes & Pilgrim Treks
The region of Auvergne in France is part of the larger Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and is well-known for its history and as the former administrative area of south-central France. Auvergne has a volcanic mountainous landscape, thermal spa towns, and rich agricultural traditions. And let's not forget delicious cheeses and its pilgrim treks.
Let's take a brief look at what the region of Auvergne has to offer and why you might like to add it to your French travel itinerary. We won't cover everything this wonderful region has on offer, but rather a taste of what you can see and do. This post, Auvergne - Discover Dormant Volcanoes & Pilgrim Treks, is part of our Discovery Series that shines a spotlight on what each region of France has to offer. Discover Aquitaine: Wine, Prehistory and the Dordogne in our previous post.
Auvergne has lots to offer the Visitor
One of Auvergne's most popular tourist attractions is Puy de Dôme, the famous peak in the Chaîne des Puys - a striking alignment of more than 80 dormant volcanoes. Puy de Dôme is the area's largest lava dome. The unique geography can also be seen in local architecture and in the capital city, Clermont-Ferrand. The capital sits right near the volcanic fields and is the base of the Michelin tyre company. Several buildings in Clermont-Ferrand have been built from black volcanic rock and are interesting to see.
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Le Puy en Velay town, Auvergne
Le Puy-en-Velay is a popular place to visit with its rich religious history. Located along the pilgrim's path of Chemin de Saint-Jacques it can get busy during trekking season. The town's cathedral, Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most visited attractions. Read our full post on the incredible town of Le Puy-en-Velay and plan your stay or pilgrim trek.
Chapelle Saint Michel is in the middle of photo, perched on volcanic peak
Also attracting pilgrims is the Chapelle Saint Michel de l'Aiguilhe which is a 10th century building precariously perched atop a rocky peak. Only accessible via 268 steps, it takes devoted pilgrims and visitors to climb the steep path - but well worth it for the view I'm told. This is something I still want to do and so it's on my 'French Must-Do List'. You can see the Chapelle in the above photo as well as the 1860 statue of the Virgin Mary which looks over the town from another volcanic outcrop. Read our full guest post from experienced pilgrim trail walker Sharon Warren, on The Way of Saint James or Camino de Santiago, for great planning tips and trekking advice.
Now for those that prefer a more relaxing way of spending time in Auvergne, the elegant spa towns famous for their rock-filtered bottled water and featuring mineral-rich hot springs may be more your style. A couple of the big-name spa towns are Vichy and Volvic.
The Massif Central is the ancient upland mountain system dominating the region, featuring high peaks like Puy de Sancy. The protected regional nature parks include Volcans d'Auvergne and Livradois-Forez.
Auvergne is renowned for cattle farming and distinctive regional cheeses like Saint-Nectaire, Cantal, and Bleu d'Auvergne.
Le Grand Café, Moulins, Auvergne. Photo credit Le Grand Café via Facebook
Moulins is a beautiful town that's packed with historic sites, including Le Grand Café, and art deco café-brasserie where Coco Chanel once performed as a singer. You can see more of the stunning art deco interior of the café, together with the dining menu, on their official website - Le Grand Café.
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