Scenic railway - Gorges de
l'Allier
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information and pictures on the way
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 Professionels du tourisme et
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Things to see
and do in the Auvergne
The
Auvergne has plenty to offer in terms of tourist attractions; and while
its countryside and scenery are perhaps the greatest attraction for
most visitors, tourists and visitors will find plenty of
specific sites and sights to ensure a richly varied and
interesting holiday in the Auvergne for all discerning travellers. Here
are some of the Auvergne's best ....
Monuments and
Culture:
The old city
and cathedral of Le Puy
en Velay (UNESCO world heritage site)
The Romanesque churches
of Auvergne.
The Auvergne is rich in
remarkable mediaeval churches, the most famous of which are:
Notre Dame du Port (Clermont Ferrand)
(63)
Eglise Saint
Austremoine at Issoire
(63)
Notre Dame d'Orcival (63)
Eglise de Saint Nectaire (63)
Basilique Saint Julien, Brioude (43)
Abbey and cloisters at Lavaudieu (43)
Cathedrale Notre Dame, le Puy en Velay (43)
Chapelle Saint Michel de l'Aiguilhe , Le Puy en Velay
Mauriac
(Cantal, 15)
Historic churches and chapels with
frescoes and murals:
The Abbey at La
Chaise Dieu (43), with world famous Dance of Death fresco.
The small churches and chapels of the
Haut Allier
(Blassac, Saint Cirgues, Peyrusse, etc) , many decorated with murals
and frescoes
Dungeons and chateaux.
There are many famous castles to visit in Auvergne; the
following are among the more interesting:
Allier:
Bourbon l'Archambault, Busset, Lapalisse
Puy de Dome:
Pontgibaud, La Batisse, Saint Saturnin,
Tournoël, Effiat,
Haute Loire:
Valprivas, Domeyrat (near Brioude), Chaviniac Lafayette,
Polignac., Saint Vidal.
Cantal: Val (on the
Lac de Bort), Pesteils (near Vic sur Cère)
Clermont Ferrand
The old city, the Cathedral, the church of Notre
Dame du
Port, the Roger Quillot Art Gallery, trip to the top of the Puy de Dome
mountain.
Other historic monuments
Jonas, near Saint Nectaire. Remains of the mediaeval trogloditic cave dwellings, guided visits.
Concerts, events and
festivals
Zenith de
l'Auvergne - Clermont
Ferrand - one of France's large auditoriums.
World
"Cultures and Traditions" festival, Gannat - Puy de
Dome. July
Festival de
la Chaise Dieu,
Haute Loire, one of France's most prestigeous classical music
festivals. August
International
street theatre festival, Aurillac,
Cantal . August.
"Bird King"
Renaissance festival in the streets of Le Puy en Velay, mid
September.
Outdoor
activities:
 Kayaking on
the Haut Allier and
the Loire.
Hot air
ballooning over the volcanoes
Hiking
The Massif-Central lies at the hub of France's network of long-distance hiking trails. Numerous hiking trails cross the region, including the start
of
the great historic Pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella, that starts
in Le Puy, and the new GR 700 Regordane Way, a historic mediaeval pilgrimage route to from Le Puy to St. Gilles du Gard
The GR 4 hiking train, crossing France from the Atlantic to
the
Mediteranean, traverses the Auvergne and neighbouring Lozere from Bort les Orgues (63)
to Langogne(43);
and the GR3, the Loire Valley route, and oldest long-distance trail in
France, runs through the region from north to south.
Mountain
bike trails
Via ferrata at Orbeil, near Issoire (63) or at Le Pertuis (43)
Sailing on several of the region's lakes, and notably at the lake of Bort les Orgues (63) or on Lake Lavalette near Yssingeaux. (43)
Velorail du
Cézallier, near Allanches. Pedal carts on an abandoned railway line.
Skiing. The region's main downhill skiing areas are at the Puy de Sancy (63), with the resort of Super Besse, and at the Plomb du Cantal, with the resort of Super Lioran.
Parks, sights
and attractions:
 Vulcania
theme
park, near Clermont Ferrand; Volcano theme park, with 3-D cinemas,
IMAX, and a discovery of the world of volcanoes, earthquakes and earth
forces. (63)
The
volcanoes themselves
Le Pal amusement
park. (03)
The monthly
Biron cattle
fair, in the wilds of the Cézallier (63). Starts
very early in the morning !
Historic
working paper mill, the Moulin Richard de Bas, at Ambert (63) making
paper since the 14th century.
Allier gorges scenic
train trip (43), departs from Langeac.(train
station, SNCF).
Ally wind
farm, windmills and mine visit. (near Lavoute Chilhac 43)
Living
history presentations:
Chateaux de La
Batisse (63) , de Domeyrat (43), de Murol (63).
Museum of
the Resistance, Mont Mouchet, near Saint
Flour (15)
The Pont de
Garabit, designed by Gustave Eiffel (visitor centre on A75
motorway south of St
Flour)
Salers, traditional
old town of the Auvergne uplands (15)
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