Things to do in Auvergne

Castles and heritage · Le Puy-en-Velay

Le Puy Cathedral

The UNESCO-listed cathedral of Le Puy-en-Velay. Black Virgin, pilgrims' mass for the Via Podiensis, Romanesque architecture with Byzantine influences.

Volcanoes · Orcines

Puy de Pariou

The perfectly round crater of the Chaîne des Puys: 45 minutes up, then a few hundred metres along the volcano's rim.

Lakes · Charbonnières-les-Vieilles

Gour de Tazenat

A crater lake more than 60 m deep at the northern end of the Chaîne des Puys, with two swimming areas and a woodland path to walk all the way round it.

Gorges · Prades

Gorges de l'Allier

80 km of wild canyon in the Haut-Allier, between basalt cliffs and villages clinging to the rock.

Castles and heritage · Ruynes-en-Margeride

Garabit Viaduct

Before the Eiffel Tower, Gustave Eiffel was already putting his name to a red iron giant: 565 metres long, 122 metres above the Truyère. You can take it in from the D909, the A75 or by boat.

Viewpoints · Le Claux

Puy Mary

1,783 m at the end of a 30-minute climb from the Pas de Peyrol, and seven glacial valleys fanning out beneath your feet.

The waterfalls of Le Mont-Dore: the 5 falls to see and the loop that links them

Five waterfalls around Le Mont-Dore, all free to access: how to get there, walking times, the Queureuilh, Saut du Loup and Rossignolet loop, and our tips for avoiding the crowds.

Vulcania: planning your visit (prices, how long, with kids)

2026 prices, opening season, recommended time, minimum age, attractions: everything you need to plan your visit to Vulcania, the Auvergne volcano park.

Visiting the volcanoes of Auvergne: the complete guide

Five volcanic massifs, 80 puys, a giant stratovolcano, a UNESCO World Heritage site: our guide to understanding and visiting the volcanoes of Auvergne, depending on your time.

Climbing Puy Mary: Pas de Peyrol, steps and ridges

The climb from the Pas de Peyrol (30 min), parking, shuttles at €1.80 in 2026, ridge alternatives: the guide to getting Puy Mary right, a Grand Site de France.

Climbing Puy de Sancy: cable car or Val de Courre

The Mont-Dore cable car then 860 steps (closed from 31 August to 18 December 2026, summit stairs closed in winter), or the waymarked loop through the Val de Courre (3 h): the two ways to climb Puy de Sancy, with prices and tips.

Climbing Puy de Dôme: on foot or by train, the guide

Rack railway or the Muletiers path? 2026 prices, walking times, parking, the Temple of Mercury: everything you need to plan your climb up Puy de Dôme.

Hard

Puy de Jumes, Puy de la Coquille and Puy des Gouttes

Come and see the Puy des Gouttes and the Puy Chopine, two volcanoes nested one inside the other: a volcanic structure out of the ordinary!

• Distance: 15 km
• Elevation gain: 487 m
• Duration: 4 h

Hard

Lac d'Aubusson (loop no. 5)

The big plus of this waymarked loop is how little road it uses. Leaving the nature centre, you cross "la plaine" (the plain) before reaching Puymillier on a fairly steep but shady track. This small village is famous for being home to "le mûrier du Chevalier", a remarkable mulberry tree whose girth reaches no less than 4.18 m at a height of 1.30 m... It is estimated to be 400 years old! After the village, you take a narrow path with a few "steps" in the rock that call for a minimum of technique if you don't want to get into difficulty. You then reach the village of Aubusson d'Auvergne before heading down to the lake. The loop goes all the way round it on shady, compacted paths before leaving it in front of its beach, which now holds the "Pavillon bleu" (Blue Flag) label.

• Distance: 12 km
• Elevation gain: 237 m
• Duration: 1 h 30 min

Moderate

From Chastreix village to the glacial valley

Discover the varied landscapes of the Artense on this hike! Forests, wetlands, pastures and mid-altitude mountains: let yourself be carried through this wide range of scenery for a day.

• Distance: 18 km
• Elevation gain: 535 m
• Duration: 5 h 30 min