Which Auvergne département should you choose?
Compare two départements side by side on what matters: atmosphere, landscapes, food, access, weather. Our firm verdict at the end.
Want to compare two specific places (lake vs lake, village vs village)? Compare two places →
Prefecture
Clermont-Ferrand
Aurillac
Population
660 000 inhab.
145 000 inhab.
Area
7 970 km²
5 726 km²
Tagline
Volcans, ville, randonnée : l'Auvergne pour toutes les envies.
Le Cantal, là où le temps prend son temps.
Our straight opinion, rated out of 5
⛰️ Nature & hiking
5/5
5/5
🧀 Food and drink
4/5
5/5
🏛️ Heritage
4/5
4/5
👨👩👧 Family
5/5
3/5
💑 As a couple
4/5
5/5
🚆 Accessibility
5/5
2/5
Strengths / weaknesses
Strength
The most versatile: if you want 1 département that ticks 80% of the boxes (volcanoes + city + hiking + family), this is the one.
The most authentic. If you want to really slow down, eat local and feel far from everything, this is the one.
Weakness
More touristy, especially in summer around the Sancy and the Puy de Dôme.
Poorly served (few TER regional trains, no motorway), and harsh winters.
Our overall verdict
Puy-de-Dôme wins by a whisker.
But honestly, it's up to you. If you can't decide, take our quiz: 4 questions to settle it.