Département 63
Puy-de-Dôme
Volcanoes, city, hiking: an Auvergne for every mood.
Puy-de-Dôme is postcard Auvergne: the Chaîne des Puys and the Limagne fault, UNESCO-listed, the Sancy massif topping out at 1,885 m, lakes sitting at the bottom of old craters, and Clermont-Ferrand in the middle, the regional capital with its back to the volcanoes. If you could only visit one department in Auvergne, it would probably be this one: it brings together almost everything people come here for.
But boiling it down to its volcanoes would be a shame. To the south-east, the Livradois-Forez rolls out its high moorland pastures and its industrial heritage. Close by, you have the Romanesque heritage of Issoire and Orcival, the spa towns, the markets and the tables serving farmhouse Saint-Nectaire matured in a cellar. You come for a sunrise hike, you stay for a weekend, sometimes for a week.
Below, we've sorted the department by what you're in the mood for: mountains and volcanoes, lakes, Clermont and the towns, where to eat well, where to sleep. Each section points you to the places we've picked and to our detailed routes.
Mountains and volcanoes
You can climb the Puy de Dôme on foot via the Chemin des Muletiers, or ride to the top on the Panoramique des Dômes, the little cog railway. All around, the Chaîne des Puys lines up its cones and craters. Further south, the Sancy opens up proper high-mountain terrain, with the glacial valley of Chaudefour and its ridges. From a beginner's summit to a high-altitude route, there's something for every level.
The lakes
Lac Pavin, a blue circle at the bottom of a crater, Lac Chambon and its beach, Aydat for swimming with lifeguards, Servières for a quiet walk around the water: the lakes of Puy-de-Dôme are almost all volcanic in origin. In summer, they're the best spots to cool off between two hikes.
Clermont-Ferrand and the towns
Clermont-Ferrand deserves more than a quick stop: its cathedral built from black Volvic stone, the Montferrand quarter, the café terraces on Place de Jaude. Around it, Riom and its historic centre, Issoire and its Romanesque abbey church, Orcival and its basilica. Plenty to mix volcanoes and heritage on the same trip.
Where to eat well
Puy-de-Dôme is the land of Saint-Nectaire, truffade (potatoes with melted cheese) and potée (a hearty pork and vegetable stew). But it also has a real scene of bistros and chef-driven restaurants in Clermont, and producers selling direct in the villages. We've picked places for what they serve, not for the buzz they make.
Where to sleep
A treehouse at the foot of the volcanoes, a spa hotel, a gîte with character or a campsite facing the Sancy: the department covers every budget. For a volcano weekend, stay on the Sancy or Chaîne des Puys side; for a trip that mixes city and nature, base yourself in Clermont-Ferrand.
When to go
The volcanoes are best explored from May to October: trails in good shape, the Panoramique des Dômes running, lakes open for swimming. September and October are our favourite months, for the light and the colours. In winter, the Sancy and Super-Besse switch to skiing and snowshoeing.
How long to stay
Two days are enough for the classics around Clermont: the Puy de Dôme, a lake, a good meal. Allow 4 to 5 days to add the Sancy and the Livradois-Forez, and to take your time over the Romanesque villages.
Getting there
Clermont-Ferrand is about 3 hours 30 from Paris by train, and on the A71/A75 motorway by car. There's also an airport, Clermont-Auvergne. Once you're there, a car is still very useful: the volcanoes and villages are poorly served by public transport.
Places to see in Puy-de-Dôme
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.
Volcanoes · Le Mont-Dore
Puy de Sancy
The roof of the Massif Central at 1,885 m, a 360° panorama from the Cantal to the puys, and the source of the Dordogne on its north side.
Volcanoes · Saint-Ours
Volcan de Lemptégy
An open-air volcano you can visit. A walk into the heart of the volcano, a little train, a 4D show to understand how it formed.
Lakes · Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise
Lac Pavin
An almost perfect circle of water 800 metres across and 92 metres deep: Auvergne's deepest lake fills a crater born 6,900 years ago, between Besse and Super-Besse. The walk around it takes an hour.
Volcanoes · Orcines
Puy de Dôme
1,465 m, a Gallo-Roman temple at the top and 80 volcanoes lined up before your eyes. You walk up, you ride the train back down.
Gorges · Menat
Gorges de la Sioule
Three stops and a river that loops right round: the Belvédère du Paradis at Queuille, the Viaduc des Fades and Château-Rocher, plus canoeing in the warmer months.
Viewpoints · Orcines
Panoramique des Dômes
The Puy de Dôme rack railway. 15 min to the summit, a 360° view over the UNESCO-listed Chaîne des Puys.
Viewpoints · Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise
Lac Pavin viewpoint
Lac Pavin seen from above, from the rim of its crater: the deepest of Auvergne's lakes, 92 m deep. You walk up via a detour off the lake loop.
Volcanoes · Saint-Genès-Champanelle
Puy de la Vache
A 1,167 m Strombolian volcano whose lava flow created the Lac d'Aydat. Climbing it has been banned since May 2026, during the works.
Castles and heritage · Murol
Château de Murol
Medieval fortress founded in the 11th century, perched at 1,050 m facing the Sancy. Costumed tours, jousting and recreated living quarters.
Castles and heritage · Le Mont-Dore
Funiculaire du Capucin
Historic 1898 funicular, the oldest electric funicular in France still in service.
Swimming spots · Chambon-sur-Lac
Lac Chambon
Two free beaches with lifeguards in summer, shallow water that warms up fast, paddleboarding facing the Sancy. Auvergne's big family swimming lake.
Guides for Puy-de-Dôme
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.
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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.
Read moreClimbing 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.
Read moreClimbing 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.
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Top 10 hikes in the Sancy: from easy to challenging
Want to go hiking in the Sancy but don't know where to start? Here are the 10 routes we recommend to our friends, from a family stroll to a summit climb.
Read moreQuestions about Puy-de-Dôme
What can you do in Puy-de-Dôme in 2 days?
Day 1: the Puy de Dôme (on foot via the Chemin des Muletiers or on the Panoramique des Dômes), then a volcanic lake such as Lac Pavin or Lac Chambon. Day 2: the Sancy massif (up to the summit or into the Chaudefour valley), then a meal in Clermont-Ferrand. In two days, you've covered the volcanic essentials of the department.
Which volcano should you visit in Puy-de-Dôme?
The Puy de Dôme is the most emblematic, with its 360° view over the whole Chaîne des Puys. For a more intimate crater, the Puy de Pariou; for red lava flows, the Puy de la Vache and the Puy de Lassolas (climbing them has not been allowed since May 2026, during restoration work; climb the Puy de Vichatel instead). The Sancy, for its part, is a massif rather than a single cone.
Where can you swim in Puy-de-Dôme?
The volcanic lakes are the best spots in summer: Lac Chambon (beach with facilities), Lac d'Aydat, Lac de la Crégut. Lac Pavin is better suited to a walk than a swim. Always check the authorised areas and whether there are lifeguards before you get in the water.