Auvergne with kids
A baby, primary-school children, a teenager: on a family trip to Auvergne, each age runs on its own operating system. What works with a baby makes a teenager sigh, and what amuses a teenager bores a 4-year-old.
Here are our ideas sorted by age group, plus some sections that cut across them (nature, swimming, accommodation, rainy-day plan B). We tell you what is worth the trip, what really takes two hours, and what can be skipped depending on your schedule.
With a baby or toddlers (0-3 years)
At this age, the rule is simple: comfort, short distances, shade, and a nap possible in the middle of the day. Auvergne suits that rhythm well, as long as you choose carefully.
1. Lac Chambon loop with a pushchair. Starting from the Chambon beach, the pushchair route around the lake (Puy-de-Dôme) is 4.2 km, allow 1 hour 45, with little or no ascent. It suits pushchairs with big wheels: stick pushchairs are strongly discouraged. You walk along the water, pass ducks, find shade. Picnics are possible on the lawns facing the Château de Murol.
2. Jardin Lecoq and its play areas (Clermont-Ferrand). The big city-centre park, ten minutes' walk from the place de Jaude: five hectares of lawns and tall trees, with play areas for children. Perfect for fitting in an hour between two activities if you are in town. Public toilets in the garden, free entry.
3. La Maison du Buronnier (Laveissière, Cantal). The Belles Aigues buron (a summer mountain cheese-making hut), which stayed in use until the 1960s, has become a museum: your children discover the life of the buronniers and how cheese was made on the summer pastures. Exhibition, guided visit, reservation required. Access via Le Lioran or, by car, via Laveissière and Fraisse Haut. A short visit, doable with a little one on your back.
4. Capucin funicular (Le Mont-Dore). The oldest electric funicular in France, built in 1898 and classified as a historic monument, lifts you towards the hiking trails, the Sylvatorium and the tree-top adventure courses. Ideal for a break that asks no effort of anyone.
5. Maison du Parc des Volcans in Aydat: closed for works. The Montlosier site is in the middle of a redevelopment: the reception, exhibition, shop, visitor car park and toilets are closed, and the picnic area too since September 2026. Reopening is announced for the 2028 season.
With primary-school children (6-11 years)
The golden age for travelling in Auvergne. Curious, energetic, still full of wonder. Everything works: volcanoes, short hikes, swimming, animals, workshops.
6. Vulcania (Saint-Ours-les-Roches). The big one in the region for anyone visiting with children. Allow 4 to 5 hours on site, even the whole day. In 2026, the dated ticket costs €23 to €27.50 for a child aged 6 to 16 and €28 to €33 for an adult, depending on the period. Free under 3. Dragon Ride (from 1.10 m tall) and the Réveil des Géants d'Auvergne (from 90 cm) work particularly well at this age. The ticket is valid from 10:00: arrive early.
7. Volcan de Lemptégy. 5 minutes from Vulcania but rawer, more educational, shorter (2 hours 30). You go down into a real crater by a path or on a little train. In 2026, expect to pay €11.50 to €15.50 for a child aged 4 to 12, depending on the formula (on foot or by little train) and the period. For curious primary-school children, it often makes a bigger impression than Vulcania. A night visit with a sound and light show is possible in July-August.
8. Le PAL (Saint-Pourçain-sur-Besbre, Allier). An amusement park and zoo combined, open from 4 April to 27 September in 2026, following the park's calendar. It is the big family park of Auvergne. New in 2026: the Delta des Éléphants. Allow the full day. Book online: the Malin ticket, dated, is sold on the web only. Accommodation on site is possible (family lodges), handy if you are coming from far away.
9. Parc Animalier d'Auvergne (Ardes-sur-Couze). Its 350 animals belong to 60 rare and threatened species. In 2026, the dated ticket costs €23.90 to €26.90 from age 10 and €17.90 to €19.90 from 3 to 9, free under 3.
10. Paléopolis (Gannat, Allier). The dinosaur park: the Vallée des Dinosaures and its life-size specimens, a museum of more than 300 fossils, a 3D cinema and casting and cave art workshops for 5 to 15-year-olds. A little dated in places, but the concept works really well with 6 to 10-year-olds. Half a day is enough.
11. Panoramique des Dômes. The electric rack railway takes you to the summit of the Puy de Dôme, at 1,465 m, in 15 minutes. Guaranteed to impress.
12. Roches Tuilière and Sanadoire (Col de Guéry). For a big landscape without walking, the viewpoint over the Roches Tuilière and Sanadoire is perfect: from the viewpoint with a car park, at the Col de Guéry, the two rocks line the glacial valley of Fontsalade. No effort, big effect.
13. Farm visit in Saint-Nectaire country. Several farmhouse Saint-Nectaire producers open their farms to visitors (notably around Murol, Besse and Saint-Nectaire). Your children see the cows and the cheesemaking, and leave with a piece of cheese.
With teenagers (12-16 years)
The most demanding age. What works: physical activities that engage them, real panoramas, meals where they choose what they eat, and a bit of Wi-Fi in the evening at the gîte. Auvergne has plenty to offer.
14. Climbing the Puy de Sancy (1,885 m). The roof of the Massif Central, by cable car from Le Mont-Dore (in 2026, €20 return for an adult and €12 for ages 5-15, then a staircase of 864 steps, about 25 minutes, to the orientation table), or on foot for the more athletic. Careful: the cable car is closed for maintenance from 31 August 2026 until the 2026 Christmas holidays, and the summit is then reached on foot. At the top, a 360° view. The staircase between the cable car and the summit makes quite an impression.
15. Via ferrata of the lac des Graves (Cantal). Four routes above the lake or in the Jordanne gorges. With a guide, the easy route can be done from age 8 and 1.40 m tall, equipment hire included. A guaranteed hit with teenagers: it gets them off their screens for good.
16. Canoeing in the Sioule gorges. At the Menat bridge, Sioule Loisirs equips you with life jackets and waterproof barrels, then takes you by shuttle to the start, at Châteauneuf-les-Bains or Lisseuil. Several routes, from an introduction to a full day. If your teenager loves water and effort, you've hit the jackpot.
17. Stand-up paddleboarding on Lac Chambon. Sancy Loisirs hires out pedalos, paddleboards, giant paddleboards, canoes and kayaks on the Chambon beach. Bring a thick towel, the water is cool even in August.
18. Festival d'Aurillac (street theatre, 19-22 August 2026). For a teenager curious about culture, it's an experience of its own. During the 4 days of the festival, the town becomes a giant stage: about twenty companies in the official programme, more than 600 visiting companies, an electric atmosphere. Book accommodation very far ahead, or on the outskirts.
19. Rénac Aventure (lac de Saint-Étienne-Cantalès). 25 minutes from Aurillac, 10 tree-top adventure courses and 140 activities open from age 3, and the Tyro-Lac course: two giant 130 m zip lines above the lake. Thrills guaranteed for 12-16-year-olds.
Nature activities with children
Auvergne is made for beginner walkers. A few ideas that work at every age (with a baby carrier for toddlers, on foot for the others).
20. Walk around Lac Pavin. About 2.7 km of path around the lake, through beech woodland. Swimming, though, is strictly forbidden.
21. Queureuilh and Rossignolet waterfalls (Le Mont-Dore). An easy walk through woodland: 2.4 km, 1 hour, 60 m of ascent. The Queureuilh is more than 20 m high. For the more motivated, the Saut du Loup is 1 km further up, with 116 m more ascent. Cool in summer.
22. Pariou crater. More demanding, but the climb up the wooden stairs and the view over the crater make a real memory. The crater floor is out of bounds, to protect the volcano. Start from the car park at the col des Goules, on the D941.
Supervised swimming
Two lakes with supervised swimming in July-August 2026, two options for a family holiday.
23. Lac d'Aydat. In 2026, supervised swimming from 4 July to 30 August, from 13:30 to 18:30, a play area, snacks and restaurants close by, paddleboarding and kayaking at the sailing school, and the Pavillon Bleu (Blue Flag). Careful: a renaturation and modernisation project on the site runs until summer 2028. The beach car park closed for good on 31 August 2026 and the site remained open to the public until 21 September 2026.
24. Lac Chambon. Two supervised beaches, the Murol beach and the Chambon beach: in 2026, from 1 July to 30 August, from 11:00 to 18:00 (19:00 on Sundays and public holidays). The lake is at 875 m above sea level. A view of the Château de Murol, which dominates, a very photogenic landscape. Pavillon Bleu in 2026 as well. Pedalos, canoes and paddleboards to hire.
Swimming in Lac Pavin, for its part, is strictly forbidden. Keep it for the walk around the lake (idea no. 20).
Family accommodation
Accommodation is 50% of what makes a family trip work. A few options that work.
Rural gîtes with a pool. The Sancy/Murol area has many gîtes for 4 to 8 people, some with a private pool. Book through Gîtes de France or Clévacances, whose quality is inspected.
Family campsite. Around the lakes, the Domaine du Lac Chambon, the Camping du Lac d'Aydat or Le Repos du Baladin (Murol) are the safe bets. At Le Repos du Baladin: two pools, one of them covered with a spa area, a play area and activities every day for 6 to 13-year-olds during the summer holidays.
Lodges at the PAL. If you plan 2 days at the park, sleeping on site remains a strong memory for children: Lodge Savane facing the African plain or Lodge Hippopotame in the middle of the big lakes, 5 people per lodge. In 2026, in high season, the half-board stay of 2 days and 1 night, park access included, costs €250 per adult and €166 per child.
Cabins in the trees. In Vieille-Brioude (Haute-Loire), Peydébé has three tree cabins with a private spa, and the Peydébé cabin sleeps 2 to 6 people. Guaranteed to impress.
Rain and family plan Bs
Auvergne in summer stays unpredictable, especially in the mid-mountains. A few plan Bs.
The Aventure Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand works very well from age 7-8 (a visit of 1 hour 30 to 2 hours). Vulcania works in the rain, most of it is indoors. At the Royatonic thermal baths in Royat, the junior entry (ages 6 to 15, accompanied) lasts 2 hours 30: ideal in the rain.
For the full list, we have a dedicated guide: Auvergne in the rain.
Practical tips
When to go with children? June and September are the best months (mild weather, few people, reasonable prices). July-August is hotter, livelier, more expensive, more crowded at the major sites. To be avoided with very young children (altitude heat + crowds = no nap possible).
Distances and driving. Allow plenty between two stops: winding roads, a real average driving speed of 50 km/h outside the A75. With children, don't plan more than 2 hours of driving a day, or the road becomes your holiday.
Bookings to make ahead. In high season, book Vulcania, Le PAL and accommodation at least 2 months ahead. For farm visits in Saint-Nectaire and canoe trips, 2-3 weeks is enough.
To wrap up
Auvergne with the family works at every age as long as you adapt the pace. A baby won't walk round the Puy de Sancy, a teenager won't swoon over a buron visit, and that's normal. The region's great strength is the density of options within 100 km: volcanoes, lakes, parks, farms, villages, swimming, you cover every profile without driving 300 km a day.
To go further, take a look at the Auvergne in the rain guide for weather plan Bs, at the Auvergne road trip in 5 days if you want a structured itinerary, or at the Auvergne in July and August guide to fit your holiday around the calendar of summer events.
