Auvergne for free
Auvergne has one thing going for it: the great majority of its finest sites are free to enter. The paths cost nothing, nor do the listed villages. You pay for fuel, the picnic, sometimes a car park, and that's all.
Here are 27 activities, all 100% free, sorted by category.
Natural sites you can visit for free
Lac Pavin (Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise). An almost perfectly circular crater lake, the youngest in Auvergne (formed about 6,900 years ago). A path goes round the lake (about 2.7 km, allow 1 hour). Swimming is forbidden there, and the lake drops to a depth of 92 m. You come for the walk round and the view, not to get wet.
Chaîne des Puys via the Puy de Dôme. The sentier des Muletiers is free, and so is the summit. Only the panoramic railway is charged. From the car park at the col de Ceyssat, allow 45 minutes to 1 hour of climbing for 365 m of ascent.
Lac Chambon (Murol). A natural lake created by a volcanic dam. Free beaches with open access. A path goes round the lake (3.5 km, allow about 1 hour). Views of the Tartaret and the Château de Murol.
Lac d'Aydat. The largest natural lake in Auvergne. A beach supervised in July and August, and a waymarked path that goes round the lake (about 5.5 km, allow 1 hour 30). Fishing allowed with a permit.
Cascade de la Biche (vallée de Chaudefour, Chambon-sur-Lac). In the nature reserve, a waymarked circuit of 2 to 3 hours there and back from the car park of the Maison de la Réserve (the reserve's visitor centre). Free access, on foot only, dogs forbidden even on a lead.
Cascade du Saut du Loup (Le Mont-Dore). From the Queureuilh waterfall, a path climbs to the Saut du Loup, 1 km higher up (116 m of ascent). Dogs allowed, always on a lead.
Plateau du Mézenc (Haute-Loire). The roof of the Haute-Loire (1,744 m on the Auvergne side, 1,753 m at the Ardèche summit). From the car park at the croix de Boutières, allow two hours there and back in summer to the summit. Panorama as far as the Alps in clear weather.
Pas de Peyrol and Puy Mary (Cantal). The highest road pass in the Massif Central (1,589 m). Parking at the pass is charged (€5 for the day in 2026). Allow thirty minutes on foot (195 m of ascent) to the orientation table at the summit. 360° view over the glacial valleys.
Gorges de l'Allier. Several free viewpoints along the road between Brioude and Langeac. Saint-Ilpize and its castle perched above the valley, Chilhac set on its basalt columns.
Free heritage
Auvergne Romanesque art (12th century) is almost entirely free to visit.
Notre-Dame du Puy (Le Puy-en-Velay). You climb up to the cathedral by a great staircase of 134 steps. Free access to the nave.
Basilique Notre-Dame d'Orcival. One of the 5 major churches of Auvergne Romanesque art. 12th-century Virgin in Majesty, classified as a historic monument. Free access.
Abbatiale Saint-Austremoine (Issoire). Sumptuous Romanesque architecture, historiated capitals. Free access.
Basilique Saint-Julien (Brioude). The largest Romanesque church in Auvergne. Pebble mosaic floors, frescoes. Free access.
Notre-Dame-du-Port (Clermont-Ferrand). One of the five major churches, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the Routes of Saint James. Crypt freely accessible.
Medieval village of Salers (Cantal). Listed as one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France (the Most Beautiful Villages of France). Basalt lanes, black stone houses of the 15th-16th centuries. Free to wander the village.
Charroux (Allier). Another listed Plus Beau Village, in the heart of the Bourbonnais. Free access.
Saint-Floret (Puy-de-Dôme). A Petite Cité de Caractère (a heritage label for small towns) along the Couze Pavin: medieval lanes and winegrowers' houses under the keep of a fortified castle. Free to visit.
Panoramas and viewpoints
Plateau de Gergovie. Site of the battle of Gergovie (52 BC). From the plateau, a panorama over the Chaîne des Puys and the Limagne. Free access, car park on site.
Col de la Croix Morand. Between Le Mont-Dore and Murol, a pass at 1,401 m. Starting point for hikes on the surrounding ridges.
Roches Tuilière and Sanadoire. The chimney (Tuilière) and a piece of cone (Sanadoire) of two former volcanoes, near the col de Guéry. A viewpoint laid out at the pass, facing the two rocks.
Views from Vichy over the banks of the Allier. A promenade along the banks of the Allier over several kilometres, the parc des Sources, the bandstand, the parc Napoléon III.
Plateau de l'Aubrac (Cantal-Lozère). On the Cantal side (Chaudes-Aigues, Saint-Urcize), a high plateau with its burons (stone cheese-making huts) and its summer pastures.
Free events
Fête de l'Estive in Allanche (Cantal). More than ten herds of Salers cattle parade down Allanche's main street on the Saturday, with a big country market, then head up to the summer pastures on the Sunday. 2027 edition announced for Saturday 22 May. Free access.
Weekly markets. Markets in Vichy (Wednesday and Saturday), Salers (Wednesday), Issoire (Saturday), Le Puy-en-Velay (Saturday), Aurillac (Wednesday and Saturday). Free to browse.
Family bonus
Nature play areas. Parc Napoléon III in Vichy, jardin Henri Vinay in Le Puy-en-Velay.
Médiathèque de Vichy. The Valery-Larbaud media library has its children's area, and on-site consultation is free there.
Lake beaches. At Lac Chambon, the beaches are freely accessible and swimming is supervised in July and August. At Lac d'Aydat, swimming is supervised in the afternoon in July and August. Outside those supervised afternoons, it is prohibited there by prefectural order. At Lac Pavin, for its part, swimming is forbidden.
To wrap up
Visiting Auvergne at €0 an activity is very much doable, and even recommended: the finest sites in the region are the most accessible. You keep your budget for fuel, a good lunch spot, and a farmhouse Saint-Nectaire brought home.
To go further: the Auvergne on a budget guide, which puts figures on affordable accommodation and restaurants, the Auvergne with kids page for family tips, or the Auvergne hiking guide for the most accessible trails.