Auvergne road trip
Five days is enough to cross three of the four départements (Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal, Haute-Loire) and get a real idea of what Auvergne is. Not everything, obviously, but an honest backbone that mixes volcanoes, lakes, plateaux, listed villages and Romanesque heritage.
Overview. Clermont-Ferrand (start) → Sancy → northern Cantal → southern Cantal → Haute-Loire → Clermont (return).
Day 1 · Chaîne des Puys and Clermont-Ferrand
Free morning in Clermont. Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption cathedral (in black Volvic stone), the historic Montferrand district, place de Jaude. Optional: L'Aventure Michelin, a 2-hour visit, €13 for an adult ticket in 2026.
Afternoon: climb the Puy de Dôme. Two options. The Chemin des Muletiers on foot from the Col de Ceyssat (1.9 km, 350 metres of climbing, 45 minutes to 1 hour up). Or the Panoramique des Dômes train to the summit. A 360° panorama over 80 volcanic puys.
Night in Orcines or Le Mont-Dore.
Tip. Remember to fill up the tank before leaving Clermont.
Day 2 · Sancy massif and lakes
Morning: Le Mont-Dore. Up the Puy de Sancy by cable car (€20 return for an adult and €12 for a child, 2026 prices). The highest point of the Massif Central at 1,885 m. From 31 August to 18 December 2026, the cable car is closed for works: plan to climb on foot via the val de Courre.
Lunch in Murol or by Lac Chambon. The simplest option: a picnic (bread, ham, Saint-Nectaire).
Afternoon: Lac Pavin and Besse. Walk around Lac Pavin: about 2.7 km through the beech wood. Swimming is strictly not allowed there. The village of Besse is worth an hour's stroll.
Night in Murat or Salers. Murat: Hostellerie du Cantal (formerly Les Messageries). Salers: Hôtel Le Bailliage.
Day 3 · Cantal and Puy Mary
Morning: Salers. Listed among the Plus Beaux Villages de France (the Most Beautiful Villages of France): houses with turrets, belfry, ramparts. 2 hours to go round.
Lunch. Several hotel-restaurants right in the village.
Afternoon: Pas de Peyrol and Puy Mary. From the Pas de Peyrol pass, allow thirty minutes on foot (195 m of climbing) to the orientation table at the summit of the Puy Mary. Parking is charged: €5 for the day in 2026. Access depends on whether the pass is open, depending on snow cover and weather.
Recommended detour: Tournemire and its Château d'Anjony.
Night in Saint-Flour.
Day 4 · Southern Cantal and entering the Haute-Loire
Morning: Saint-Flour upper town. 1 hour 30 for the Saint-Pierre cathedral, the ramparts, the place d'Armes.
Lunch in Chaudes-Aigues. Its waters, at 82 °C, are the hottest in Europe.
Afternoon: road to the Haute-Loire. The A75, free of charge on this stretch, as far as Saint-Chély-d'Apcher, then Saugues and Le Puy-en-Velay.
Arrival in Le Puy-en-Velay in the late afternoon. The Notre-Dame de France statue and the Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe chapel are saved for the next morning.
Night in Le Puy-en-Velay. Hôtel Le Regina (4 stars).
Day 5 · Haute-Loire and return via Clermont
Morning: Le Puy-en-Velay. 2 hours 30 to 3 hours. Notre-Dame du Puy cathedral (a major stop on the Way of St James), the cloister, the Notre-Dame de France statue and the Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe chapel (268 steps cut into the volcanic rock). Adult entry in 2026: €7 for the cloister, €4.50 for the statue, €7 for Aiguilhe.
Afternoon: back to Clermont. Option 1, the fastest, via the N102 then the A75. Option 2, longer, via the Mézenc plateau.
Stop in Brioude. The Saint-Julien basilica is the largest Romanesque church in Auvergne.
Practical tips
Fuel. Fill up in the big towns before heading up into the mountains.
Mountain driving. Off the A75, allow plenty of time: lots of tight bends and passes.
Weather and season. Ideal: May to the end of September. May-June and September offer the best compromise between weather / crowds / prices.
Budget. The big items are accommodation, restaurants and fuel.
Shortened 3-day itinerary. Drop the Haute-Loire and close the loop Clermont → Sancy → Cantal → back to Clermont via Issoire.
To wrap up
Five days is enough for a real first discovery of Auvergne, as long as you accept not seeing everything.
To go further: the Auvergne for families guide, the hiking in Auvergne page, the Auvergne on a budget guide, or the short version, the 3-day Auvergne itinerary.
