The pitch
Autumn in Auvergne is a well-kept secret. No mass tourism, no queues, just the beeches catching fire from mid-October to mid-November, and the low light that turns every valley into a cinema screen. We're sharing 7 spots, with their département, so you can plan your weekend. For the full tour of the season (weather, the deer rut, fairs, where to sleep), read the guide to autumn in Auvergne.
1. Vallée de Chaudefour (63), the green cathedral that turns orange
A national nature reserve since 1991, it is a U-shaped glacial valley, overlooked by lava needles such as the Dent de la Rancune and the Crête de Coq. You follow the valley floor on foot, beneath slopes covered in beech woods. In autumn (mid-October), the beeches turn gold and the moss on the ground turns deep green. A crazy contrast.
When to go: 15-30 October, on a weekday if you can. Difficulty: easy, the valley-floor walk can be done as a family.
2. Plateau du Cézallier (15/63), the copper-coloured steppe
The Cézallier in autumn: an open high plateau (1,200-1,500 m on average), covered in meadows, dotted with old stone farms. When the grass turns copper at the end of October, and the light comes in low at 15:00, you take the most iconic photos of your life.
When to go: 20 Oct to 10 Nov. Specific spot: around La Godivelle and its two lakes, the Lac d'En-Haut and the Lac d'En-Bas.
3. Mont Mézenc (43/07), two summits for a single mountain
At 1,753 m (south summit, in the Ardèche) and 1,744 m (north summit, the highest point of the Haute-Loire), Mont Mézenc towers over the Velay plateau.
The south summit, with its orientation table, is the highest on the eastern edge of the Massif Central. In mid-October, the mountain's beech woods go up in flames.
When to go: mid-October, for the beeches.
4. Forêt de Tronçais (03), the cathedral of oaks
Technically, it's an oak wood, not a beech wood, but it is absolutely worth it. Tronçais is about 10,600 hectares of state forest, some oaks are more than 400 years old (the Jumeaux oaks, the Saint-Louis oak), and the Chêne Pilier reaches 47.50 m. The paths through the high forest are maintained and waymarked. You walk under cathedrals of greenery.
When to go: 25 Oct to 15 Nov for peak colours.
5. Lac Pavin (63), the orange mirror
A maar (a volcanic crater lake) in an almost perfect circle 800 m across and 92 m deep, with a beech wood all around. In autumn, the walk round the lake (about 2.7 km) turns surreal: coppery reflections on the black water, morning mist clinging to the tree tops. Go at sunrise or late in the afternoon.
6. Gorges de l'Allier (43), the canyon in autumn
Between Langogne and Langeac, the gorges run for 80 km through wooded valleys, and the Allier flows through a jumble of basalt rocks. In autumn, the beeches and oaks contrast with the black rock and the green water of the Allier. For hiking, the GR 470 follows the sources and the gorges of the Allier.
7. Vallée de Mandailles (15), remote and sublime
A glacial valley in the heart of the Cantal, little known, even less visited. The village of Mandailles sits at the bottom of a glacial cirque, in a large wooded area of beeches, ash trees and a few oaks. For hiking: many waymarked paths run through the cirque. For photos: just park, head down to the village and walk 30 minutes up the valley.
Practical tips
- Check the weather: it changes fast in autumn. Look at the Météo-France forecast the day before.
- Get up early: the morning light (7:00-9:00) is golden, after that it goes flat.
- Off-season = few restaurants: many inns close from November. Book ahead.
- Warm clothes: at altitude, the days stay cool and frost is possible at night.
The ideal weekend combo
2 nights there: the Sancy or the Cézallier as your base. You do 2-3 spots at most. No need to rush all over Auvergne in 48 hours, autumn is best taken slowly.