What to visit in Auvergne? If you are looking for a varied and fun tourist circuit, here is my road trip in Auvergne that could inspire you! Indeed, I share with you the itinerary of this 4 day road trip with its Google Map that you can put in GPS mode.
My tourist circuit allows you to cross the most beautiful volcanoes of Auvergne but also beautiful forests, lakes, spectacular gorges, castles and small villages of character.
In short, it is a scenic route that I suggest you do in 4 days but which can adapt to a 2 or 3 day road trip or even break down into several day trips.
Where is Auvergne located in France?
When we speak of Auvergne, we necessarily think of Volcanoes but among the 4 departments of central France that make it up there are much more than volcanoes! Indeed, the departments around the Massif Central (Allier, Cantal, Haute-Loire and Puy-de-Dôme) are rich in tourism and culture.
This is why it is better to visit them in road-trip mode to discover Auvergne through its volcanoes but also its heritage and its tourist attractions.
How to go to Auvergne?
If you come by train you can go directly to Clermont Ferrand. Otherwise, be aware that there are stations in the cities of Vichy, Moulins, Montluçon, Thiers, Saint-Flour, Murat, Aurillac or Le Puy-en-Velay and that some are well served from Clermont-Ferrand.
Train journey times:
- 3h30 journey from Paris,
- 2h20 journey from Lyon,
- 4h30 journey from Marseille,
If you come by plane from Paris for example, you will arrive by Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne airport (daily back and forth).
The most beautiful places in the Massif Central
In order to plan my itinerary, I looked for the most beautiful places in the Massif Central and Auvergne.
Indeed, in a few days it is impossible to discover all the tourist sites and all the volcanoes of Auvergne: Puy de Sancy, Puy-de-Dôme, Puy Mary, Puy de Pariou, Puy de Montchal, Puy de La Vache and Lassolas, Lemptegy Volcano, Tartaret Volcano, Banne d'Ordanche ...
I therefore selected only the most beautiful volcanoes, the most interesting villages and the largest natural and cultural sites in Auvergne.
What to visit in Auvergne?
Here are the main stages of my 4-day road trip in Auvergne :
- Departure from Clermont Ferrand
- Vulcania
- Puy de Domes
- Panoramic of the Domes (Mont Dores)
- Roches Tuilière and Sanadoire
- Orcival village
- Puy de Sancy volcano
- Chauvet lake
- Village of Saint Nectaire
- Montpeyroux
- Usson village
- Le Puy en Velay
- The Allier Gorges
- Medieval city of Salers
- Lastioulles lake
What to visit in Auvergne - Tourist circuit map
Now you can discover the stages of my 4-day tourist circuit in Auvergne :
Road trip around the Auvergne volcanoes - Day 1
For the 1st day of my road trip, my circuit begins with the regional capital of Auvergne: Clermont Ferrand.
Road-trip in Auvergne - Clermont Ferrand
City of Vercingétorix, Blaise Pascal and Michelin's Bibendum, Clermont-Ferrand is not a very touristy city. Without spending half a day there, I recommend that you go and discover its beautiful Gothic cathedral as well as the Notre-Dame-du-Port basilica.
Or why not visit the L'Aventure Michelin museum? You will thus discover the history of the famous world tire manufacturer whose head office has been based in Clermont Ferrant since 1889.
Road-trip in Auvergne - Vulcania
If you have children, it is impossible to go to Auvergne without going to Vulcania! Only 20 minutes from Clermont-Ferrand, I recommend that you spend 2 or 3 hours in this amusement park dedicated to the world of volcanoes and the natural phenomena of the Earth.
Road-trip in Auvergne - Puy de Dômes
After 15 minutes by car, my program takes us to discover the Puy de Dômes to end the day. And to reach the top of the highest volcano in the Chaîne des Puys, I recommend that you take the Panoramique des Dômes.
The departure station is located at Lieu-dit La Font de l'Arbre - Chemin du Couleyras on the Municipality of Orcines.
This little cogwheel train takes you in 15 minutes to the top of the volcano (1465 meters). Up there you will have a spectacular panorama of the volcanoes of the Chaîne des Puys and the Limagne Fault.
See details on official site of the Panoramique des Dômes.
Where to sleep in Puy de Dôme?
If you are looking for simple, well-equipped and inexpensive accommodation, I recommend the Gîte-Hôtel The Little Cham which is located in the ski resort of Mont-Dore.
See this accommodation in Puy de Dôme
Road trip around the Auvergne volcanoes - Day 2
What to visit in Auvergne - The Roches Tuilières and Sanadoire
On the road that goes from the Mont Dore resort to Orcival on the D27, so on my route, you will arrive at the parking lot of Col de Guery. There, you have to park to admire a point of view is indicated and arranged for visitors.
These 2 rocks are the remains of a crater and in the middle the remains of a gorge carved by a glacier over millions of years ago.
What to visit in Auvergne - Orcival
After the pretty point of view, I recommend that you take a little walk in the pretty village of Orcival. Typical village of Auvergne, you can visit its Romanesque basilica and the castle of Cordès with its gardens.
What to visit in Auvergne - Puy de Sancy volcano
Puy de Sancy is an extinct volcano whose summit reaches 1885 meters. The highest point in the Massif Central, it is the highest volcano in mainland France.
To enjoy the magnificent panoramas offered by the surroundings of this volcano, you can hike from Super Besse, Mont-Dore and from Chastreix-Sancy. Loop trails offer walks from 3:30 to 6:XNUMX around the volcano. See the routes on: Sancy.com
What to visit in Auvergne - Lake Chauvet
Then, the next stage is located at an altitude of 1166 m at Lac Chauvet.
From Picherande, you will be able to make a beautiful hike of 4h30, the itinerary of which you will find below (map kindly shared by BALIRANDO Les Amis des Chemins).
What to visit in Auvergne - Saint Nectaire
After this beautiful hike, you will take the road for 30 km to reach the pretty village of Saint-Nectaire.
This village, known for its AOP Saint-Nectaire cheese, is also an old spa town from the 19th century. As a result, you will appreciate not only its cheese but also its Romanesque church and its architectural heritage from the Belle Epoque.
It is moreover to make the most of it that I advise you to spend the evening and the night there.
Where to sleep near Saint-Nectaire?
Very well located in Saint-Nectaire (opposite the Mercure hotel), this apartment is well equipped and perfect for a stopover night.
See this apartment in Saint-Nectaire
Tourist tour in Auvergne - Day 3
The program of the 3rd day of my tourist circuit in Auvergne takes us to the Gorges de l'Allier. On the road, we will stop to admire two small villages classified among the most beautiful villages in France.
Road-trip in Auvergne - Montpeyroux
Montpeyroux is a superb arkose stone village. From its 13th century tower, you can enjoy a magnificent panorama over the entire region.
Road-trip in Auvergne - Village d'Usson
25 kilometers further south of Montpeyroux, there is another village classified among the most beautiful villages in France: Usson.
Usson was once dominated by a castle which for 19 years served as Queen Margot's place of exile.
Road-trip in Auvergne - Le Puy en Velay
Then, it will be necessary to make a hundred kilometers (1h30 of road) to arrive at Puy en Velay. Indeed, it is a must-see site when sightseeing in Auvergne!
On the road to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle, the municipality of Puy en Velay offers pilgrims a place of welcome and information and a museum-trail on the theme of the Way of St-Jacques.
To visit this city, you can visit the Rocher Corneille and the Statue of Notre-Dame de France, the Chapelle St-Michel d'Aiguilhe (at the top of the volcanic rock), the Cathedral, its 12th century cloister and the upper town.
Road-trip in Auvergne - The Gorges de l'Allier
To visit the Gorges de l'Allier with a little tight timing, the tourist train is the ideal solution! So you put down your car and let yourself be rocked by the rails through landscapes accessible only by train.
To make this scenic route by train, you have to go to the train station Langeac (40 km from Le Puy en Velay). Be careful because there is only 1 return trip per day.
Where to sleep in Langeac?
For convenience, I recommend the Abel Hotel, which is just a 10-minute walk from Langeac train station. Restaurants, shops, cafes are also a 10-minute walk away and the hotel has free parking.
Tourist tour in Auvergne - Day 4
My 4th day program combines history, old stones, relaxation and nature. To begin with, it will take a little over 2 hours to get to Salers.
What to visit in Auvergne - Medieval city of Salers
Ranked among the most beautiful villages in France, the village of Salers is well worth a visit.
Then you will take the road back to the Lac de Lastioulles, 65 km from Salers.
What to do in Auvergne - Lac de Lastioulles
It is in this magnificent setting that my 4-day road trip in Auvergne ends. Thus, you can enjoy the landscapes, the lake beach and the nautical center (rental of canoes, kayaks, pedal boats, etc.).
And if you are in good shape, there are 3 hikes to do:
- The lakes of Crégut for its panoramas on the Puy Mary, the lakes and the mountains of Cantal;
- Lake Laroche;
- The Trémouille forest.
Where to sleep at Lac de Lastioulles?
Here is a guest room that I particularly recommend. The house is very well located near Lake Lastouilles and the reception is top notch!
Other ideas from road trip in France ?
here is my Normandy tour
or even my circuit in the Pyrenees
