L

The blazon of Cantal county

Allier is a river which crosses la Haute-Loire, le Puy-de-Dôme and l’Allier . It is an affluent of the Loire, on which many activities are possible (canoe, kayak…).

a map of auvergne

A magnificent small village!

The Cantal county.

Some famous monuments of the Cantal: the perfectly preserved mediaeval town of Salers, the Château of Anjony (one of the finest in Auvergne), the viaduct of Garabit by Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame), the episcopal city of St-Flour (founded in the 4th Century), the famous European Street Theatre Festival of Aurillac, and the tiny churches and comb-like belltowers of the Jordanne Valley.

The neighboring departments of Cantal and Puy-de-Dôme are home to the largest volcanic region in Europe. On this photograph we can see a splendid panorama of the range of the Puy volcanoes.

Rafting on the Allier

This region is in the highlands of the Massif Central and this is the perfect holiday destination. Only one hour from Lyons and three hours from Paris, there is Auvergne. By car, foot, bike, horse, kayak, river raft, explore this region of long extinct volcanoes, lush green valleys, sparkling rivers, and tranquil lakes. On this photograph, we can see the town of Le Puy en Velay and its cathedral in the background. In the foreground, there is the famous statue of the virgin Marie.

The Haute-Loire county

The silence on the high plateaus of Mount Mézenc is haunting and the panorama from its summit (1753 metres, 5750 feet) spans one fourth of France. The thatched cottages of Moudeyres, the Lake and 12th Century Romanesque Church of Saint Front, and the ancient houses of Fay-sur-Lignon, Chaudeyrolles, and Les Etables mark the travellers progress. Between the Forez and Livradois Mountains to the north, Auvergnes second most important Gothic structure, the Chaise Dieu Abbey, strikes a commanding pose amid an evergreen forest. In the southwest, the Allier and Loire Rivers cut impressive gorges beneath the Velay and Margueride plateaus, home to Europes earliest inhabitants. Nearby, towering basalt spurs and volcanic cones watch over Le Puy-en-Velay, lending the town the appearance of a landlocked version of Rio.