You have to experience it once: the summit of the Puy de Dôme on a June morning, the sea of clouds below, and that chain of 80 dormant volcanoes lining up to the horizon like a row of frozen waves. Auvergne is French tourism's great misunderstanding — everyone knows the name, almost nobody goes, and those who do return as evangelists. We are among the converted. Here is why, and above all how.
The Chaîne des Puys, our favourite UNESCO site
World Heritage-listed since 2018, the Chaîne des Puys lines up its cones over 45 km from Clermont-Ferrand. The Puy de Dôme (1,465 m) is the gateway: climb on foot via the Muleteers' path (45 minutes, steep but steady) or take the Panoramique des Dômes rack railway (~€15 return). At the top: the Gallo-Roman temple of Mercury, paragliders by the dozen and a 360° panorama that justifies the trip on its own.
But our real recommendation is the Puy Pariou — the one with the crater so perfect it looks drawn with a compass. Allow 2.5 hours return from the Col des Goules, and walk down INTO the crater: few people do, it is allowed, and the acoustics are unreal.
The Sancy, roof of the Massif Central
Further south, the Sancy massif peaks at 1,886 metres — genuine alpine scenery without alpine prices. The spa towns of Le Mont-Dore and La Bourboule, with their Belle Époque baths and granite façades, seem to step out of a 1900s novel. Around them: Lake Pavin, an almost perfectly circular crater with dark waters (96 m deep, mainland France's youngest volcano), Murol castle and dozens of waymarked trails.
In winter you ski here for €30–35 a day pass — half Alpine prices — and the Mont-Dore slopes have an assumed retro charm.
Cantal: Europe's largest volcano
Change of scale: the Cantal volcano originally measured 70 km across. What remains is a sumptuous massif — the Puy Mary pyramid, the Plomb du Cantal, the summer-pasture burons — and villages among France's most beautiful, Salers first. The perched city of Saint-Flour guards the east, standing on its basalt organ pipes above the Planèze.
This is also where you eat best: stretchy aligot, truffade, Salers beef, and the five AOP cheeses of Auvergne bought straight from the burons. A platter of farm cheeses costs here what a single Saint-Nectaire costs in Paris.
Thiers and the Livradois-Forez, the stop nobody expects
East of Clermont, Thiers clings to its gorge like a Ligurian village lost in Auvergne. France's cutlery capital since the Middle Ages, it lines up artisan workshops, leaning medieval houses and the very good Cutlery Museum. You sleep well here for next to nothing — see our addresses on the Thiers page.
The budget: France's best deal
Let's be frank: Auvergne is one of the country's cheapest regions. A quality B&B with breakfast: €60–90. A full inn menu: €18–28. The hikes: free, obviously. For a family, a week in Auvergne costs what a long weekend on the coast does.
The editors' tip: sleep in the villages, not the towns. The Auberge de la Planèze in Talizat (near Saint-Flour) and La Claie des Champs in La Crouzille are exactly what you come to Auvergne for: stone houses, owners who cook, and the silence of wide-open spaces when you wake. All our addresses are on the Auvergne page.
When to go, how to plan
- June and September: our favourite months — clear trails, superb light, zero crowds.
- July-August: the lakes (Pavin, Chambon, Guéry) take over when it's hot; the villages come alive.
- December-March: nature skiing at Sancy and Le Lioran, snowshoeing on the plateaus.
- Access: Clermont-Ferrand is 3.5h from Paris by train, 1h45 from Lyon by car. Once there, a car is near-essential — the region's only real "flaw".
One last figure for the road: the Chaîne des Puys receives in a year what Mont-Saint-Michel receives in a month. That is an anomaly. Enjoy it while it lasts.
The mistakes to avoid
- Underestimating summit weather. It can be 25°C in Clermont and 8°C on the Puy de Dôme, with a wind to knock you over. A windbreaker is mandatory, even in August.
- Setting off without cash for the burons. Many summer-pasture farms sell their cheeses without a card machine. A €20 note opens the best saint-nectaires of your life.
- Sleeping only in Clermont-Ferrand. The city is a fine gateway, but Auvergne is lived in the villages — that is where the inns, the silence and the prices are.
- Forgetting to book Sunday dinner. In rural areas many inns close or serve only their guests. Always announce your arrival.
- Believing "volcanoes" = "summer". Autumn (colours) and winter (snowshoes, budget skiing) are among the region's finest faces.
Budget: weekend couple vs family week
| Item | Couple, 3 days | Family (4), 7 days |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (inn/B&B) | €140-200 | €550-800 |
| Meals (terroir menus + picnics) | €120-170 | €450-650 |
| Activities (rack railway, Vulcania, museums) | €30-60 | €180-280 |
| Car (fuel + tolls from Paris) | €90-130 | €90-130 |
| Total | ~€380-560 | ~€1,270-1,860 |
For comparison, the same family week in an Alpine resort easily tops €3,000. Content for content, Auvergne is France's cheapest mountain destination.
Where to stay: the editors' shortlist
- Cantal side: the Auberge de la Planèze in Talizat (9.4/10) — volcanic stone, Auvergne cooking, the Planèze at the doorstep.
- Combrailles side: La Claie des Champs in La Crouzille — the country inn in its original juice, in absolute calm.
- All our addresses: on the Auvergne, Saint-Flour and Thiers pages.
Frequently asked questions
How do you reach Auvergne without a car?
Paris-Clermont-Ferrand train in 3.5h (Intercités), then regional trains to Thiers, Le Mont-Dore or Saint-Flour. Locally, though, a car remains near-essential for the volcanoes — plan a rental, or choose a base like Le Mont-Dore where everything works on foot and by shuttle.
Is Auvergne good for children?
It is one of France's best family destinations: Vulcania and the Puy de Dôme rack railway for 'attraction' days, Lake Chambon for swimming, the farms and burons for snack time. Climbs like the Pariou are doable from age 6-7.
How long for the Puy de Dôme?
Half a day is enough: 45 minutes up the Muleteers' path (or 15 minutes by train), an hour at the top, descent. Add the Pariou next door and you have the massif's best volcano day.
Could the volcanoes wake up?
The Chaîne des Puys has been dormant for about 7,000 years — young geologically, with no current sign of activity. Scientists monitor it, hikers climb it: the only real risk is sunburn.
Which base for a first stay?
For the puys: Clermont or Orcines. For the Sancy: Le Mont-Dore. For Cantal: Salers or Saint-Flour. Our heartfelt advice: two bases (puys then Cantal) to taste both faces of the massif.
