|
The Auvergne
is.....
One of France's hidden treasures, a
region of hills and mountains, valleys,
forests and rivers, a region where - except for the regional capital,
Clermont Ferrand - the hustle of city life is something unknown, and
time seems to move at a slower and much more agreeable pace.....
The mountains of Auvergne, which culminate in rocky peaks at over
7000 feet, are the backbone of France's Massif Central. This area of highland is the largest volcanic area in Europe.
As the experts stress, the volcanoes are dormant... though not extinct.
There is plenty of volcanic activity going on deep below the ground, as
is still seen by the hot springs at Chaudes Aigues in the Cantal, where
the water comes out of the ground at a temperature of 82°C, the
hottest springs in Europe. Nonetheless, there is little reason for
alarm, as there has been no volcanic activity in Auvergne for over 3000
years. Traces of the volcanic past are however to be seen throughout
the region, not just in the form of the volcanoes themselves, but in
the numerous lava flows, volcanic plugs - often capped with castles
- and sets of "organ rocks" that form one of the region's
remarkable geological features.
While the northern
end of the province stretches up the Loire and Allier valleys towards the
low-lying Centre of France, most of the southern part of the region is
hilly or mountainous, with large stretches of land lying at over 1000 metres
(over 3000 ft). These uplands are penetrated by the valleys of many rivers,
most notably the Loire and the Allier which both rise in the south of the
Auvergne.
Sparsely populated, the Auvergne boasts a fine natural
and cultural heritage, including beautiful valleys, large expanses of coniferous
forests, and spectacular hillscapes. It is a region much appreciated by
ramblers and nature lovers, as well as by people in search of a holiday
far from the madding crowd.
It is a region rich in history too, with a fine collection
of historic dungeons and castles, as well as some of the finest romanesque
churches
in France, many with frescoes. The small city of Le Puy, famous for its
lace-making, is one of the most unusual cities in France, due to the rocky
pinnacles that stick up in the middle of it.
Of course there are modern attractions too, including
a safari park, the new Vulcania theme park (illustrating the story of Auvergne's
extinct volcanoes), scenic railway lines, cable cars to the peaks of the
highest mountains, kayaking and rafting facilities, mountain bike tracks,
and much more.
Three main rivers have their headwaters in the Auvergne: the Loire, the Allier and the Dordogne.
Clermont Ferrand, Auvergne's capital city, is a university city of some
200,000 inhabitants, and the home of the Michelin Tyre Company. It is a
busy shopping centre, with plenty of cultural life,
Access:
Though
the region is not currently served directly by any low-cost airlines,
Auvergne is an accessible area, and just that little bit closer to
Britain, Paris or the north of Europe than the southwest of France and
the Mediterranean regions, which it borders to the south and west.
 AIR:
The Clermont Ferrand airport has direct flights with many
destinations in France and a few beyond, though currently no direct
flights from the UK.
The nearest airports served by low-cost carriers are Limoges and Rodez in the west, and Lyon in the east.
ROAD:
By road, destinations in the Auvergne are from about
7 to 9 hours' drive from Calais or Brussels, and 4 from Paris. The new
motorway link
between Paris and Spain, via the magnificent new Millau bridge, passes
through the heart of the Auvergne (A 71 in the north, A 75 in the
south). The A 89 motorway is an east-west link providing easy access to
the Auvergne from Lyon and Bordeaux.
RAIL:
Fast "Teoz Corail" express trains run between Clermont Ferrand and
Paris, via Vichy and Moulins, in under four hours. Clermont Ferrand
also has direct services to Lyons (just over two and a half hours), and
rather slow but very picturesque direct services to Marseilles and to
Beziers.
Le Puy en Velay is best reached from Paris by TGV to Saint Etienne, and local train through the Loire gorges thereafter.
Click here for details of the Auvergne's four departments , Puy de Dome, Allier, Haute Loire and Cantal
Eight areas of the Auvergne:
The Limagne and the plains in the north of the region.
The Monts du Forez in the east of the region, a long chain of uplands broadening out into a high plateau at their southern end.
The Volcanoes,
craggy peaks bursting through the uplands between the Puy de Dome
beside Clermont Ferrand and the Plomb du Cantal in the south west.
The Cezallier, high prairie land stretching southwards from the Massif du Sancy, famous for its open spaces, cattle grazing and cheeses.
The Haut Allier - where the Allier and its tributaries emerge from the uplands in deep valleys.
The Velay - the high plateau around the town of Le Puy, between the Forez to the north and the Cevennes to the south.
The mountains of the Margeride, dividing the Cantal from the Haute Loire.
The rest of the Cantal uplands, in the south of the department of this name.
Activities:
Hiking and mountain biking almost anywhere in the region
Kayaking and water sports on the Allier and the Loire.
Fishing, coarse and fly, on most of the region's rivers.
Hang gliding from the volcanoes.
Downhill skiing on the Puy de Sancy and the Plomb du Cantal (fully equipped resorts).
Nordic skiing in many places.
|
