The Cantal is a land of wide open spaces, a land of stone, and the ideal destination for doing a wide range of outdoor sports, discovering the local heritage and enjoying some of our many local specialities.
MAURIAC
Come and enjoy a day out at the l9 hectare lake in Mauriac. The beach is watched by a life guard and there are pedalos, canoes, kayaks, an aqua leisure centre with a water slide and water games, and numerous playing fields.
Don’t miss visiting the most important roman monument in the Haute Auvergne area, the NOTRE-DAME DES MIRACLES basilica (XI & XII centuries), and also the SAINT PIERRE Monastery (IX–XII & XIV centuries), the JESUITES college (XVI century), the sub-prefecture and the PUY SAINT MARY chapel.
Nearby :
Two villages ranked among the most beautiful villages in France :
SALERS only 15 minutes away
TOURNEMIRE at 20 minutes away
Numerous castles including nearby :
Château de LA VIGNE in Ally (10mins); Château d’AUZERS in Auzers (25 mins);
Château d’ANJONY in Tournemire (20mins); Château de VAL in Lanobres (30mins).
Roman churches :
Brageac – Jaleyrac – Chalvignac - Anglards de Salers - St Projet de Salers - Ally
Farm visits, museums and craft centres :
Many farms in the area welcome visitors and during your visit you will be able to see a demonstration of SALERS cheese making, watch the cows being milked and perhaps even visit a BURON, a traditional stone farm shelter. Simply drive along the “ROUTE DES FROMAGES”, a sign-posted circuit taking you to different cheese producers.
A visit to the “Maison de site du PUY MARY” is a must. The PUY MARY at an altitude of 1,787m, is the largest volcano in Europe and before climbing and enjoying the breath-taking view, stop off at the visitor’s centre.
Find out all about local produce at the “Maison du Fromage et de la Vache Salers” (Cheese and Salers cattle visitor’s centre) or the “Espace AVEZE” in
Riom-ès-Montagnes where you can learn all about the gentian plant and taste the local Avèze aperitif.
There is also the “Maison de la paille et du grain” (Agricutural museum) in Escorailles and the “Musée conservatoire des tradition rurales” (Rural and traditional farming techniques museum) in Mauriac.
At the “Maison des rapaces” in Chalvignac come and see different birds of prey.
This is just a selection of some of places to visit in the area, but there are many more ...
Ceramics and pottery – Wickerwork – Basket making - Decorative ironwork –
Horse-riding centres
Walking circuits :
** If you like walking and hiking, you have the choice of around 40 walking routes along which you can discover some of the many beautiful sites in our area, the Salins waterfall being just one of them ....
Dams :
There are many dams in the area ; MAREGE dam, BORT LES ORGUES dam, L’AIGLE dam, ENCHANET dam.
Enjoy a boat trip between L’Aigle and Marège in a traditional GABARE, a traditional flat-bottomed merchant boat.
Fishing :
You can go fishing in ponds and Category 1 lakes :
Val St Jean lake in Mauriac, Etang de Lavaurs (pond) in Jaleyrac.
There are also Category 2 ponds and lakes including a special area for fishing at the L’AIGLE dam on the Dordogne river as well as many different rivers.
Parks :
WOOPZY PARC in Mauriac :
Children’s amusement park with inflatable structures, video games.
WOOPZY PARC AVENTURE at the lake in Mauriac :
Trampoline with harness and elastic, climbing …
VULCANIA 1 hour 15 minutes away :
Volcano theme and leisure park. A host of new attractions on offer to explore the depths of the Earth.
Train rides :
GENTIAN EXPRESS TRAIN in Riom-ès-Montagnes :
Tourist mountain railway between Riom-ès-Montagnes and Bort les Orgues.
