The highest point in Europe in the Auvergne region. Volcanoes in France, or what to see in Auvergne

1 According to the land register, excluding lakes, ponds and glaciers with an area of more than 1 km², as well as river estuaries.

Four departments are included in the administrative region: Allier, Cantal, Haute-Loire and Puy-de-Dome.

The territory of the department of Allier roughly corresponds to the lands of the Duchy of Bourbon.

Geography

The southern part of the region is predominantly located in the mountains of the Central Massif, whose formation dates from the end of the Paleozoic era, and whose outlines changed significantly in the Cenozoic era due to the reaction to the uplift of the Alpine plateau. The general form of the region is presented as a karst funnel, open to the north (plain lowlands of Limagnes and Bourbonnais) and pulled together in the south (Allier Gorge). The highest point of the Auvergne is the highest point of all Central massif Mount Puy de Sancy Puy de Sancy) (1886 meters).

For a long time, the region was away from the major transport routes of France. Today, this infringement has been corrected thanks to the construction of the A75 highway connecting the Paris Basin with the Mediterranean coast, but the economic development of the region has significantly slowed down after the appearance of this transport artery.

The Auvergne region comprises four departments:

Allier in the north, Puy-de-Dome in the center, Cantal in the southwest, Haute Loire in the southeast.

The administrative center of the Auvergne region is the city of Clermont-Ferrand, which, together with the suburbs, has over 400,000 inhabitants, almost one-third of the total population of the region.

The idea of uniting the regions of Auvergne and Limousin was expressed by Valerie Giscard d'Estaing on the eve of the regional elections of 2004 and was supported by the Prime Minister of that period, Jean-Pierre Raffarin. However, this proposal was received negatively in Limousin, since the areas of Limoges and Brive-la-Gaillard in their development are more directed towards the Atlantic coast.

Story

Lands of the Arverns

Auvergne owes its name to a powerful Gallic tribe Arverns, under the influence of which were the lands of Languedoc and Aquitaine. It was to the Arverns that Vercingetorig belonged, who in 52 BC. assumed the title of king. His father, Keltill, former king before him, was executed by his companions for intending to make the title of king hereditary. The successes of Vercingetorix in the winter of 53/52 BC became the reason for the unification around him of all the Celtic tribes. The leaders of each tribe, as a sign of loyalty to the alliance, sent "hostages" (their son or daughter) to him.

As a result of recent archaeological sites it became clear that the capital Arverns could be located on the site between the fortress of Gergovia, the Koran settlement (fr. Corent) and the settlement of Olna (fr. Aulnat). The perimeter of this section is 35 kilometers and by extrapolation it can be assumed that the population of its central part was 150,000 people, and the entire territory - 400,000 inhabitants.

Numerous traces of prehistoric man were found in the Auvergne: the oldest rough flint products, the latest stone axes, elegantly finished and polished, bronze sabers and daggers (made by some tribe with surprisingly small hands, judging by the size of the handles).

A number of facts allow us to assert that the tribe Arverns was one of the richest and most powerful tribes of the Gauls:

the hilly landscape of this area contributed to the additional protection of local fortifications from the invasions of various conquerors (for example, described by Caesar, Cebenna);
numerous mines for the extraction of gold, silver and other precious metals (developed at least since 400 BC);
high mountain pastures, where there were numerous herds;
mastering the skills of complex crafts and metallurgy (in his essay Notes on the Gallic War Caesar describes Vercingetorix as a warrior "with impressive armor, consisting of many prefabricated silver elements that reflected sunlight"); copper processing was especially developed;
minting own coins and developed commodity exchange with neighboring tribes;
pottery skills (workshops in Lezou, etc.);
strong influence on neighboring tribes and the joining of the Celtic tribe of the Aedui to the uprising of Vercingetorig.

One of the important historical events that took place on the lands of the Auvergne was the battle of Gergovia, which took place supposedly 12 kilometers from the city of Clermont-Ferrand in 52 BC. . This place was indirectly established on the basis of Caesar's records, but reliable confirmation of this version has not yet been found. In this battle, Vercingetorix defeated Julius Caesar and began his pursuit with his troops.

Auvergne in the feudal era

During the great migration of peoples, Auvergne fell into the hands of the Visigoths, then passed to the Franks. In the 7th century, the Aquitani competed with the Franks for the territory of the Auvergne. In 760, Pepin the Short, having conquered Aquitaine, took Clermont and annexed Auvergne to his dominions. Under the accession of the Capetian dynasty, Auvergne considered herself completely independent; the letter of the Bishop of Clermont, Etienne III, which has come down to us, begins with the words: regante Domino nostro Jesu Christo. Conquered by the Carolingians, Auvergne was temporarily included in the kingdom of Aquitaine, with the exception of the allod that formed the county of Aurillac (fr. comte d "Aurillac). This county was transferred to Father Géro of Aurillac (fr. Geraud d "Aurillac) and no longer depended on the county of Auvergne, reporting directly to the king. The Counts of Auvergne from the Guillemid dynasty gradually achieved independence for their lands. In the 10th century, the Auvergne became the subject of a struggle between the Counts of Poitiers and the Counts of Toulouse.

The lands of the county of Auvergne in the Middle Ages covered the territory of the modern department of Puy-de-Dome, the northern half of the department of Cantal and the northwestern third of the department of Haute-Loire, together with the canton of Brioude. The remaining territory of Cantal was partly in the possession of the abbey of Aurillac, and partly under the rule of the viscounts of Milhaud.

The feudal power in the Auvergne was very strong, which was the reason for the fragmentation of political power. The bishop of Clermont was able to withdraw his city from the power of the counts, and therefore they strongly encouraged the development of the neighboring city of Montferrand (now one of the nine cantons of Clermont-Ferrand). Later, the usurpation of power in the county became the reason for the formation by the count, deprived of part of the property, of an independent Auvergne Dauphine.

Soon, taking advantage of the unrest that arose, the intervention of the royal authorities in the affairs of the region intensified. King Philip II Augustus attached most of the county to the lands of the crown, establishing the administrative center of the royal Auvergne in the city of Riom. Remaining in the possession of the House of Capet, Auvergne was at first given to Alphonse de Poitiers as appanage.

By this time, the appearance in the Auvergne of cities with communal self-government, which they received either from their immediate lords, or from the French kings. There were 80 such cities. The material well-being of Auvergne from the middle of the XIV century begins to fall, due to the war with England. The English kings also claimed Auvergne as part of Aquitaine. Entire gangs of robbers appeared in Auvergne, with whom the population had to fight even after the conclusion of peace in Brétigny in 1360.

The Dukes of Bourbon also received the Auvergne Dauphine through marriage. Ultimately, all remaining Auvergne lands were confiscated by King Francis I in 1527.

new time

At the end of the 19th century, the French geographers Pierre Fonchin and Paul Vidal de la Blache developed a regrouping of departments based on geographical criteria. He proposed the creation of a so-called "Massif Central region" containing the departments of Allier, Creuse, Haute-Vienne, Dordogne, Lot, Tarn, Aveyron, Lozère, Haute-Loire, Loire, Puy-de-Dome, Corrèze and Cantal.

Economy

Industrial sector

Despite a poor domestic market, many national and international companies were able to establish themselves in the Auvergne, such as Michelin (leader in the production of car tires), Limagrain (world leader in the production of seeds), the Centre-France-La Montagne group (regional daily newspaper), mineral water Volvic (owned by the Danone group). These companies export about 75% of their products.

Auvergne is an industrial region, as the share of employment in the industry is 22% (110,000 jobs) of the total working population, while the average for France is 18%.

The main sector is the tire sector, represented by the world leader in this field, Michelin, legally and historically located in Clermont-Ferrand. The remaining industrial sectors are less developed, but metallurgy (Aubert et Duval) and pharmacology (MSD-Chibret) can be distinguished among them. Auvergne is one of the most advanced regions of France in terms of the development of scientific research. More than 8 thousand scientists work here in various fields of knowledge, such as: chemistry, pneumatics, medicine, pharmacology, agronomy, biotechnology, seismology, metallurgy, etc.

Tourism

The amusement park Le Pal, located in the department of Allier near the commune of Dompierre-sur-Bebre, attracts over 500,000 visitors a year, uniting on its territory big park attractions and the zoo.

Cone in Vulcania Park

The Vulcania Leisure Park and Scientific and Cultural Center for European Volcanology is located in the department of Puy-de-Dome. It was opened to the public in February 2002 and attracts over 300,000 tourists annually.

There are several ski resorts in the region, of which the main ones are the oldest base of Super Lioran in the mountains of Cantal, the most modern resort Super Bess and Mont Dor family base in the Sancy Mountains. There are also several cross-country skiing areas in the Auvergne, for example, the Gehry ski estate (fr. Guery) or a base in the vicinity of the commune of Paerol. You should also pay attention to the Mesenque mountain range in the Haute-Loire department near the source of the Loire.

Museum dedicated to the history of the development of the Michelin brand "L" Aventure Michelin "was opened on January 23, 2009 in historic district Clermont-Ferrand, Qatar. On the 2000 square meters of the exposition, visitors are told about the history of the industrial group, its employees and its inventions.

Collectively, there are more than 170,000 tourist beds in the region, located mainly in campsites, hotels and furnished apartments. Dachas and summer residences the Auvergne has 410,000 beds.

Agriculture

IN agriculture The Auvergne has 41,000 jobs, representing 8.5% of the region's jobs. This figure is twice the French average.

In the mountainous part of the Auvergne region, cattle breeding is predominantly developed, focused on meat and dairy products. It was in the departments of Cantal and Puy-de-Dome that cow breeds were bred Salers And Aubrac(meat direction).

Cheese production is of great importance for the region, with five cheese farms enjoying the protection of the national "Denominations of Origin Controlled Names Law":

Cantal (two semi-solid varieties),

About 50,000 tons of cheese are produced in the Auvergne annually, which is a quarter of all AOP cheeses produced in France. In the past, the cheese maker Antoine Roussel lived here, who developed the technology for the production of the so-called blue cheeses that France is famous for. Roussel was the first to introduce mold into the cheese mass. The new variety of cheese was named Bleu d "Auvergne, glorifying the province throughout the world.

It is also necessary to mention the cultivation Green lentil Le Puy(the first plant to receive a National Certificate of Authenticity of Origin (AOC)) on the Velay plateau in the Haute-Loire department.

Beef production is widespread in the department of Allier. Beef is produced in the eastern part of the Haute-Loire department Fin gras du Mezenc (AOC) from cows fattened with hay from highland meadows.

Transport

Mineral water and balneological resorts

On the territory of the Auvergne, a large number of springs rich in mineral salts have been discovered. The waters of some of them are released for sale. The most well-known brand sold is Volvic bottled water, whose advertising strategy traces the geological heritage of the region.

The small town of Vichy, starting from the middle of the 19th century, under the influence of Napoleon III, gained fame as a "royal resort".

Opened in 1875, the balneological resort of La Bourboule in the department of Puy-de-Dome after the discovery of hot healing springs was at first the focus of tourist attention, reaching its heyday in the 1900s, when the resort was visited annually by 10,000 holidaymakers. In our time, the flow of holiday-goers has significantly weakened.

Notes

Links

Information site of the Regional Council of Auvergne (fr.). Conseil regional Auvergne. Archived
Welcome to Auvergne (Russian). Official website of tourism in France. Archived from the original on August 21, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
Site of the regional tourism office (fr.). Archived from the original on August 21, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.

- a popular thermal center since the 16th century. The Puys mountain range extends over 80 km, including 80 domed mountains and craters. With its round top and 1,465 m above sea level, volcano reminiscent of Mount Pelee on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean and is a pearl of the local nature.

It is for their sake that thousands of tourists come here, not counting the pilgrimage churches on those included in.

In addition, the Auvergne is famous for its cheeses, which are made from the milk of cows grazing on the mountain slopes (Bleu d'Auvergne, Cantal, Fourme d'Ambert and Saint-Nectaire).

The capital of the region is the city (Clermont-Ferrand). The current region of Auvergne is slightly larger than the historical province of Auvergne, including in addition almost the entire Duchy of Bourbon and small parts of Gevaudan, Vivarais and Forez.

Road of Romanesque churches

In the Auvergne region there are about 250 religious buildings in the Romanesque style, built in the period 11 - 13 in: - a unique cultural heritage of the Middle Ages. Of particular note are 5 Romanesque churches: Notre Dame du Port in () , Saint-Saturnin, Saint-Austremoine in Issoire, Notre Dame du Mont-Cornadore in Saint-Nectaire and Notre Dame d'Orcival.

The main attraction of the region is. It is here that the largest in Europe is located. extinct volcano puy marie(fr. Puy Mary) and the second highest peak of the Central Massif Plom du Cantal(1855 meters) (fr. Plomb du Cantal), for which a lot of hiking trails. On Plom du Cantal can be reached by cable car.

The most amazing peaks of the park are Puy Griou And Pur Mary, which are part of the Cirque du Falgoux. Beautiful in its untouched beauty gorge Gorges de la Rhu e follows the border of the department of Pue-de-Dome.

The northern part of the park runs along the mountain range Chaine des Puys, consisting of volcanic mountains and crater lakes. Puy de Sancy (1885 m) is the highest peak of the Central Massif, but almost perfectly round ones are considered more picturesque. , e and, depicted on bottles of Volvic water.

Cities of the Auvergne region

Among the interesting cities of the Auvergne region are worth seeing:

with its thermal baths, especially popular as a spa resort in the 18th - 19th centuries and for 4 years it became the capital of France and the country's collaborationist government during World War II. Vichy, in addition to itself, is interesting for the mansions of various eras, from the end of the 17th century to the beginning of the 20th century (Belle-Epoque era).

The most beautiful villages of Auvergne:

(in the Association of the most beautiful villages France)

Allier
- Charroux
Cantal
- Salers
- Tournemire
haute loire
- Arlempdes
- Blasle
- Lavaudieu
- Pradelles
Puy-de-Dôme
- Montpeyroux
- Saint-Saturnin
- Usson

Attractions in the Auvergne region:

- Verger de Deduit
- Jardins de Cordes
- Jardins du chateau d'Hauterive
- Jardins du chateau d'Opme
- Jardins du chateau de la Batisse
- Parc du chateau de Blanzat
- Parc du domaine royal de Randan
- Arboretum de Balaine
- Massiac
- Lapalisse

Auvergne is called the heart of France. The province has largely retained its original appearance, and this is the special charm of the region, which was one of the most forgotten corners of France a hundred years ago - despite being located in the very center of the country.

A significant part of the region's territory is occupied by areas with traces of past volcanic activity. The houses here are built of black volcanic stone. There are in the Auvergne and active volcanoes- temporarily hidden.

The province has a famous balneological resort Vichy. Warm springs fed from volcanoes give health to vacationers. Also in the region is the European volcanological Vulcania park.

Capital of the Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand.

Attractions

Romanesque churches and basilicas

Notre Dame du Port (Clermont-Ferrand)
- Eglise Saint Austremoine (Issoire - Issoire)
- Notre Dame d Orcival
- Eglise de Saint Nectaire
- Basilica Saint Julien (Brioude)
- Abbey and monastery in Lavaudieu
- Cathedrale Notre Dame (Le Puy en Velay - Puy en Velay)
- Chapelles saint michel de l Aiguilhe (Le Puy en Velay - Puy en Velay)
- Mauriac (Cantal - Cantal)

Historic churches and chapels

Abbey in La Chaise-Dieu - here you can see the world-famous mural "Dance of Death".
- Small churches and chapels in the department of Haut Allier (Blassac, Saint Cirgues, Peyrusse, etc.) - many are decorated with old frescoes and paintings.

Famous and interesting castles to visit

By departments:

Allier: Bourbon l "Archambault, Busset, Lapalisse.
Puy de Dome: Pontgibaud, La Batisse, Saint Saturnin, Tournoel, Effiat.
Upper Loire: Valprivas, Domeyrat (near Brioude), Chaviniac Lafayette, Polignac, Saint Vidal.
Cantal: Val (on Lac de Bort), Pesteils (near Vic sur Cure).

The Auvergne region is located in the central part of France, in the area mountain range, created millions of years ago, in one of the most beautiful, but little-known places for tourists. Extinct volcanoes, lakes surrounded by forests and meadows, healing thermal springs, mineral waters and a temperate climate form a territory where the superb landscape is combined with rich history and high quality gastronomy. Many rivers originate from here, including the tributaries of the famous Loire.

French mathematician, physicist and philosopher Blaise Pascal was born in Clermont-Ferrand. His beautiful image, which likened a person to a “thinking reed”, fragile, but able to realize his being, is still one of the most touching in religious philosophy.

"Auvergne - new world» - says the slogan of the Tourist Office of Auvergne, a charming inland region of France, located three hours from Paris. There is a lot of truth in this categorical statement: Auvergne is really noticeably different from the neighboring departments of the Republic. Its “chips” are the amazing European Park of Volcanoes, luxurious historical castles that easily plug the hyped Loire into the belt, as well as a considerable amount thermal spas, including the famous Vichy. And the Bible of gourmets of the whole world, a strict and merciless Michelin guide, comes from Auvergne, so it makes sense to visit the region also for gastronomic reasons.

Large and interesting tourism plan cities - Aurillac, Vichy, Mont-Dore, Thiers.

Departments and cities of Auvergne

The Auvergne region consists of four departments: Allier, Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal and Haute-Loire. Administrative center department of Allier - Moulin, however, it is glorified by a completely different city - the resort of Vichy. Main city Cantal, the birthplace of two French presidents, is Aurillac.

The regional capital of the Auvergne is Clermont-Ferrand, which is also the center of the Puy-de-Dome.

Auvergne is famous for its thermal spas. It is believed that water, having passed through the layers of long-frozen lava, acquires useful properties, simultaneously being cleansed of harmful microelements. On this moment more than 10 stations. The most famous Mont-Dore (Mont-Dore), specializing in all kinds of allergies and diseases of the ear, throat, nose; La Bourboule, recommended for the treatment of respiratory and skin diseases and, of course, Vichy. There is also Bourbon-Lancy, Bourbon l'Archambault, Châteauneuf-les-Bains, Châtel-Guyon, Chaudes-Aigues, Evaux-les-Bains, Royat-Chamalières.

History and culture

The province of Auvergne takes its name from the Gallic tribe Arverni, who lived in these territories before the conquest by Julius Caesar. The Romans founded several settlements here, the most famous of which was the city of Augustonemetum, which later turned into Clermont-Ferrand. After the fall of the empire, the province was ruled by the Franks, Aquitanians and Carolingians until it fell into the hands of the Dukes of Auvergne in the Middle Ages. The capital was then located in Riome. After the French Revolution, Clermont-Ferrand became the regional center.

It was during this period that the Auvergne gradually turns into one of the economically developed regions. This process is finally completed by the end of the 19th century, after the founding of the world famous Michelin tire factory. No less glory was brought to the provinces by resorts, which were chosen by aristocrats. The most popular among them were the cities of Vichy and La Bourboule.

How to get to Auvergne

Clermont-Ferrand - Auvergne International Airport is a regional airport serving all flights towards Auvergne. The airport is located 7 km from the center of Clermont-Ferrand and connects the capital of Auvergne with all major cities France and Europe. In particular, there are regular direct flights from Paris.

Search for flights to Paris (nearest airport to Auvergne)

By train

Most TGV trains in the direction of the cities of Auvergne depart from Gare de Lyon. In three and a half hours, without much difficulty, you can drive first or second class to Clermont-Ferrand. It is better to book a ticket online on the French Railways website. A one-way ticket costs 23-40 EUR. Trains run every day in the amount of at least eight (from 5:00 to 20:00). From Monday to Friday - once a day express, reducing travel time by half an hour. True, the cost of such a trip is much higher. You can get to Vichy from Gare Bercy in Paris. Travel time is just under three hours. One way fare - 40-65 EUR.

Prices on the page are for August 2018.

By car

Clermont-Ferrand is located at the intersection of two autobahns A 71 and A 72. The journey from Paris runs along the A 71 highway and takes about four hours. The A 89 motorway is the link to Lyon. Travel time is just under two and a half hours.

Views of the Auvergne

What to ride

To move around the Auvergne, a rented car is more suitable than anything else - so you can take your time to enjoy the magnificent landscapes of the region, regardless of the schedule public transport. If you prefer not to “steer”, but to relax, contemplating the changing pictures outside the window, regional buses are at your service (they connect everything, even the smallest Auvergne towns with each other) and French trains railways.

Be prepared for the fact that regional trains are extremely slow and, like commuter trains, stop at all stations and half-stations on the way. For fast travel on the Auvergne it is recommended to use the direct bus service.

Weather in Auvergne

Auvergne in the tourist sense is a universal year-round destination. In the summer, people come here to be treated at thermal springs and have an active rest in the mountains of the Central Massif - trekking, hiking and just relaxing holidays among the picturesque landscapes are going with a bang. In winter, mountain peaks welcome skiers - there are several "snowy" resorts in the region: the oldest Super-Lioran, modern Super-Bess and oriented to family holiday Mont Dor.

The Auvergne has a temperate continental climate. Summer is moderately hot, maximum temperature - +28.. +31 °C, average - +23.. +26 °C. Winter is quite mild: the thermometer stays on average at around 0.. -5 °C. Best time it’s difficult to determine for visiting the region (it all depends on what type of vacation the tourist is set up for) - in general, you can come here all year round - the rest is so diverse that possible slight vagaries of the weather are unlikely to spoil the impression of staying in Auvergne.

Cuisine and restaurants

The cuisine of the region is designed for the inhabitants of the mountains: it is nutritious, high-calorie and as simple as possible to prepare. The main ingredients of many Auvergne dishes are cheeses, sausages, ham and lentils. The famous blue cheese sausage, which includes Bleu d'Auvergne cheese, is especially popular.

Auvergne is the birthplace of French blue cheeses. A resident of the region, Antoine Roussel was the first to use mold to prepare a new variety. The cheese that later made France famous was called Bleu d'Auvergne.

Numerous pies with different fillings, Auvergne tripe (tripoux d'Auvergne), potato dishes, in particular truffade (truffade), Auvergne stew with vegetables (potée auvergnate), stuffed cabbage (chou farci) and pastilles from Vichy (pastilles de Vichy) is just a small list of delicious attractions. High-quality cheeses stand out on this list, five of which are A.O.C.

Well, from the "solid" in local restaurants, you should definitely order a steak - the beef of the Allier department is known throughout France thanks to the special high-mountain grass that cows eat.

Guides to Auvergne

Popular hotels in Auvergne

Attractions and attractions of Auvergne

The capital of the Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, is located on the slopes of an extinct volcano. The rich history of the city, which mixed the traditions of eternal rivals in these lands - the counts of Auvergne and the bishops of Clermont - was embodied in a mass of interesting sights. Among the most famous - Cathedral Assumption of Our Lady with unique medieval stained glass windows depicting various professions and scenes from the Bible. Well, fans of the automotive industry and all those who are not indifferent to the world of cars will be interested in visiting the Michelin Enterprise Museum, dedicated to the history of this brand.

In addition to world-famous thermal resorts, the most popular of which is Vichy, here you can find unique Romanesque churches, among which there are such pearls as the Basilica of Our Lady in Orcival, the Basilica of Notre-Dame-du-Port (Basilique Notre-Dame-du-Port ) in Clermont-Ferrand, protected by UNESCO, the Church of Our Lady in Saint-Nectaire (Église Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Cornadore de Saint Nectaire), the Church of St. Austromon in Issoire (Église Saint-Austremoine d'Issoire).

Fans of the Middle Ages will be able to get acquainted with a number of medieval castles, forming a route with stops in each of the departments.

Mont-Dore is known both as a balneological resort and as a ski center. thermal springs local mountains used by the Celts, but today there are a lot of sanatoriums that use the most siliceous in France for treatment mineral water temperature from +38 °C to +44 °C. ski resort Mont Dor is one of the three oldest winter resorts countries - along with Chamonix and Megeve. The total length of the slopes here is more than 500 km, and winters are unanimously recognized as the snowiest in France.

The Auvergne region is rightfully one of the pearls of France. It is a region of hills and mountains, valleys and forests, rivers and lakes. With the exception of regional center, Clermont-Ferrand - the hustle and bustle of city life is something unknown here, and time seems to move more slowly and much more pleasantly.

Auvergne is located in central and southern France, in the center of the Massif Central. This area is the largest volcanic area in Europe. However, there is little cause for concern, as the volcanic activity of the Auvergne mountains has been dormant for 7,000 years. True, there are hot springs here in Ege Shod, where water comes out of the ground at a temperature of 820C. this spring is considered the hottest spring in Europe.

The northern part of the province extends from the Loire and Allier towards the low-lying center of France, while much of the southern side is hilly and mountainous.
The sparsely populated Auvergne boasts beautiful natural and cultural heritage. This region is appreciated among nature lovers and those who want to relax away from the bustle of the city.

Auvergne is a region with a rich history. It has a fine collection of historic castles and dungeons, as well as some of the most famous Romanesque churches, where ancient frescoes have been preserved. The small town of Le Pute, famous for its lace, is one of the most unusual cities France where right in the center locality rocky peaks protrude.

Of course, there are modern attractions in the Auvergne too, including a safari park, the Vulcania theme park illustrating history extinct volcanoes region, using the latest technology, including 3-D cinema and IMAX, cable car to the tops of high mountains, scenic train lines, kayaking and rafting, mountain bike trails and more. The terrain of the area is ideal for mountain climbing and walking. River gorges are used for rafting and kayaking. Many lakes are suitable for swimming, sailing and windsurfing. There are also activities for lovers of fishing, horseback riding and golf. These are exactly the places where plane tickets are relatively cheap, and you will get many times more pleasure from the trip and forget about finances in general.
The region's capital is a university town of 200,000 and home to the Michelin tire company.

The cuisine in the Auvergne is rich and tasty, based on local produce. Beef and milk from Salers cattle, deep red in color with long horns. And, of course, delicious Auvergne cheeses - big round Cantal and Salars, wonderful soft and creamy Saint-Nectaire and delicious blue cheeses Fourme d, Ambert and Bleu d, Auvergne.

The sparsely populated Auvergne boasts many wonderful natural and cultural heritages. This region is appreciated among nature lovers and those who want to relax away from the bustle of the city.

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	Auvergne at Wikimedia Commons