The Bourbonnais mountain country

Dark forests and the Monts de la Madeleine make up this unspoilt region with its many unsuspected treasures.
On your travels through the Bourbonnais mountain country, be prepared to encounter enthusiasts for its many delights and a protected natural environment with huge forests full of protected flora and fauna, rich pastures and so much more, including panoramic views of the Auvergne volcanoes and of the Alps.

Le Val de Sioule

The Sioule, overlooked by ancient feudal castles and winding its way from the bridge at Menat to the lake at Ebreuil, will entice you on a journey of discovery through the loveliest landscapes of the Sioule Gorges. Downstream is Charroux, on the list of 'France's most beautiful villages', Chantelle...

The Saint-Pourçain Vineyard

Described as one of the oldest vineyards in France, it now covers over 19 communes in the region...

Le Val de Besbre

The characters of "'La Soupe aux Choux" by the local writer René Fallet were born in the Val de Besbre, near to the Le Pal theme park. Along the course of the Besbre you will find large numbers of châteaux, stately homes and small country manors...

 

 

The area around Lapalisse

Between the plains of the Sologne Bourbonnaise and the high lands of Montagne Bourbonnaise, the area around Lapalisse, specially famous because of the "Lapalissades" (local obvious jokes) dating from the XVIIth Century is a very noble sightseeing in the Bourbonnais province. This area has a very rich historical and cultural heritage such as the Chateau of La Palice, many museums and a real ability in all kind of local craft production.
A lot of hiking and horse riding outings cross its green and preserved bocage around the Besbre river and its streams.
Leisure activities : free style parachuting european centre.

 

The Livradois-Forez Nature Park

Huge areas with remarkable natural vegetation, punctuated by the thatched roofs of the "jasseries", the ridges of the Forez towering over the valleys and forests of the Livradois, the volcanic peaks of the Comté with their impregnable castles... Here on the south-facing slopes of the Auvergne region, Nature vies for your attention with
the craftsmanship of the cutlery-makers of Thiers, the paper-makers of Ambert and the builders of La Chaise-Dieu.

The Volcans Nature Park

The most extensive Nature Park in France. Its landscape of volcanoes, lakes, glacial valleys and vast grassy plateaux are home to a precariously balanced but protected flora and fauna. Its great basilicas and simple Romanesque churches, its castles and its traditional houses of volcanic rock, are all reminders of the traditional skills of the region's people and their strong commitment to this land. Prior to exploring the region for yourself, go and see the exhibition on Volcanoes and Man' telling the story of the formation of the landscape, its natural environment and Man's occupation of the land.

Balloon flights over the Volcans Nature Park or the Vichy area.