About forty minutes on foot, or you can take the rack train through the mountain if you'd rather skip the climb.
Discover Authentic Auvergne: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Auvergne, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as the Puy de Lemptégy volcano, Lake Pavin and the basilica of Orcival, alongside our Mercure hotels.
Top 5 Things to Do in Auvergne
Clermont-Ferrand
The best starting point for the region, built from dark volcanic stone with a Gothic cathedral to match. The Notre-Dame-du-Port basilica and the old streets of Montferrand are worth a slow wander before you head for the volcanoes.
Puy de Dôme
The symbol of Auvergne and the highest summit in the Chaîne des Puys at 1,465 metres. Hike up in about forty minutes or take the rack train through the mountain if you'd rather save your legs for the view.
Vulcania
A science park about fifteen kilometres from Clermont-Ferrand, built entirely around volcanoes and the science of the Earth. It's genuinely engaging whether you're travelling with kids or not.
Le Puy-en-Velay
A dramatic town built around volcanic rock spires, with a chapel perched on top of one and a cathedral on another. It's also a historic starting point for pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago.
Chaîne des Puys – Faille de Limagne
This volcanic chain and fault line is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the reason Auvergne's skyline looks unlike anywhere else in France. It's best appreciated from the top of the Puy de Dôme itself.
Explore Auvergne's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Auvergne
We've mapped local spots across Auvergne, from inside a volcano to Belle Époque spa towns. Ready to go underground?
Volcanoes & nature
Puy de Lemptégy
Walk right into the heart of a volcano that rose 30,000 years ago in the Chaîne des Puys, a UNESCO site since 2018. Once a pozzolan quarry, Lemptégy reveals lava chimneys and magma formations along a trail of more than a mile.
Chaîne des Puys, 25 min from Mercure Clermont-Ferrand Centre Jaude · Volcano visit · Perfect for families
Lake Pavin
A near-perfect circle of still, emerald water, 800 metres across and 1,197 metres up in the Monts Dore. Legends cling to it. Walk the shoreline path and you'll see why some 200,000 hikers a year do the same.
Monts Dore, 25 min from Mercure Saint-Nectaire · Volcanic lake · Made for hiking
Gergovie plateau and museum
The plateau of the battle Caesar described in his Gallic War. Today: wide views over the Auvergne plains, marked trails and the archaeological museum of the Battle of Gergovia.
30 min drive from Mercure Clermont-Ferrand Centre Jaude · Historic site and museum · Great for history and views
Heritage towns
Châtel-Guyon
A forest spa town of 6,000 people, at its height from 1850 to WWII. Stroll the newly restored centre, its grand villas and mosaic-covered spa buildings – pure Belle Époque.
25 min from Mercure Clermont-Ferrand Centre Jaude · Spa town · Perfect for a stroll
Musée Mandet, Riom
In Riom, once Auvergne's capital, two mansions house painting, sculpture and decorative arts from the 16th to the 20th century. Then step into the nearby Sainte-Chapelle, a flamboyant Gothic jewel.
Riom, 20 min drive from Mercure Clermont-Ferrand Centre Jaude · Art museum · Made for art lovers
Orcival Basilica
In the village of Orcival, the 12th-century Basilique Notre-Dame is a masterpiece of Auvergne Romanesque. Inside, the enigmatic statue of Our Lady of Orcival is celebrated each Ascension Thursday.
Orcival, 35 min drive from Mercure Clermont-Ferrand Centre Jaude · Basilica · Ideal for architecture
Château de Murol
Begun in the 11th century, a colossal fortress on a basalt promontory, stronghold of Guillaume de Murol, lord from 1383 to 1440. Climb up for the views – kids love it.
Murol · Castle · Great for families
Ferme Roux
Saint-Nectaire, made and matured in natural caves on a family farm. Book a morning slot (9:00–10:30) to watch it being made, then tour the cellars and taste.
Saint-Nectaire · Farm visit · Made for cheese lovers
Electrodrome
In Magnet, one of the first villages in France to get electricity, a conservatory-museum brings the Auvergne of the 1930s back to life.
Magnet · Museum · Perfect for curious minds
Arronnes
A perfectly preserved village built around an 11th-century Cluniac priory, with a church and a medieval garden. Walk on to the Ray de la Chaise nearby.
Allier · Village · Ideal for a countryside stop
Maison Mantin
Louis Mantin, a wealthy 19th-century bourgeois, asked for his home to open to the public a century after his death. Step inside his cabinet of curiosities.
Moulins · Historic house · Great for history
Centre National du Costume de Scène
Opened in 2006, one of the world's first museums devoted to stage costumes and scenery, with more than 10,000 pieces and changing exhibitions. Showtime.
Moulins · Museum · Made for theatre lovers
Musée de l'Illustration Jeunesse
Europe's only museum of children's book illustration, in the Hôtel de Mora, with over 3,400 original drawings.
Moulins · Museum · Perfect for families
Food & markets
Bistrot Auvergnat
Generous bistro classics made with Auvergne produce, open every day, with a summer terrace.
Bistro · Great for regional dishes
Les Marocains
A listed confectioner and chocolatier founded in 1866, under Napoleon III. Take something sweet home.
Vichy · Chocolatier · Perfect for sweet souvenirs
L'art-TEAsane
A tea shop of mostly organic, locally sourced blends.
Tea shop · Ideal for gifts
Les Terres d'Ocre
A family wine estate in the Allier, converting to organic farming.
Allier · Winery · Made for wine lovers
Jaude fait son marché
A produce market on Place de Jaude, full of regional flavours.
Clermont-Ferrand · Market · Perfect for local produce
Marché Saint-Pierre
Clermont-Ferrand's covered market of regional produce. Come in the morning, when it's at its liveliest.
Clermont-Ferrand · Market · Great for a picnic
FAQ
Yes, it's built specifically around volcanism and natural phenomena in a way that works for both kids and adults.
It's a separate trip further south in the region, best planned as its own day given its distinct volcanic-rock townscape.
Yes. At Puy de Lemptégy in the Chaîne des Puys, a trail of more than a mile takes you through the heart of a volcano that emerged 30,000 years ago.
The path around Lake Pavin in the Monts Dore is a favourite, attracting around 200,000 hikers a year to its still, emerald water.
Puy de Lemptégy, the Gergovie plateau, the spa town of Châtel-Guyon and the Musée Mandet in Riom are all within 30 minutes' drive.
Where to Sleep in Auvergne
See our Mercure hotels across Auvergne, ideally placed to explore these picks.