The Auvergne is a relatively undiscovered part of France. It contains a wide variety of terrain, a diverse natural life, and is historically veryinteresting. Chateldon and Mariol are on the edge of the Bourbonnaise mountains and the Livradois Forez National Park, a nature reserve which stretches 100km to the south. Walk up into the hills behind and there is a magnificent view across the fertile plain of the Allier to the Châine des Puys and to the Volcans d'Auvergne National Park, the range of mountains behind Clermont-Ferrand. There are many marked routes for walkers and mountain bikers throughout the area and good maps and guidebooks. In winter there is cross country skiing. The spa town of Vichy, with its 'fin de siecle' architecture and elegant shops, is only 20 minutes to the north, and medieval Thiers, famous for its cutlery, is the same distance south. There are many castles and smaller towns worth a visit.
The Immediate Surroundings
Mariol and Chateldon
lie in the foothills of the Montagne Bourbonnaise and on the northern
edge of the Livradois-Forez National Park, the largest nature park in
Europe. The region has exceptional natural landscapes and is rich in
flora and fauna. To the west lies the Limagne, where the Allier and
Dore rivers converge, which is a haven for a wide variety of migratory
birds.
There
are lots of lovely walks in the area, from the gentle to the more
demanding. Some can be taken from the houses themselves. The Montagne
Bourbonnaise rises to 1300m and is a favourite place for walkers, cyclists
and horseriders.
 Ris lies between Mariol and Chateldon in the foothills of the Montagne Bourbonnaise and is within walking distance from both. It is a fortified settlement and has a church with some interesting wall paintings. For 8 centuries a Clunisien priory dominated the town and the local agriculture.  |
 Walk up through these woods from Mariol to views across the Allier plain to the Châine des Puys.
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Further afield
Vichy is an elegant spa town with a beautiful riverside esplanade and park It is 15-20 minutes drive away. Concerts, plays and operas are regularly performed in the beautiful opera house in Vichy.  |
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 Around Vichy |
La Montagne Bourbonnaise
 The 12th Century Church
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 A street in Châtel-Montagne
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Museums of Local Traditional Industries
Moulin Richard de Bas, the History of Paper Museum, located near Ambert, is the lastworking paper mill in the Auvergne. In the former home and workplace of a family of 19th century papermakers, we find out about the procedure for making paper by hand. Several rooms
trace the astonishing history of paper, from the first materials used
for writing on before its invention to developments in manufacturing techniques.
 The pulping machine  Paper drying |
 Pulp to paper  Paper drying |
Find out more about the Auvergne on this site