Tourism in Clermont-Ferrand - Puy-de-Dôme – Auvergne

Clermont-Ferrand and the Puy-de-Dôme, characterized by its diversity of landscape, is an area of mountains and valleys, plateaus and plains, which join together to form two of France’s largest Regional Nature Parks: the Volcano Park and the Livradois-Forez Park. The panoramic views from the summit of the Volcano which gave its name to the “department”, show all the beauty of this land shaped by fire and water.

Auvergne is well-known for being "the heart of France", and consequently in the Puy-de-Dôme the weather is typically continental with four distinct seasons. Temperatures vary from about – 5°c to 5°C in winter and from 25°C to 34° C in summer. The winter is generally cold, the summer sunny and hot, the autumn and spring are mild except in the region of altitude. In winter, there are snowfalls very rarely in towns but on the peaks and in the countryside. http://www.auvergne-tourisme.info/uk/index2.php

Quiet lakes covering deep crater

With is sprinkling of lakes and forests, Auvergne offers its visitors the largest group of volcanoes in Europe, Vulcania, the unique European Volcano Park, two Regional Nature Parks (the Auvergne Volcanoes and Livradois-Forez) more than 500 Romanesque churches, nearly 50 castles to visit along Historic Road of the Auvergne Castles and 10 spa towns.

The wealth and variety of the landscapes are perfect for many sport and leisure activities: hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, hang gliding, canoeing-kayaking, swimming, cross-country and downhill skiing or snow shoeing in winter. Auvergne also means delicious food and a fun, festive atmosphere in the friendly spirit of hospitality that is so typical of the Auvergnat people.

The Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Nature Park, the largest in France, covers the five groups that form this unusual land: the “Chaîne des Puys” (or Monts Dômes), the “Massif du Sancy” (or Monts Dore), the “Plateau de l’Artense”, the “Plateau du Cézallier” and the “Monts du Cantal”.