The idea of a “detour” is particularly useful when thinking about how to approach Auvergne. You don’t “do” Auvergne. You discover it through journeys, encounters, in little bits, adventuring beyond the beaten track: the Monts Dore there, the Chaîne des Puys volcanoes here, the Limagne Fault (a UNESCO world heritage site), Les Couzes, the Cantal mountains, the gorges of Allier, Le Velay… 

In Auvergne, don't miss: Chaîne des Puys – the Limagne Fault which offers a unique window into the major geological phenomena linked to the continent breaking apart, the Puy Mary, listed as a Grand Site de France with its majestic silhouette, the most recognizable of all the Cantal mountains, Vulcania theme park at the heart of the Volcans d’Auvergne, Garabit viaduct, built by Gustave Eiffel, the Michelin Adventure in Clermont-Ferrand which takes visitors through 2,000 m² of exhibitions to re-live the Michelin Bibendum adventure, Lemptégy volcano, the inside of which can be visited, Salers in the Cantal region, listed in “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France” (most beautiful villages of France), the Panoramique des Dômes (an electric rack-railway train which will take you to the top of Puy de Dôme), the Vallée des Saints to the south of Issoire, known as the Colorado of Auvergne, the AOP d’Auvergne cheese route (Bleu d’Auvergne, Saint-Nectaire, Salers, Fourme d’Ambert), Murol château, which dates from the 12th century and hosts nocturnal shows and interactive tours...

La Belle Meunière recommends: 

– Sancy 
– The Volcan de Lemptegy  
– La Tyrolienne Fantasticable zip line