Auvergne in France

jc4lab
jc4lab Posts: 554
edited June 2008 in Tour & expedition
Always remember this by the song in the BA ad from years ago..The author of a cycling guide to France says this is his favourite area for cycling...Has anyone been there? If so Any tips on best routes,advice on how best to get there,best base to start from or stay...,best viewpoints of the volcanos /villages etc etc, ...Thanks
jc

Comments

  • heatonrider
    heatonrider Posts: 109
    We had a great holiday there -we did a sportive l'Auvergnate at end of August http://www.sportcommunication.com/GT/ep ... trophee=53. It is hilly but great country to ride in - we camped a few miles out of Mont Dore - which was very busy. The Puys are lovely and we did some walking too. Climate is a little cooler than other parts of france but they do have 5 tasty local cheeses!
  • jc4lab
    jc4lab Posts: 554
    Thanks..found a cheap charter fllight to Clermiont Ferrand...Hope tp spens a week here in Volvic Spring waterr country and then do the Gorges of Verdon for the second....
    jc
  • knedlicky
    knedlicky Posts: 3,097
    I’ve crossed the southern central part of the Auvergne and enjoyed the area a lot.
    At first we stayed near Mauriac in the SW corner of the Auvergne, using it as a base for a few days. From there Puy Mary (the highest volcano in Europe) and the Col du Pas de Peyrol (the highest pass in the Massif Central, 1,585 m) are easily reached. On other days we rode down Aurillac way and up Ussel way.

    Puy Mary gets a lot of visitors, many in coaches which have difficulty with the gradients and hairpins, and so I’d avoid it at weekends. But smaller roads in that corner of Auvergne, away from tourist sights, are wonderfully empty and picturesque.

    Then, from Mauriac we went east through Issoire and stayed near Ambert, around which I also liked, the gradients gentler and the landscape more open, but on smaller roads equally remote.

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