Barren yet beautiful, sparsely populated but abundant in personality, the warm embrace of the Auvergne will touch the spirit of even the most experienced traveller.
Camping Holiday In Auvergne - Alan Rogers
12 campsites in France, Auvergne for Allier
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Domaine la Chabanne is located in Châtel-Montagne, France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It is situated in a wooded area and offers a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. It is a good option for families looking for a peaceful and relaxing camping vacation and offers basic amenities in a beautiful setting. On site, there are 17 large touring pitches situated on terraces with electric hook-up points. You can also rent a luxury safari tent or dome.
La Petite Valette, run by a very welcoming Dutch family, has been developed from an attractive old farm into a small, well presented and peaceful campsite, ideal for couples and families with young children. It is surrounded by farmland yet only 5 km. from the autoroute and the small market town of Montmarault. There are 60 good sized, level, grassy pitches, all with 6A electricity. They are separated by flowering shrubs and trees giving shade and privacy, with many having pleasant, rural views. Many of the facilities are housed in the original buildings although the fixtures and fittings are modern.
Champ de la Chapelle is a six-hectare site in the Forest of Troncais. It is mainly well maintained and there is mature parkland with a large area for those who prefer a taste of wild camping. It is ideal for families who want to get away from it all. The 72 touring pitches are slightly sloping, up to 250 sq.m. and there is plenty of shade and open space. Electricity (10A) and water is available to 64 of the pitches. It is the policy of the owner to keep the site quiet and unsophisticated (no discos here) and the reward is the wealth of wildlife. The area is a paradise for nature lovers, cyclists and walkers. There is no professional entertainment, but guided nature walks, campfires and stargazing are all possible.
Domaine des Grandes Côtes is in the beautiful grounds of a Château close to the very small village of Verzun du Bas and offers only static accommodation. There are only ten Roulottes (gypsy-style caravans) and five yurts, unusual Asian-style circular tents. All have lovely views over a patchwork of fields spread over rolling countryside. All accommodation is furnished to a high standard including bathrooms and kitchens. There is a small covered swimming pool, an open-air swimming pool, gym and sauna, as well as a snack bar and bar. A great place to relax at the end of the day.
Les Acacias is a 2.5-hectare urban site on the west bank of the Allier river. It is opposite the historic spa town of Vichy, which has many attractions including parks, spas, theatres, a racecourse, ample sporting opportunities and numerous shops bars and restaurants. There are 105 level, average size, grass/gravel pitches and 30 mobile homes for hire. The 75 pitches for touring have 10A electricity and 57 are fully serviced. Access is possible for large units, although some busy roads must be negotiated. It is a good short stay site for visiting Vichy.
Champ Fossé is a well tended, spacious municipal site with a long season. On the banks of Lac Saint Bonnet, it is within easy walking distance of Saint Bonnet. The lake is good for fishing, bathing and small boats. There are 111 sloping grass pitches, separated by hedges and with trees giving some shade. Sixty have 10A electricity and long leads are needed. The pool area and some of the pitches have good views over the lake. This site is great for those seeking a cycling or walking holiday in this quieter and lesser known region containing the Tronçais Forest.
This is a popular site on the edge of a very attractive, small spa town in a pleasant area of France. The site is actually a combination of two smaller sites offering 153 mainly flat pitches with varying amounts of shade. There are 135 for touring caravans and six hardstanding spaces at the entrance for motorhomes. The pitches on the upper level are part-hardstanding in small bays and of only average size. Those on the lower level are in a very pleasant woodland setting with the grass pitches on either side of a babbling brook and close to a small ornamental lake and snack bar. All have 10A electrical connections and a few have water and drainage.
This well maintained, compact, urban site is beside the River Allier and just over the water from the famous spa town of Vichy. It has recently been completely refurbished by the enthusiastic new owners (good English and Dutch are spoken). There are 74 medium sized, reasonably level, grass pitches with 37 for touring. Some have delightful views across the river to the beautiful Parc Napoléon beyond. They are separated by flowering shrubs and some tall hedging, and mature trees offer some shade. All pitches have 10A electricity and 12 are fully serviced. On-site access is not easy for large outfits, though a new all-year motorhome service point adjacent to the site can accommodate these. No twin-axle caravans.
Les Ecossais is a well tended, value-for-money, municipal site alongside Lac de Pirot and only 1.8 km. from the village of Isle-et-Bardais. Only fishing is allowed in the lake close to the site but a good lake beach with pedalo hire is only 2 km. distant. The site has 50 good sized grass pitches with 10A electricity. One area has hedges and trees separating the pitches; in the more open area many of the pitches are sloping. This site will suit those looking for a good simple site with no organised activities in a quieter part of France.
La Croix Saint Martin is in Abrest on the edge of the attractive spa town of Vichy and close to the Bourbonnais mountains. The site is on the right bank of the Allier and extends over three hectares of wooded parkland. There are 89 level, grassy pitches with 71 for touring and 67 with 10A electricity. They are separated by some hedging and a variety of mature trees give varying amounts of shade. Vichy’s elegant parks are less than 30 minutes on foot and the town centre is only another ten minutes. No twin-axle caravans.
Anyone looking for a quiet, beautiful, unsophisticated family site need look no further. Its situation on the banks of the Allier and alongside a nature reserve makes this the ideal spot for both bird-watchers and water lovers alike. The site hires out canoes and takes parties of canoeists on the river. The fish are very wily by all accounts and are not easily caught – what a challenge! The 75 pitches, of which 52 have electricity (4A), are about 80 sq.m, some a little larger. All pitches are on grass and separated by a variety of young trees offering some shade. The ones overlooking the river (unfenced) are naturally the most popular. Good English is spoken by the Dutch family owners.
This immaculate and attractive municipal site has 67 level, partly shaded, individually hedged, grassy pitches, all with easy access. They are level and larger than average, with electricity (10A) and most have their own water point and drainage. Situated by the municipal sports complex and the adjacent parkland, this site has much to offer. A footbridge from the site takes you across the river to the well tended park and to the town centre and supermarket (700 m). The friendly managers are justly proud of their well run site and its award-winning floral displays. Twin-axle caravans are not accepted.
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Auvergne
Set in the heart of the Massif-Central, the Auvergne was formed by a series of volcanic eruptions and is a dramatic region of awe-inspiring, non-active volcanoes, lakes, sparkling rivers, green valleys and forests.
The Auvergne is a wonderful destination for nature lovers, for those who enjoy active outdoor pursuits or for people who would like to relax at a spa resort. The ‘Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d’Auvergne’ – the Auvergne Volcano Park – is the largest national park in France and is a protected environment filled with exceptional flora and fauna. The mountains provide three classified downhill ski resorts and excellent cross-country skiing. A very wide range of outdoor activities is available.
The ancient volcanoes have also provided ten thermal spa areas, five of which are among the leading thermal resorts in France. For the history buff, the region offers beautiful Romanesque churches, medieval castles, ruined fortresses, and stiff black sculptures of the Madonna and Child for those interested in sightseeing. Visit Vulcania, the European Volcano Park, where adults and children can learn about the fascinating science of volcanoes. The area was once fairly isolated and inward-looking, but access is now much improved, and roads are well-engineered, so the region is now realising its potential as a holiday area.
PLACES OF INTEREST
Places of interest
Aurillac: Old town; wax museum; archaeology museum.
Clermont-Ferrand: Old city centre; 11th- 12th-century Notre Dame du Port Basilica; 13th-century cathedral; known as ‘ville noire’ for its houses built in local black volcanic rock.
Le Mont-Dore: Spa; winter sports; panoramic view.
Le Puy en Velay: Old city with cathedral and chapel in a dramatic volcanic landscape.
Puy-de-Dôme: Gallo-Roman site; television tower and observatory.
Vichy: Spa buildings; opera house; riverside gardens.
Vulcania: 15 km. from Clermont-Ferrand. A scientific exploration park, designed for children and adults who want to discover and understand the fascinating world of volcanoes and the earth sciences.
CUISINE OF THE REGION
Cuisine of the region
Local specialities include ham and andouille sausages, stuffed cabbage and bacon with lentil and cèpes (mushrooms). Le Puy is famed for its lentils and Vereine du Velay – yellow and green liqueurs made from over 30 mountain plants.
Aligot: Purée of potatoes with Tomme de Cantal cheese, cream, garlic and butter.
Perdrix à l’Auvergnate: Partridge stewed in white wine.
Potée Auvergnate: A stew of vegetables, cabbage, pork and sausage.