Holidays auvergne with children, family holidays

Family vacation in Auvergne

An exceptional region in the heart of France! Visit mighty volcanic craters, small villages, romantic churches, mysterious castles and quaint huts. The unique natural landscapes of Auvergne are ideal for a vacation with children!

Located in the heart of France, the Auvergne is a very special region. It is certainly not one of the best known, but probably one of the most pristine areas in France. In the rather sparsely populated area you will find a unique natural landscape, which is characterized by volcanoes. The French Massif Central houses with the Puy de Dôme, the Puy Mary, the Puy de Sancy and the Puy de la Coquille a whole series of extinct volcanic cones. The mighty craters form the beautiful backdrop of the Auvergne, in front of which there are endless forests, pastures and meadows. In between are small villages, romantic churches, mysterious castles and rustic huts. Those who go on holiday with the family in this extraordinary region will discover a rich flora and fauna that is at home in the numerous nature parks.

When you spend your holidays in Auvergne, exercise in the fresh air is the top priority. Hiking, fishing, cycling or canoeing are just some of the leisure activities you can do here.

The most important cities in Auvergne include Clermont-Ferrand, which with its 200,000 inhabitants is the administrative seat of the region, and Vichy, which is well known thanks to its healing springs. Otherwise, a stay in Auvergne is more rural, so that the children can let off steam in nature to their hearts’ content.

Also, as is customary in France, culinary enjoyment is not neglected. The use of regional products is very important in Auvergne. The area is particularly known for the fine cheese made from sheep’s milk – the Roquefort. This was already valued by the ancient Romans and is still very popular with gourmets today.

There is basically no particularly recommendable travel time for the Auvergne, as the region has its attractions in every season. Spring and autumn are ideal for hiking or cycling, while summer guarantees fun in the countless lakes. Even in winter there is the possibility to practice winter sports in the north of the region.

Other popular holiday regions in France

Attractions

The Auvergne consists of the departments of Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal, Haute-Loire and Allier, all of which are ideal for a holiday with the whole family. A visit to the national park is particularly popular "Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d’Auvergne". Here the almost 1500 meter high summit of the Puy de Dôme watches over the unique landscape of the largest French nature park. Families will be thrilled by the wide range of leisure activities. The diverse hiking trails meet every requirement. Impressive volcanic peaks e.g. offer numerous ascent options, from easy to demanding and from the plateau you can then enjoy a fantastic view of the crater landscape. On your excursions you will come across picturesque villages, old castles and stately castles here and there.

Families with children should definitely visit the volcano park "Vulcania" pay a visit. The unique adventure park not only brings the little visitors closer to the secrets of the volcanoes and the origins of the earth in a playful way. To explore the huge park and make full use of the program, you should take at least one day. Satellite photos, touchscreens, 3D films and a wide variety of simulations also show you the origin of the volcanoes in exciting images.

A stay in the Forêt de Tronçais is also recommended. The beautiful holm oak area is home to numerous lakes and, in addition to various hiking routes, also offers plenty of sports opportunities. An ideal place to stay for a family outing is St-Bonnet-Tronçais. Here are two lakes in the immediate vicinity of each other and invite you to swim and fish. The forest playground as well as the mini golf course and the tennis court offer further opportunities for romping and playing.

A visit to the city of Volvic will then initiate you into the secrets of L’Eau Minérale, which comes from the a lot of volcanic springs Auvergnes bubbles. Because it goes through many layers of rock, it is very mineral and pure. When you visit the springs, you can then use charts to see which way the water takes through the mountain range.

To round off the cultural program, visit the rock museum next door. The history of andesite mining is described here. The black lava stone, from which many structures such as Clermont Cathedral was built, is a hallmark of the city. After an Auvergne vacation are you not only relaxed, you will surely think of your trip to Volvic the next sip of water – and that is better than any souvenir photo.

Family vacation in Auvergne

Other popular holiday regions in France

Other popular holiday regions in France

Attractions

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