Tourist excursions
The Auvergne regions has 5 cheeses with the AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) label. The label is only given to products of exceptionally good quality. The cheeses are Saint-Nectaire, Bleu, Cantal, Salers and Fourme d’Ambert. There is a signposted cheese tour which can be combined with a visit to a cheese farm.
- La Ferme du Petit Planchat in Saint Sauves does not only produces and sells cheeses but also other local specialties.
- Ferme des Croix de Chazelles in Avéze
- At La Chèvrerie des Monts-Dore in Murat-Le-Quaire one can participate in the daily life of a goat cheese farm and of course taste goat’s cheese. During the season lambs can be bottle fed.
- At La Ferme Bellonte in the Village of Farges close to Saint-Nectaire they explain how the Saint-Nectaire cheese is made and you can see the cows being milked. There is actually more to do in Village des Farges. For instance a visit to Les Mystères de Farges. During a 1 hour tour one goes back into time and views among other things a light show.
- The Maison du Saint-Nectaire offers a 35 minute guided tour followed by a tasting of Saint-Nectaire. Attention: only open during school holidays.
Vulcania is an adventure parc where 30 attractions explain the history of the volcanoes. At Volcan de Lemptegy one can enter a volcano by foot or small train. Here also a lot of attention for the history of volcanoes. On some summer nights the park is also open in the evening and a light spectacle is then being performed.
The Maison de la Pierre is a cave carved by hand in the lava of the La Nugère volcano. Here the story of stonecutters, the discovery of the Volvic source and daily life in the village is told. Do take extra clothes as it is only 7° C in the cave!
In Saint Pierre Colamine the cave dwelling of Jonas can be visited. Over 70 dwellings over 5 levels linked by corridors and spiral staircases that have been fashioned out of a long cliff of volcanic tuff. In Saint-Nectaire the caves of Cornadore can be visited. These caves were carved by hand in 340 million year old granite and contain 2 hot springs.
Fond of medieval knight stories? There is a castle tour in the Auvergne. The Château de La Batisse in Chanonat can be visited. During school holiday periods knight performances are given. The Château van Murol and the castle of Cordès can also be visited.
Wallaby in Boisière close to Saint-Nectaire is an educational farm specialised in beavers and kangaroos.
At Fructi Flore in Saint-Nectaire all kinds of products like jam are made from flowers and fruit.
At La Ruche des Volcans in Saint-Sauves d’Auvergne and at La Ruche Auvergnate in Murol one can buy honey itself and other products using honey such as nougat, sweets, soap and candles. There is also a permanent exhibition on bees. Les Ruchers du Sancy in Chambon sur Lac also sell their own products.