This summer, I stayed in Mont-Dore, located in the Auvergne region of central France, and used it as a base to explore various places in the area.
Located about a 40-minute drive from Mont d’Or, Lac Pavin is a mysterious volcanic lake. A volcanic lake is a body of water that has filled a massive crater created by a volcanic eruption; Lac Pavin is considered the youngest crater lake on the French mainland, formed during the final phase of volcanic activity in the Sancey Mountains.
Lake La Pavane has a maximum depth of about 90 meters, and its central area appears a shade of blue that is almost black. In the past, people created legends about this mysterious lake, claiming that demons and monsters dwelled at its bottom and that throwing a stone into it would cause a storm. Scientific research has revealed that water circulation is limited in the deeper sections, resulting in the formation of a layer with low oxygen levels. Consequently, sediments recording past environmental changes remain on the lake bottom, making it a subject of scientific study.
About a 40-minute drive from Mont d’Or lies the Puy de Dôme. Standing at an elevation of approximately 1,465 meters, the Puy de Dôme is a dormant volcano. It is surrounded by a chain of about 80 volcanoes.
Although it’s possible to hike to the summit, private vehicles aren’t allowed to drive all the way up to protect the environment. A mountain railway runs to the summit, taking about 15 minutes to reach a point near the top. While the hike takes about an hour one way, I chose to take the mountain railway both ways. As I gazed out the window at the Auvergne volcanic range, I reached the summit in the blink of an eye.
The first thing you see upon reaching the summit is a transmission tower standing about 85 meters above ground level. There is a well-maintained walking trail around it, allowing anyone to easily enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of the volcanic range and the beautiful natural scenery. As you walk along the trail toward the transmission tower, you’ll come to the ruins of the Temple of Mercury. Built around the 2nd century, this temple was one of the largest mountain temples in Roman-era Gaul. As I looked at illustrations depicting what it likely looked like in its heyday, I felt a thrill imagining that a temple of this magnitude once stood on this mountaintop some 2,000 years ago, attracting many pilgrims.
I went to Volvic, which is about an hour’s drive from Mont d’Or. Although it’s become difficult to find in Japan, it’s famous for the brand of water called Volvic.
The Grotte de la Pierre de Volvic is a quarry that was excavated for stone extraction starting in the Middle Ages. The former quarry site has now been transformed into an interactive museum. On the day I visited, there was a sound-and-light show for children, and I enjoyed the fairy-tale world where the quarry site came back to life through the power of spirits.
At Volvic O’rigines, you can learn how Volvic water is produced through informational panels and a virtual factory tour, and at the end, you can participate in a tasting session featuring new products.
Although it’s a bit of a drive—about an hour and a half—from Mont d’Or, I went to Salers, a village that retains its beautiful medieval streetscape. It’s a small village of about 300 residents, famous for its beef and cheese, but on this day, there were more tourists than usual. That’s because it was the day of the annual “Cattle Festival.” On the day of the festival, the cows paraded through the village, and upon arriving at the town square, there was a presentation about them. Salers cattle have a beautiful reddish-brown coat, a sturdy build adapted to the harsh mountain environment, and large, curved horns. I took my time admiring their impressive appearance up close.
I’ve heard that Salère cattle produce milk used for cheese, and their meat has a rich flavor from being raised on mountain grass; on the day of the festival, hamburgers prepared by locals were on sale. The hamburgers were so popular that the line was incredibly long, so I gave up on buying one, but during my trip, I thoroughly enjoyed the region’s cuisine—including “truffade” (potatoes and cheese sautéed with herbs), steak, and “charcuterie” (cured meats)—at various locations throughout the area.
My fun one-week vacation is coming to an end in the blink of an eye, so I’m on the hunt for souvenirs. Since this is one of France’s leading cheese-producing regions, I bought a creamy cow’s milk cheese from the village of Saint-Nectar, a firm, robust cheese named after the village of Salère—which I visited during the cattle festival—my favorite goat’s milk cheese, and some cookies made with myrtilles (wild blueberries—small and tart)—which is also a local specialty.
Between dormant volcanoes, Roman-era temples, and medieval castles, it was a summer vacation where I felt thousands of years of history unfold over the course of a single week.
© Source travel watch