Wide landscape of green rolling hills under a blue sky dotted with clouds

Activities & Tourism in the Puy-de-Dôme

Ancient stone fortress partially covered with vegetation, with eroded towers and walls, located near a modern building and surrounded by greenery under a partly cloudy sky.

Perched village with a ruined castle and a church, surrounded by greenery and hills

The Power of Panorama

Just 2 km from the A75, at the gateway to Clermont-Ferrand, the luxury hotel and Michelin-starred gourmet restaurant Origines is an ideal stopover for travellers and food lovers passing between Paris and the South of France. In Le Broc, close to Issoire in the Puy-de-Dôme, Origines offers a privileged immersion into the heart of Auvergne. Atop the Plateau de la Chaux, at the foot of a 13th-century fortified castle, Adrien Descouls' House and its 11 rooms and suites overlook the superb Auvergne valley, with a 180-degree view from the Monts du Forez to the Sancy massif, like a panoramic screen over the dormant puys.

« Four cardinal points,
a topography unique in the world,
which Origines draws on for constant inspiration. »

Le Broc, a medieval village

Perched on its rocky spur overlooking the Limagne plain, Le Broc has kept the marks of its medieval past intact. Its cobbled streets, its Volvic stone houses and its vaulted passageways tell ten centuries of Auvergne history.

During a stay at Origines, contemplating the ruins of its medieval castle, standing watch over the valley like a motionless pilgrim, and visiting its listed Romanesque church are essential. Above all, let yourself be captivated by the magnetic panorama of the Chaîne des Puys, one of the finest views in the Puy-de-Dôme.

A village perched on a hill with red-roofed houses, a ruined castle, and a church, surrounded by greenery and fields.

Issoire

Between fertile plains and dormant volcanoes, Issoire retains the soul of a living medieval city. A jewel of Auvergne Romanesque art, the Saint-Austremoine abbey church radiates majesty with its finely carved historiated capitals. Let your curiosity wander through the old town, with its cobbled streets and Renaissance houses.

A strategic crossroads since antiquity, a Protestant city scarred by the Wars of Religion, Issoire rebuilt itself to offer, today, superb heritage tourism. Be sure to put it at the top of your list during a stay at Origines or a lunch at Bistrot Basalte.

Panorama of lush green mountains with rocky peaks under a partly cloudy sky

A person on a bicycle is pedaling on a dirt path in the forest, wearing a helmet and a red backpack.

Auvergne to experience, taste, and explore

A base camp for exploring authentic Auvergne, Origines opens the doors to a marvellous land. From vineyards to producers' markets, discover the tastes and terroirs of the Puy-de-Dôme, the kind that colours the glass and awakens the palate. Wander through the Valley of the Saints in Boudes, marvel at the fairy chimneys, some capped with basalt, and the Bard salt springs. Venture on to Usson, classified one of the "most beautiful villages in France", where Queen Margot was once exiled.

A land of contrasts, of wine, of history, of natural heritage of astonishing beauty, of geology without equal, the Auvergne of Origines moves and transforms you.

A dirt path crosses a meadow with purple flowers, surrounded by trees and lush green hills under a blue sky.