Auvergne on the map of France. Regions of France: Auvergne

The region around the Massif Central (Massis Central, Massis Centrau, Massif Central) is one of the most beautiful places France. A country without roads, without fashionable hotels and golden shores, where any journey is associated with certain difficulties, nevertheless attracts the attention of many thousands of tourists. And this is not surprising - practically in the center of France, replete with cultural monuments, there is a vast highland with a huge number of extinct volcanoes(there are more than 450 of them), many short mountain ranges, narrow river valleys, green forests and pastoral villages that have preserved the spirit of “old France”.

The heart of the region is the historical region of Auvergne (Auvergne, Auvernhe, Auvernha), which includes the modern departments of Ardèche, Cantal, Haute-Loire and Puy-de-Dôme, as well as the eponymous departments mountain range. This is one of the poorest areas in France, most of which lies at altitudes of about 1000 meters above sea level, so there is very little arable land. However, this is a true treasure for fans of outdoor activities and ethnographers, famous for its majestic landscapes, the sources of many rivers in the south of the country and surprisingly untouched nature.

The capital of the region is . The town lies 15 km north of Clermont-Ferrand. Nearby are the Abbey of Mauzak (12th century) with a beautiful church, which was the supplier of stone for the most beautiful buildings in the region, the city of Volvic, as well as resort towns Chatel Guyon (more than 30 thermal springs) and Roy (Royat).

Famous Volcanological Regional Nature Park Volcan d'Auvergne www.parc-volcans-auvergne.com (Parc des Volcans d "Auvergne) covers the entire western edge of the Massif Central, from Vichy in the north to Aurillac in the south. Three groups of extinct volcanoes are protected - Monts-Domes, Mont-Dore (Mont-Dore, Monts-Dore, highest point- Mount Sancy, 1885 m) and Monts du Cantal, connected by the Monts and the high plateaus of Artense and Cezallier. It is a vast and sparsely populated country of treeless pastures, deep gorges, heaths and volcanic rocks, with a modest but charming nature. The park office is located in Chateau de Montlosier(Chateau de Montlosier, 20 km southwest of Clermont-Ferrand) and is supported by a number of regional offices, each of which is a kind of museum dedicated to different topics: flora and fauna, the life of shepherds, peat bogs and so on. You can also take it here detailed maps trails along the most picturesque parts of the park, and you can walk along them or ride horses and bicycles.

And 50 km south of Clermont-Ferrand, the spurs of the Mont-Dore volcanic massif begin, famous for its steep cliffs, deep gorges and picturesque landforms. The capital of the region is a town Mont Dore(Le Mont-Dore, 50 km southwest of Clermont-Ferrand) has long become a popular thermal resort, which is often called the “world center for asthma treatment.” And located just 7 km northwest of the resort town La Bourboule(La Bourboule) is justifiably called the “capital of allergy treatment”. The peak of Sancy (Puy de Sancy, 1885 m) towering above all this is one of the most popular tourist sites in the country, and the slopes of the Fenester Park and the Charlagne plateau (1300 m) lying just to the west are recognized centers for skiing and trekking.

Also nice is the village founded by monks in the 12th century. Orcival with its stunningly beautiful Romanesque church of Notre-Dame, lakes Servieres and Guery, the "basalt org A n" Valley of Fonsalad, tiny resort Saint-Nectaire-les-Bas www.ville-saint-nectaire.fr with a magnificent Romanesque church and numerous megaliths around the town, powerful medieval castle in the town Murol(Murol), old village Demon(Besse) with its characteristic winding streets and houses of the 15th century, as well as the ski resort Super-Besse and the Pavin forest 5 km west of the village.

mountain range Cantal(Monts du Cantal) forms the southern border of the Volcan d'Auvergne park. With almost 80 km in diameter and up to 1855 meters in height, it is one of the largest volcanic massifs in the world, resembling a wheel without a rim from the air. Its center is formed by three large conical peaks of Plon du Cantal (1855 m), Puy Marie (1787 m) and Puy de Peyres Ars (1686 m), from which beautiful wooded valleys spread out in all directions, between which stretch huge pastures, which during for many centuries they have been the mainstay of life in Cantal. The famous yellow Cantal cheese and the equally famous ham “come from” are located here. hiking trails and a special road, Route des Cretes, crossing the most picturesque mountain areas.

Also within Cantal you can find two good ski resort- Lloran www.lelioran.com and Super Lloran, considered the capital of the region, the colorful town of Aurillac, famous for its 16th-century quarters Saler(Salers), a town located on the eastern slopes Murat(Murat) with its medieval alleys and huge white statue of the Virgin Mary, diocesan center of the 14th century - Saint-Flour(Saint Flour) with a crowning rock cathedral Saint-Pierre (XIV century), the museums of Alfred Douai and Haut-Auvergne, as well as the wooded hills of Marguerides - one of the strongholds of the military groups of the Resistance during the Second World War.

Auvergne is called the heart of France. The province has largely retained its original appearance, and this is the special charm of the region, which a hundred years ago was one of the most forgotten corners of France - despite the fact that it is located in the very center of the country.

A significant part of the region's territory is occupied by areas with traces of past volcanic activity. The houses here are built from black volcanic stone. There are also active volcanoes in Auvergne - temporarily hidden.

The province is home to the famous balneological resort Vichy. Warm springs fed by volcanoes give holidaymakers health. Also in the region there is a European volcanological Vulcania Park.

Capital of Auvergne - Clermont-Ferrand.

Attractions

Romanesque churches and basilicas

Notre Dame du Port (Clermont-Ferrand)
- Eglise Saint Austremoine (Issoire)
- Notre Dame d'Orcival
- Eglise de Saint Nectaire
- Basilica of Saint Julien (Brioude)
- Abbey and monastery in Lavaudieu
- Cathedrale Notre Dame (Le Puy en Velay)
- Chapelle Saint Michel de l Aiguilhe (Le Puy en Velay - Puy en Velay)
- Mauriac (Cantal)

Historic churches and chapels

Abbey in La Chaise-Dieu - here you can see the world famous fresco "Dance of Death".
- Small churches and chapels in the Haut Allier department (Blassac, Saint Cirgues, Peyrusse, etc.) - many are decorated with ancient frescoes and paintings.

Famous and interesting castles to visit

By department:

Allier: Bourbon l "Archambault, Busset, Lapalisse.
Puy de Dome: Pontgibaud, La Batisse, Saint-Saturnin, Tournoel, Effiat.
Haute-Loire: Valprivas, Domeyrat (near Brioude), Chaviniac Lafayette, Polignac, Saint Vidal.
Cantal: Val (on Lac de Bort), Pesteils (near Vic sur Cure).

Lakes, volcanoes, valleys, forests, ponds - all the wealth of natural landscapes and the variety of flora and fauna presented in the Auvergne. Diverse flora and fauna add to the beauty of the region. 109 sources(among them the famous Volvik (External link)), more than 100 volcanoes, 20,000 kilometers of rivers - it is not surprising that Auvergne is considered one of the most green areas of Europe.

Auvergne - the land of volcanoes

IN Auvergne Volcanoes Natural Park (External link) routes along the slopes of the volcanoes Plomb du Cantal, Puy de Dôme and Puy de Sancy are open to everyone. Through forests and valleys Livradua Forêt Natural Park There are endless tourist routes.

Ski resorts The Auvergne offers traditional winter activities: alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and dog sledding. In summer, Auvergne enjoys rafting, paragliding and mountaineering. If you are less interested extreme species rest, then here you can relax in recovery centers at thermal springs or to the spa. It’s not for nothing that Auvergne is called the second most important thermal region of France.

Gastronomic specialties of Auvergne

After a walk along the high mountain plateaus, it's time to go have a snack. Fragrances traditional dishes They will definitely point you to the right restaurant. Green Puy lentils, stuffed cabbage, Auvergne pot of stewed meat and vegetables, potato truffade - all these hearty dishes will perfectly complement local wines: Saint-Pourcain, Cotes d'Auvergne or pink Chanturgue. Cheese plate Auvergne also deserves attention: Bleu d'Auvergne, Fourme d'Ambert, Saint-Nectaire, Cantal and Salers - all these cheeses have quality status A.O.C.

Historical heritage of Auvergne

One of the earliest historical heroes of the Auvergne was the brave leader of the Celtic Arverni tribe, Vercingetorix. His reign ended with an unsuccessful battle near Gergovia, the ancient capital of Auvergne. Later witnesses of history are the austere Cathedral of St. Peter in Saint-Flour and the Romanesque basilica of Notre-Dame-du-Port in Clermont-Ferrand, through which the pilgrimage Way of St. James passed to Santiago. de Compostela. A monument to the Bourbon dynasty, whose history began in Auvergne, is the medieval fortress of the dukes. Modern residents of Clermont-Ferrand are proud that it was in their city that the fat Michelin star appeared, symbolizing excellent tires and an authoritative restaurant guide. IN small town Thiers is a knife museum.

Art and culture of the Auvergne

It's good to come to Auvergne during busy street times festivals. International festival theaters in the city of Aurillac or the Pamparina music festival in Thiers will long be remembered by travelers for their colorful and interesting performances. For film lovers there is a short film festival. The festival of classical and sacred music has been held in the town of Chez-Dieu for more than 40 years. In addition, balloonists from all over the world regularly gather in Auvergne. Far from cities, in the lap of nature, artists place unusual land art objects. For connoisseurs of quality products, the European Festival of Taste (Les Européennes du goût) is held. If you are traveling with your family, be sure to visit the Amusement and Wild Animal Park, theme park Vulcania (External link) , amusement park under open air inside a real volcano(Volcan de Lemptégy) or electricity museum Electrodrom.

Traveling through the Auvergne is a pleasure for both body and soul. Clean air, healthy waters, rich historical heritage and amusement parks are waiting for you!

(Auvergne, ancient Arvernia) is a province in central France, on both slopes of the plateau that forms the watershed of the Loire and Garonne basins (the current departments of Cantal, Haute-Loire and Puy-de-Dôme). In O., traces of prehistoric man are found: the oldest rough products made of flint, later stone axes, elegantly finished and polished, bronze sabers and daggers (made by some tribe with surprisingly small hands, judging by the size of the handles). The Arverni, the ancestors of the current inhabitants of O., were one of the strongest and richest tribes of Celtic Gaul: Caesar lists a number of small tribes that were subordinate to them. They defended their freedom longer than any other Gallic tribe; when all of Gaul had already been conquered by Caesar, the Arverni, with their leader Vercingetorix at their head, rebelled against Roman rule in all the tribes of Gaul (53 BC), even the Aedui, ancient allies of Rome, and only after a two-year bloody war, after After the capture of Vercingetorix, Arvernia was finally annexed to the Roman state and became part of the province of Aquitaine. Its inhabitants remained free, but Roman civilization quickly exerted its influence on the country: ancient capital O., Gergovia, was abandoned and built new city- Augusto-Németum (now Clermont-Ferrand); roads were built everywhere, the use of warm and mineral springs. Traces of Roman rule are found throughout the country: the ruins of the majestic temple of Mercury of Arverne on the top of the Puy de Dome mountain, described by Gregory of Tours, have recently been discovered. Christianity began to spread in O. in the middle of the 3rd century; under Constantine the Great, almost all of O. professed Christianity. During the great migration of peoples, O. fell into the hands of the Visigoths, then passed to the Franks. After the fall of the Merovingians, the Dukes of Aquitaine took possession of Auvergne and waged bloody wars with the Carolingians here. In 760, Pepin the Short, having conquered Aquitaine, took Clermont and annexed O. to his possessions. During the accession of the Capetian dynasty, O. considered itself completely independent; The charter of Bishop Etienne III of Clermont that has come down to us begins with the words: r égnante Domino nostro Jesu Chris to. Despite the constant feuds of petty feudal lords, the invasions of the Normans (855 and 915), Saracens, and Hungarians, O. relatively prospered thanks to relations with the south, where remnants of the ancient Roman civilization still remained, and with Mohammedan Spain; At the same time, many monasteries were founded, of which the most famous is the Aurillac monastery, from where the famous Herbert, later Pope Sylvester II, came. In the 11th century O. again becomes the arena of struggle between the Dukes of Aquitaine and the Kings of France. In 1095, a council took place in Clermont, at which Pope Urban II preached crusade; Count William VII of Auvergne went on a campaign and stayed in the East until 1114; The French kings took advantage of his absence, beginning to interfere in the internal affairs of O. Upon returning from the campaign, the Count of Auvergne was forced to recognize himself as a vassal of the Duke of Aquitaine in order to receive help against the Bishop of Clermont, whose side was supported by the French king Louis the Fat. The French kings Philip Augustus and Louis IX took advantage of further unrest in O.; the latter concluded an agreement with Count William IX, according to which O. was annexed to France; William IX retained only a part of lower O., called the county of O. In 1271, O. was finally annexed to the French kingdom. The emergence of cities with communal self-government in O., which they received either from their immediate lords or from the French kings, dates back to this time. There were 80 such cities. The material well-being of O. from the middle of the 16th century. begins to fall due to the war with England. The English kings also laid claim to O., as part of Aquitaine. Whole gangs of robbers appeared in O., with whom the population had to fight even after the conclusion of peace in Bretigny (1360). King John gave O. to his third son John, Duke of Berry. After the death of the latter (1416), O. passed to the house of Bourbon, but, starting in 1531, one part after another joined the crown. From the middle of the 16th century. Protestantism appears in O.; the city of Issoire becomes a hotbed of reformation. During religious wars, the cities of O. are attacked and robbed by either Catholics or Protestants; the city of Issoire changed hands five times. Longer than in many other provinces, the arbitrariness of feudal owners continued here, terribly oppressing their peasants and not obeying the central government; in order to humble them, Louis XIV was forced to send to O. a judicial commission invested with extraordinary power (les Grands Jonrs d "Auvergne, described by Flechier). During the great revolution, O. turned out to be receptive to new teachings. The Auvergne dialect stands on the border of the d" dialects. oc and d"o ï l, differing from the more southern dialect d"oc, mainly in the pronunciation of the letter c (as ch). Currently, the dialect of the upper O. (Cantal department) differs from the dialect of the lower O. (departments of Puy-de-Dôme and Haute-Loire).

Wed. H.-F. Rivi è re, "Histoire des institutions de l"Auvergne" (P., 1872); Bieiawski, "Histoire du comt é d"Auvergne et de sa capitale"; R. Jallifier, "L"Auvergne" (Paris, 1876); Hanriot, "L"Auvergne antique"; A. Imberdis, "Histoire des guerres religieuses en Auvergne"; M. Boudet, "Les Tribunaux et la Justice révolutionnaire en Auvergne" (Paris, 1873); F. Mège, "Chroniques et récits de la Révolution dans la ci-devant Bas se-Auvergne" (Paris, 1867-77).

• - a region of France, named after the Gallic tribe of the Arverni, who inhabited this territory in ancient times. From the 8th century - a county that was part of the kingdom, then - the Duchy of Aquitaine...

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• - Auvergne troubadour; lived approximately between 1150 and 1200. Considered one of the first troubadours in the south of France; his fame was second only to that of Giraud de Borneil. Dante quotes several times the works of O....

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• - I Auvergne most high part French Massif Central. Height up to 1886 m. Consists of a number of volcanic massifs and individual extinct volcanoes of Neogene age, rising above the plateau...
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• - Turenne Henri de La Tour dAuvergne, viscount, French commander, chief marshal...

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"Auvergne province in France" in books

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