9 Properties for sale in Cantal, Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes, France
Cantal
Cantal, currently in the Auvergne region, is named after the range of extinct volcanoes running through it. Located on the edge of the Massif Central and in the regional park of the Auvergne volcanoes, it has several impressive peaks including Puy Mary (1,787m) and Plomb du Cantal (1,855m) which are popular with hikers and paragliders. Cantal also has a number of ski resorts for winter sports enthusiasts. The department is famous for its cheese of the same name, one of France's oldest fromages.
CAPITAL: AURILLAC - At the foot of the Cantal mountains, Aurillac has a pleasant old town with narrow streets and shady squares filled with shops and restaurants. There is a thriving cultural scene including an annual street theatre festival. The town is the centre of umbrella production in France, accounting for around half of the country's production.
Access from UK
By air: Clermont-Ferrand, Rodez and Brive
By train: Eurostar to Paris, TGV to Clermont-Ferrand, then regional services
By road: Aurillac is 845km from Calais
Climate
Average annual temperature: (Aurillac): 5.2°C/15.1°C
Average annual rainfall: 1,174mm
Average annual sunshine hours: 2,117.5
Highlights
The extinct volcanoes, the Monts de Cantal, are the main draw, especially the Plomb du Cantal and Puy Mary. Another must-see is the Gorges de la Truyère, crossed by the Garabit viaduct, built by Gustave Eiffel in 1884 just before he began work on the Eiffel Tower. There are two Plus Beaux Villages – Salers, with dramatic houses built from black lava stone, and Tournemire – and St-Flour, at an altitude of 1,188m, is also well worth a stop-off.
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