Between lakes and volcanoes		Auvergne's forests and rivers
		The Livradois-Forez area		Upper Auvergne
		The land of the Dukes of Bourbon		Southern Auvergne

From Upper Auvergne to the Land of the Bourbons, from the green plains to the summits of the volcanoes, Auvergne encompasses six complementary areas that lie harmoniously side by side. In Southeast Auvergne, water splashes and sprays in the Gorges de l’Allier and on Mont Gerbier-de-Jonc, the flora and fauna are at home in a “chlorophyll” garden to the delight of all lovers of sports in the great outdoors. History can be found in the villages, Romanesque churches and châteaux. Faith follows in the footsteps of the pilgrims headed for Santiago de Compostela. To the Southwest, in Upper Auvergne, the noble Salers cow reigns with its red coat. The Monts de la Margeride look out over the landscapes of granite, moors and dense woods. The infamous Beast of Gévaudan once terrorised the area. Saint-Flour and Aurillac have kept the traces of their rich history. In the West of the region, the Volcanoes rise up to meet you. The Massif Cantalien, the Monts Dore and the Chaîne des Puys form the most imposing volcanic group in Europe. The Chaîne des Puys is a spine studded with 80 dormant volcanoes, the Monts Dore have dizzying sheer cliffs and the Massif Cantalien gives you an idea of what infinity may be like. In Eastern Auvergne, in Livradois and Forez, nature shows many facets (pine forests on the Monts du Forez and granite plateaux in the Livradois area). Man’s talents have given rise to a wide range of arts and crafts, such as the cutlery works in Thiers. To the Northeast, Auvergne becomes noble and precious. The land of the Dukes of Bourbon tells its story through its rich historical heritage, in Moulins and in Bourbon-l’Archambault. Water is in all its grandeur here. Its virtues attract many “curistes” to take the waters at the thermal spas, including the most famous of them all, Vichy. On the border between the Berry and Bourbonnais regions, the Forest of Tronçais spreads out with 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres) of trees, forming the largest oak forest in Europe. Further south, the Sioule leads to the Combrailles, a stirring, unassuming land.   Make up your itineraries, head out for discovery, let yourself go wherever your imagination leads, and you will be surprised and delighted by what you find.