Le Puy-en-Velay’s setting is unforgettable. From a fertile plain enormous spikes of volcanic origin rise up, sometimes crowned by a chapel – Saint-Michel-d’Aiguilhe on the top of the Saint-Michel rock...

The capital of Gaul, Lugdunum, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built on two hills at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers. With a history stretching back twenty centuries, the third larg...

Nowadays, Clermont Ferrand is a young and dynamic city. The old houses and cathedral built from volcanic rock are part of the “ville noire” (black town), with the Puys mountains forming an awe-inspiri...

Set on a sprawling wooded plateau that links the Livradois and Forez mountain ranges, the houses of this small village are grouped around the vast, majestic buildings of its famous Benedictine abbey. ...

Located to the south of the Dombes, Pérouges is a harmonious village surrounded by ramparts. It was once a favourite with the sovereigns of Dauphiné and Savoy who fought over the town. Over time, the ...

The square towers of Saint-Flour's cathedral seem to keep watch over the main route between the Languedoc and the old kingdom of France. This former town of consuls and bishops has made up in charm an...

Often neglected by motorists who fly by on the motorway in search of the sun, the old Gallo-Roman city is a true summary of history. Not very often do you find so many Romanesque temples and medieval ...

Often considered to be an industrial city polluted by its coal mining industry, Saint Étienne provides a good example of successful redevelopment with its whitewashed façades, parks and attractive squ...