Make a holiday rental chateau or holiday cottage in Auvergne, France your home away from home

Auvergne is known as France’s ‘green lung’, a land of beautiful open countryside right in the middle of the Massif Central, encompassing areas of forest, lakes, mountain peaks and the largest group of volcanoes in Europe. Whatever time of year you decide to visit, you will never get bored whilst staying in an Auvergne holiday cottage, and the vast majority of visitors return to self catering Auvergne holiday homes year after year. Tourism in Auvergne thrives due to a stunning combination of beautiful scenery, fine monuments and fantastic sport.

Things to do from a holiday cottage in Auvergne, France

There are an exceptional number of monuments, natural phenomenon and excellent attractions to see in Auvergne, France. There are two huge natural parks in Auvergne, including the fascinating Auvergne Volcanoes National Park, as well as endless trails creating a Mecca for walking, horse riding and biking in Auvergne. Travelling slowly through the region from an Auvergne holiday cottage, whether on horse-back, foot or bicycle, is made even more special by the wealth of Romanesque churches and huge self catering chateaux in Auvergne, and where better to relax after a hard day than in one of Auvergne’s 10 spa towns!

There are many sport and leisure pursuits to enjoy in Auvergne; horse riding, biking, hiking, rock climbing, sailing, rafting, windsurfing, golf, kayaking, parasailing, hang gliding and a range of winter sports, which is why self catering chateau and gites in Auvergne are so hugely popular for sporting holidays. Taking winter lodgings in Auvergne allows locals and tourists alike to enjoy cross country skiing, downhill skiing, dog sledding and excellent off-piste skiing. The majority of snow falls between January and March, which are the best time to find ski accommodation or a ski residence in Auvergne.

Places to holiday in Auvergne, France

The Auvergne region consists of four departments; Allier, Puy-de-Dome, Haute-Loire and Cantal.

Allier, the northernmost department of Auvergne, home to some of the most varied and inspiring landscape is also the location of the finest natural sporting facilities and self catering chateau in Auvergne. Horse riding, hiking, cross country skiing, windsurfing, fishing, hang gliding and even bungee jumping can be easily done from an Auvergne holiday cottage.

Auvergne holiday homes in Cantal are a walkers dream. The famous Auvergne Volcanoes National Park is perfect for hill walkers and mountaineers, who will fall in love with the stunning scenery and amazing lack of crowds. If you went to the park every day during your stay in an Auvergne holiday cottage, you would still only see a handful of people.

Puy-de-Dome has a wonderfully varied landscape, with mountains, lakes, forests and the peak of the famous Puy-de-Dome volcano attracting visitors from all over the world to take self catering Auvergne holiday homes. There is a rich culture to enjoy here too, with many excellent restaurants, lively markets and atmospheric pubs to visit.

Travel to Auvergne, France

Depending on the exact location of your self catering Auvergne holiday cottage, gite or ski accommodation, the airports of Lyon (LYN) and Limoges (LIG) receive direct flights from the UK. The TGV service from Paris also stops at both locations.