If you follow the “Route des Villes d’Eaux” you’ll come across the town of Volvic, known for its water, sold all over the world. It’s just eleven kilometres from Clermont-Ferrand, home of “Michelin”, and the same distance from the “Puy de Dome”, one of the youngest volcanoes in the central Massif area of central France. And, at 1.465m, the tallest.

Eighty volcanic formations form part of the 70km “Chaine des Puys”. Basically, a “puy” is a rounded hilltop. Or, to be more geological: a domed protrusion of the earth’s surface caused by the gradual extrusion of viscous lava.

I arrived at midday, and the sun being out, headed out for lunch. At the Tilt Bar the Mayor of Volvic was on the beer, not the famous local water. I asked him when the last eruption was around here. He consulted his watch and said, “Six thousand years ago”.

Where the waters fleau…

Auvergne has the largest regional park in France. It is a unique landscape of grassy lava domes, cinder cones and low-level vents or explosion craters. Through it passes the “Route des Villes d’Eaux” beneath which, the world’s best quality natural mineral water has been naturally filtered. Since the Miocene age (roughly 23.03 to 5.333 million years ago).

The 17-station “Water Route” takes you and your overworked kidneys through four departments to France’s most famous spa towns to enjoy their much-sung curative waters at source. The Auvergne leg takes two days. Mainly because of the frequent comfort stops.

En route are the ancient thermal spring towns of La Bourboule, the 28-spring Chatel-Gyon and its “Les Gargouilloux” (gurgling waters), the 100,000 litres an hour, 32.5C degree “Eugenie” spa at Royat-Charmales and silica-rich “Le Mont-Dore”. Facilities and services on offer include hamman, mobility pools, sub-cutaneous gas injections, mud applications and “pharyngal nose showers” as well as “humage” in which you inhale hydrogen sulphide through a fighter pilot’s mask.

Volvic

Most bottling plants offer degustations. At Volvic, after visiting the bubbling source in a dark wet grotto by a loading bay, I had a volcanic hydrology lesson along with a visiting Belgian family. We drank peach and pineapple flavoured “Volvic” and heard how the unique geology of the “Puy de Dome” and ” Volcano de Nugere” gives “Volvic” its distinctive taste. In the “cave”, we heard from a professional H2O sommelier how it takes fifteen years for rainwater to percolate and seep through the porous rocks around us.

The “Calivic” spring was discovered in 1927 and “Volvic ” first bottled in 1938. More than one billion bottles are now produced every year.

With 1200 known springs, France is the world’s leading mineral water producer with around 200 different brands.

Perrier

Hannibal was the first discover “Perrier”. He is reputed to have taken the waters at Les Bouillens at Vergeze in the vineyards of the Languedoc (around 25km from Nimes), before he attacked Rome in 218BC.

In 1894, Dr Louis Perrier of Nimes leased the spring to sell the health-giving water commercially. The distinctive green “Perrier” bottle was invented by Sir John Harmsworth, the brother of Lord Northcliffe who founded “The Daily Mail” newspaper. He got the idea from the shape of a pair of old Indian exercise clubs he used for exercise. Perrier is now owned by Nestle and is one of the top selling sparkling waters of the world.

Evian

“Evian”, first discovered in 1789, is France’s best-selling still water with 1.3 billion bottles being sold worldwide every year. “Badoit” is the gourmet water. It is the country’s oldest, being first bottled commercially in 1837. It was available only from chemists until 1954. Naturally carbonated after passing through subterranean gas deposits, it bubbles up from the granite hills of Saint-Galmier near Lyon.

Following the mineral Water Route must be the healthiest holiday ever. You can feel the toxins fleeing your abused body and all your vital, maltreated organs thanking you. For some, sinus clearance and nasal irrigation is more important than a tan.

Vichy

Vichy is still the best known spa. “Curistes” taking “la medicine douce” every day at the fountains in the grandly colonnaded “Halles des Sources”. Here the beau monde of the nineteenth century went to sip off their excesses and French colonials were sent to cure themselves of the tropics.

The town on the Allier river once boasted thirteen cinemas, eight dance halls and three theatres. The thermal baths were built as a toy for the daughters of Louis XV. The town was known to the Romans as “Vucus Calidud”, the hot town.

There are six “Vichy” waters available – three hot (“Hopital!, “Chomel” and Grande Grille) and three cold “Celestines, Parc” and Lucas”). The only bottled water is “Vichy Celestines” which emerges from the ground at a temperature of 17.3 C.

In the Valley of Chaudefour with its pretty waterfall, I cupped my hands under a rock and tasted the pungent “St Anne” water straight from a spigot in the rockface.

During my tour along the “Water Route” I learned a lot about water. That we elimi-nate 2.5 litres of it every day and we renew our body water every ten days, a tenth of it through swallowing our own saliva. It helps prevent dental cavities, blood coagulation, creates radiant skin tone and the production of important bone cartilage.

I have become a water bore…

Useful websites: www.villesdeaux.com; www.vichy-tourisme.com; www.auvergne-tourisme.info

Kevin Pilley is a former professional cricketer and former chief staff writer for Punch Magazine. He has written for more than 600 titles and his travel writing reflects his dry British wit!

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Ten years ago, in a small hotel, in a small town called Le Mont-Dore in the Auvergne I stopped for the night en-route to the Alps. After my long drive I just wanted a meal and then bed. The food was decent, the elderly waiter attentive. Clearing my plate he asked if I would like any cheese. I don’t suffer ‘cheese-dreams’, so said “yes”, little knowing that the memory would haunt me for the next decade.

A long lost cheese

He brought a selection. In the centre was a small volcano, its pale lovely crust covered in a dusting of ash. How extraordinary! (…but perhaps not, as the Auvergne is dotted with dormant volcanoes).

Intrigued, I cut a slice. An eruption of pleasure filled my mouth. I smiled. The waiter smiled, “Vous aimez ça?” Oh, yes, I like it very much. Intensely creamy, slightly pungent; I closed my eyes in ecstasy as the flavour held me. Finally, I asked the name, and promptly forgot it. That was BIG MISTAKE, and one that was to haunt me for the next ten years. If only I’d written it down. If only my memory was not like a perforated plastic bag. If only…

But for then I went to bed a happy man, savouring the aftertaste of my little slice of delectation. Somehow, as I slept, the volcanic remembrance embedded itself in my subconscious, to surface intermittently and worry at me like the equivalent of a snatch of a song.

I knew I loved THAT cheese, and I wanted more. But how to get it?  An early start meant no chance to enquire in the town. Time passed.

I would gaze wistfully in fromargeries hoping for a glimpse of my lost love. I trawled the internet, always looking. On a visit to Paris, enquiries in the best cheese shops yielded only shrugs.

On the trail of a cheese dream

Nine years later, I bumped into the lovely Corinne from Auvergne Rhône-Alps Tourism, in London, and told her of my plight.  “Leave it with me. When I get home I will make some enquiries” she said.

Two weeks later this email  arrived ‘I tried to find a pyramid-shape and covered in ash, made in Auvergne. I found one last Saturday, it is a raw milk goat cheese, come from the region of Courpière, not far away from Clermont-Ferrand. The name of the cheese is Le mont de Courtesserre”.

Three months later I found myself en-route to Clermont-Ferrand and a date with my cheese-destiny. I booked lunch at La Fromagerie Nivesse where Corinne had spotted my cheese. I hurried past the queue of hungry customers to look at the vast counters of cheeses, trying to spot ‘her’. I felt overwhelmed by the dozens and dozens of products, but, there in the corner was my ‘Long-Lost Love Cheese’. There was no mistaking the soft angle, the delicate pale crust, outlined by darker dustings of ash, and the creamy skin.

Now to taste! Before us was a plate of charcuterie, fruit, bread, and a selection of six local cheeses. I only had eyes for one. I gently slid a slice onto a piece of bread, and, oh! The first eruption of pleasure at the creamy inside overwhelmed me. Then the velvety sensation of the crust dusted with a complex bite of ash followed. Everything I’d remembered came flooding back. A mouthful of wine, and then another slice. The emotion of the moment I had waited ten long years for held me. I savoured it to the full.

The cheese with no name

I decided to go and find the farmer who makes this incredible cheese at La Côte Courtesserre. Forty minutes east of Clermont, the GPS got me to the general vicinity, but I couldn’t find it. So I did the commonsense thing and explored every lane, every track, every by-way, until eventually I spotted a field with a flock of goats. This must be it! Sure enough a hand-painted sign announced  ‘Fromage de Chèvre fermier. J-B Navaron’.

Farmer Jean-Baptiste  peered thought the window of his tiny dairy as I pulled up. Thirty five-ish, smiling, I’d interrupted his cheese-making. He explained he’d taken over his parent’s farm about some years back and had around a hundred and twenty she-goats and few billys. Out of sight was a small herd of cows. It was an idyllic spot, cresting a gentle hill, the Chaîne des Puys dormant volcano range the backdrop. It was clearly not chance that my cheese mimicked the shape and exact angle of the slope of these giants. I asked Jean-Baptiste about his day. “I get up at six-thirty and milk the goats and cows”, he smiled. “On your own?” I asked. “Just me. I do it for love. For passion. Every single day. My last holiday was three years ago. Then I go to a Farmer’s Market or take my cheeses to shops like La Fromagerie Nivesse. Back in the afternoon to make more, around sixty a week” He produces four goat, two cow, and one mixed types. Mine didn’t really have a name, he explained, “Customers give their own name”.

We crossed the track, negotiated an electric fence, and he called to his goats. They flew down from the hilltop to surround us, a joyful, nuzzling, inquisitive bunch, sleekly-coated and happy. I’d reached the pure source of my lovely cheese, a contented farmer, with his contented animals.

Practical information

www.auvergnerhonealpes-tourisme.com; www.atout-france.fr

More on Auvergne

Guide to a weekend in Auvergne
Discovering the Auvergne

Michael Cranmer is an award-winning freelance travel writer and photographer. He spends most of the winter up mountains writing about, his primary passion – skiing – but also manages to sample less strenuous outings.

The post The long lost cheese of Auvergne: Le Mont de Courtesserre appeared first on The Good Life France.

The Auvergne region is one of the great secrets of France. It’s a region of natural beauty and dramatic landscapes, located midway between Paris and the Mediterranean, anchored in the centre of France by the Massif Central and almost 100 volcanoes. From the stark Monts du Cantal in Salers and the Puy Mary area, to the lush green fields and gardens of Vichy, Auvergne is a very diverse region.

Clermont Ferrand

Clermont Ferrand is a great city to base yourself as from here you can explore the region or just relax and unwind. The famous and thankfully dormant Volcano Puy–de-Dome is just 6 miles away; at 1,465m high it is the largest though not the tallest in this chain of volcanoes. Within half an hour of arriving in the Auvergne, I was at the top of it. While some brave souls grabbed pitons, those metal poles that help to anchor climbers, and tied ropes round their waists, ready to shimmy up the side, I went up on the train.

The views from the top are sensational. You overlook many of the extinct volcano craters that the area is famous for, the summit dominated by massive telecommunications antennae that sits alongside a Roman Temple which was undergoing restoration.

Back down in the city I based myself in the Hotel Mecure in the corner of the Place de Jaude, Clermont’s largest square. It’s a pleasant place to sit in the evening with a glass or two of wine and watch the world go by. From here everything is within walking distance, though there is a fairly new and exciting Translohr transit system which is great fun.

Clermont is a dark city architecturally, though it has many stunning buildings they are nearly all built out of black Volvic rock, giving it a very distinctive look.

Now whilst I would have been happy just to stay and explore the lanes and shops, including the many wine cellars that run under the city there was a lot more to see and with the aid of a hire car the next morning I headed a short distance north to the town of Riom.

Riom

Riom is an historic town with 16 listed monuments and a further 57 registered monuments. There are many beautiful old houses with internal courtyards and a famous clock tower with 128 steps to the top from where the views are fabulous and worth the effort of climbing and having your chest thump like a drum. The Saturday morning market is very pretty and watching everyone go about their business is a great way to get a feel for this pretty town…

Moulins and the Museum of Ballet

Now if someone had told me before I went to the Auvergne that one of my favourite moments would be a visit to a museum of ballet costumes I would have laughed. But the next morning I visited the National Centre for Stage Costumes which is based in a former Cavalry barracks in the town of Moulins…

Vichy

No visit to this area is complete without taking in the lovely spa town of Vichy. The spa tradition was introduced by the Romans as well as at nearby Bourbon l’Archambault and Mont-Dore, a tradition that continues to delight 2000 years later…

Gastronomy for gourmets in Auvergne

Auvergne has many delights to please foodies. Saint-Nectaire, Fourme d’Ambert, Cantal, Salers and Auvergne Blue Cheese are some of the famous cheeses sold in all the markets or you can buy direct from a cave. On top of these specialities, you have the top quality ‘charcuterie’, cured meats, sausages, and a local andouillette (though you need to be a fan of tripe to enjoy that one). Don’t leave without trying the traditional petit salé made with green lentils from Le Puy or stuffed cabbages, or turfed potato cakes. And, in autumn wild mushrooms are used in many dishes – guaranteed to titillate your taste buds.

The Auvergne is a real treat, a trip here leaves you revitalised and re-energised and there’s nowhere else quite like it.

www.auvergnerhonealpes-tourisme.com

Peter Jones is a photographer and freelance writer. He has lost count of the number of times he has visited France but has never forgotten meeting Bridget Bardot in a lift in Paris in 1968. 

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Out of all the regions, Auvergne is the one where authenticity is preserved and well taken care of. Some old houses and traditional farm cottages are still available in stunning sceneries. Everywhere you will find a fine blend of tradition and modernity.

Auvergne is a great place to holiday and live

The Auvergne area is in central France. From here you can enjoy easy access to major towns and social activities. At the same time it’s a place to live your life at a better pace, with greater time for well-being, and there’s loads to do. Hailed as the ‘Unknown Jewel of France’ by The Lonely Planet, the Auvergne is generally attributed with having a relaxed pace of life. It is a remote region of natural wonders and a strong cultural legacy that can be found in the architecture, cuisine, and dialect. Auvergne is home to beautiful medieval villages, magnificent frescoed Romanesque churches and the castles of the Bourbon Lords.

The volcanoes of Auvergne

The natural spirit of the Auvergne is preserved in two of France’s largest regional nature parks: the Volcans (Volcanoes) Park and the Livradois-Forez Park. The best known destination as you head west into the Parc des Volcans d’Auvergne is Puy-de-Dome itself, the volcano that gave the department its name. This is the highlight for visitors, with spectacular views stretching as far as the eye can see along the Chaine des Puys range of volcanoes that traverse the region. It is one of the most challenging climbs of the Tour de France, and you can walk or drive the spiral route to the top to be rewarded with incredible views of 70 peaks and 11 departments.

Monts Dore

In the south of the department are the Monts Dore, a much older range of mountains, which include the highest peak of the Auvergne, Puy de Sancy.  In winter there is skiing, both cross-country and downhill and dog sledding. Ballooning offers an even more dramatic way of seeing this impressive landscape.

Although less visited than the famous volcanoes to the west, the less mountainous eastern region of Puy-de-Dome, in and around the Parc du Livradois-Forez also has a great deal of attractive scenery, typically forested hills and open fields and moorland.

South of Clermont-Ferrand is Super-Besse, one of the best resorts for skiing, located on the southern slope of the Sancy and caters for any skiers at an altitude of between 1300 and 1850m. It is a resort where you can ski right up to your front door. Whether on an activity holiday or a break with your family, Super-Besse has something for everyone, catering for both fans of skiing and those of alternative ‘sliding sports’.

Gorges, forests and villages

The ‘Gorges de la Sioule’ area is as pure and peaceful as the meanders of the river which winds its way across this leafy green countryside. The forests, traditional towns and villages in which festivals, exhibitions and other activities take place, lend it added rhythm.

Pouring down from the Monts Dore, the river Sioule, which runs wild and free through the Chouvigny gorges, is an altogether different waterway when it reaches Ebreuil, before continuing on its way to Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule and the Allier. As it passes through the neighbouring villages, it reveals a peaceful and happy tourist region with colourful markets and something to see and do all year round. Canoeing and kayaking down the Gorges de la Sioule will thrill you and the breathtaking landscapes and scenery is truly awesome.

By Alison Brettell, local property expert, Auvergne, Leggett Immobillier

The post Discovering the Auvergne in Central France appeared first on The Good Life France.

Auvergne is one of the least populated regions in France.   It is a region of volcanic plateaus and large valleys, mountain ranges and huge craters.

Auvergne has three giant volcanoes – the Puy de Sancy (the highest point in central France), the Banne d’Ordanche and the Puy de l’Aiguiller which together make up the Monts Dore.   It is the perfect location for outdoor activities such as hiking, paragliding, sailing and canoeing thanks to the  abundance of rivers and lakes in the area.   The region is home to the legendary Vichy, Olvic and  Chaudes Aigues, the spa town with the warmest water in Europe.

Just a few hours from Paris, the central location of Clermont-Ferrand is home to one of the most important Romanesque churches in the area, the Basilique Notre-Dame-du-Port, famous for the very special black stone architecture which is a feature of the old city centre.   The natural environment of the town is very special, surrounded by volcanoes and the Livradois Forez region and close to Vulcania theme park (and wildlife park).  The region is not a well known tourist attraction but in recent years it has started to become more popular with those who are interested in outdoor pursuits.

Things to do in Auvergne

Take a cable car ride to the peak of the Puy-de-Sancy and experience breath-taking views over the domes and craters of the region

Be wowed by one of the many impressive mediaeval churches in the region such as Notre Dame du Port at Clermont Ferrand or Notre Dame d’Orcival and there are several more which are well worth a visit.

Visit the cheese museum in Amber

Participate in water sports at Vichy

Marvel at the Notre-Dame Cathedral at Le Puy en Velay a town which has retained its links to the past and offers a unique blend of tradition, countryside, strong religious heritage and modernity

Find out more from the Auvergne Tourist Office

Experience the Regional cuisine of Auvergne

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For a recipe from Auvergne it couldn’t really be anything but Puy lentils really could it? The tiny lentille du Puy is both a common food and an illustrious ingredient used in refined French cooking. Known in France as poor man’s caviar, it has a rich taste and is used in a huge number of dishes.

The lentils, like wine, are designated by an AOC (appellation d’origine controlée),  and only lentils grown near Puy-en-Velay and adhering to the rules of the appellation can be labelled as Puy lentils.  The rich volcanic soil of the region gives them a unique flavour.  However, if you can’t get hold of Puy lentils – you can substitute another type of lentil as preferred, there’s no difference in the cooking of Puy lentils from any other type of lentil.

In culinary terms, a dish served with lentils is referred as “…Esau”. It comes from the biblical character of Esau who sold his birthright to Jacob for a plate of lentils.

For 6 people:

500g Puy lentils

1 onion, peeled and pricked with 3 cloves

1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Soak your lentils for 1 hour. (optional)

2. Put your lentils in a large pot, cover them with a large amount of water, then add the carrots and the onion and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook your lentils at a gentle simmer for around 15-20 minutes

3. Skim off any impurities that come to the surface and season with salt at the end of the cooking time.

Check if your lentils are cooked. Take one between your fingers and press it – if it squashes easily they’re cooked.

This basic recipe will get your lentils ready to be the main ingredient of lentil soup, lentil salad, stews or as an accompaniment for fresh water fish dishes.

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The regional dishes of Auvergne tend to be simple, rustic food, nothing fancy just hearty tasty fare.

The region is famous for its Charolais beef, raised for its superior meat while beautiful Salers cows provide milk for cheese making. Auvergne is renowned for the quality of its pork products and the crisp mountain air is perfect for drying hams and curing sausages.

Most of the regional dishes of Auvergne combine pork with staples from the garden such as cabbage and potatoes reflecting the hard times of days gone by – dishes like Soupe au Chou, made with cabbage, pork, potatoes, and lard (salt pork). Potée Auvergnate is another traditional dish – a hotpot which includes cabbage and potatoes, leeks, carrots, turnips and pork meat. Tiny green lentils from Le Puy, grown on volcanic soil, have a distinctive and refined flavour. Other specialties include Aligot made from melted cheese blended into mashed potatoes, often with some garlic and usually accompanied by grilled, fresh sausages and  Tripoux (or Tripous) – a dish made with small bundles of sheep tripe, usually stuffed with sheep’s feet, sweetbreads and various herbs and garden vegetables. There are a number of variations on this dish, but they generally all involve savoury ingredients held together with sheep tripe and braised over low heat.

Auvergne is also known for its cheese. The winters in the region can be particularly harsh and the cows are kept in protected winter quarters.  When the warmer summer months arrive the cows are moved to the fertile mountainous pastures and it’s this lush grass and mountain flower diet that it said to make the milk the cows produce so good in the production of cheese with one of the best known being  the Bleu d’Auvergne, which was created in 1854 by a producer of Fourme de Roquefort. After he noticed the formation of fungus on his bread, he tried to mix the same fungus with the cheese. He later pierced the cheese so that the air could enter into it and help the development of the blue mould. Nowadays the cheese is inoculated with Penicillin Roquefort.

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