One monumental gateway remains of Besse's medieval fortifications, crowned by the octagonal 16th-century Beffroy, the town's most distinctive feature. Lift your gaze to the top and you'll see an old wolf's-head weathervane still trembling in the wind.
Le Beffroy
Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
19.91 MILES
Clermont-Ferrand’s skyline broods with volcanic stone, but its most impressive edifice is Cathédrale Notre-Dame, whose 108m twin spires pierce the sky…
2.38 MILES
This midnight-blue crater lake, enclosed by a fuzz of pine trees, lies 6km southwest of Besse. Blasted out of the earth by a volcanic explosion nearly…
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21.07 MILES
Feel the Auvergne's smouldering terrain beneath your feet at this mined volcanic site, across the main road from amusement park Vulcania. In summer, at…
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4.67 MILES
Roosting on a basalt knoll above Murol village, the 12th-century Château de Murol offers peerless views along with insights into a brutish medieval past…
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21.45 MILES
Housed in an Ursuline convent 3km northeast of central Clermont, the city’s premier gallery takes design cues from NYC’s Guggenheim, its white spiral…
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27.88 MILES
Dating back to 1866, the Musée Mandet's splendid collection of art is arranged across two atmospheric hôtels particuliers (town houses). Exploring these…
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5.76 MILES
The Papon family put St-Nectaire's hot springs to creative use at the 'Petrifying Fountains', channelling the mineral-rich waters to make art. Calcium…
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9.41 MILES
One kilometre north of the turn-off to Lac de Guéry is a lookout that gazes towards two of the Sancy region's most noteworthy geological features. The…
Nearby Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne attractions
0.06 MILES
An essential stop for diehard snow-heads, this pocket-sized museum exhibits a collection of vintage ski gear, ice skates, snow shoes and wintry miscellany…
2.38 MILES
This midnight-blue crater lake, enclosed by a fuzz of pine trees, lies 6km southwest of Besse. Blasted out of the earth by a volcanic explosion nearly…
4.42 MILES
The relatively shallow (and thus warmish) waters of Lac Chambon, 1.5km west of Murol, make this crater lake a much-loved place for families to splash…
4.67 MILES
Roosting on a basalt knoll above Murol village, the 12th-century Château de Murol offers peerless views along with insights into a brutish medieval past…
5.76 MILES
The Papon family put St-Nectaire's hot springs to creative use at the 'Petrifying Fountains', channelling the mineral-rich waters to make art. Calcium…
5.98 MILES
Pick a round of St-Nectaire cheese, along with terrines, jams and other regional nibbles, from this dairy shop across the road from the Grottes du…
6.02 MILES
Don a hard hat for a 45-minute tour of St-Nectaire's Roman baths, deep in a cave that glimmers with damp limestone. Two-thousand years ago, these man-made…
6.07 MILES
This ornate Romanesque church on a hilltop is unmissable as you arrive in St-Nectaire, and it's worth the uphill walk to look inside. Within, you'll see a…