Mato-Coulis

Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne


Besse's best pizzeria layers regional flavours onto authentic bases and bakes them in a wood-fired oven; try the 'Bessarde' with Bleu d'Auvergne cheese or the 'Bougnat' with local ham. Those not in the mood for a pie should be satisfied by smoked duck salads, Salers beef steak and various pasta dishes. A kid-sized menu is available, too.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne attractions

1. Musée du Ski

0.02 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. Le Beffroy

0.07 MILES

One monumental gateway remains of Besse's medieval fortifications, crowned by the octagonal 16th-century Beffroy, the town's most distinctive feature…

3. Lac Pavin

2.44 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. Lac Chambon

4.37 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…

5. Château de Murol

4.61 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…

6. Fontaines Pétrifiantes

5.69 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…

7. Maison du Fromage

5.92 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…

8. Grottes du Cornadore

5.96 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…