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Leisure activities
Hill-Walking, Hiking:
The official hiking trails "GR 4" and "GR
400", plus many local “PR’s”, pass near the hotel,
ensuring a large variety of itineraries. From walks of a couple
of hours to hikes over a few days, you will find what you are
looking for. For a small charge we can transfer your luggage to
your next stop. In the hotel you can refer to maps of the area
that will help you plan your walks and we are available to
provide suggestions and advice. Picnic lunches are available on
request. If you wish to discover the area and some hidden trails
with a local guide, we can arrange this for you. Please let us
know in advance. (The cost is not included in the hotel rates or
packages.) We highly recommend you to take a look at the website
www.cantal-walking.com
which contains lots of advice and ideas for walks.
Skiing:
The hotel is only 2.5 km from the slopes of Le Lioran and is easily accessed by car. During weekends and
vacation periods a complimentary public shuttle bus can take you
to the foot of the slopes in a few minutes.
With the first snowflakes the Super Lioran ski resort changes into a
paradise for all lovers of winter sports. Downhill or
cross-country skiing, snowboarding or snowshoe-walking and even
a skating rink are available.
Le Lioran is a family friendly resort, offering all the services and
equipment of a modern ski resort. Between the altitudes of 1200m
and 1855m, the resort covers 1500 hectares with 60km of slopes,
accessed by 24 ski and chair lifts and 1 cable car. In addition,
snow canons guarantee good conditions with artificial snow on at
least 10 slopes. Winter sports holidays at Super Lioran are a
great alternative to skiing in the Alps! www.lelioran.com
and www.pistehors.com
Le Lioran Adventure Park:
In a forested area in the centre of Le Lioran you will discover an
adventure park with a difference! It consists of a series of
more than 50 high-level exciting routes between the trees. You
can walk over swinging bridges, cross on “bosuns’ chairs”
and hang on ropes like Tarzan. There are four course grades from
“suitable for children” to “no limit”. It is great fun
for the whole family (for those with no fear of heights!)
www.lioran-aventure.com
Mountain Biking - VTT:
A mountain bike is an excellent way of discovering the hills,
forests and valleys of the Cantal. Conditions for mountain
biking are ideal during the summer months. VTT tracks
criss-cross the Cantal, and from June until mid-September you
can take the cable car from Le Lioran ski resort to the top of
the "Plomb du Cantal" and cycle down into the valley.
Fishing:
The reputation of the Cantal for fishing is well
established in France. There are numerous mountain streams and
lakes inviting the angler for categories 1 and 2 fishing.
Non-experts can try their hand at trout fishing, without a
fishing permit, at the "Etangs de Marfon" in Polminhac.
www.cantal-peche.com
Golf:
Don’t forget your golf clubs! Take advantage of 2 magnificent golf
courses that are open all year around:
At 35 km
“Golf de la Haute Auvergne” in Sansac de Marmiesse: 18 holes,
par 72
At 27 km “Golf de Vézac “, currently 9 holes, par 33
At 15 km golf practise at Vic sur Cére (during the summer).
Sight-seeing
As well as the many sporting
activities, the Cantal offers numerous opportunities for
learning about the culture and history of the region. The
beautiful scenery draws visitors back time and time again.
The Hotel des Chazes, close to the
villages of St Jacques
des Blats and Le
Lioran, is located in the heart of what was the largest
volcano in Europe. It is, therefore, ideally situated for
exploring the region.
Information
and itineraries for visits, as well as our advice, are available
to help you to plan your day.
La Chaumière de Granièr:
This is situated in Niervèze, a typical Haut Auvergne hamlet (6km from the hotel). La
Chaumière de Granièr is the only example in the Cantal of a ‘ferme-bloc’ in its original
state, now preserved as a museum.
A ferme-bloc is a single building housing the dwelling, cowshed
and barn under one roof.
La
Maison du Buronnier:
Near the village of Laveissière,
at 1050m altitude, is the buron of Belles-Aigues
(2.5km from Le Lioran). The buron is a temporary dwelling on the
altitude pastures that was used during the summer months.
Belles-Aigues is now preserved as a museum, La
Maison du Buronnier, and explains life and work in these
primitive dwellings. The equipment and method of Cantal cheese
making are displayed.
Murat:
The splendid old town of Murat
is situated15 km from the hotel. The old town centre and the
museum of local animal life (Musée de la Faune) are well worth a visit. At the weekly market, on
Friday mornings, farmers sell their products and local
specialities. www.ville-de-murat.com
L’Oustal de la Marissou:
A few
kilometres from Murat,
in the museum of agriculture, you can travel back in time to the
beginning of the 20th century. “L’Oustal
de la Marissou” in Coltines
brings to life the farming activities of Auvergne. Children
adore this museum even more than adults as they are able to hear
the sounds of animals and touch and move the objects. www.coltines.com
Vic sur Cère:
On the road to Aurillac, is
the old spa resort of Vic
sur Cère, with its typical stone houses (15km from the
hotel). Today the casino and the pottery, “Pas
de Cère”, attract visitors to this small town. Various
events are held during the summer season. www.vicsurcere.com
Chateau de Pesteils:
A few kilometres further, in Polminhac,
the magnificent Chateau
de Pesteils, is open to the public. www.chateau-pesteils-cantal.com
There is also an
art exhibition, of painting and sculptures, in Chateau
Vixouze on the opposite side of the valley.
Aurillac:
The town of Aurillac, 32
kilometres from the Hotel des Chazes, is the birthplace of Pope
Gerbert (945 - 1003 AD) and is the town of "Saint Geraud".
They can both be seen in Aurillac's
Waxworks Museum. A stroll amongst the lovely shops of the
romantic old town centre is well worth while. On the last
weekend of June an event not to be missed is ‘les Goudos Gourmands’ (the ‘festival du casse-crôute’). At
the end of August Aurillac becomes one big stage for 3 days.
That is when the street-theatre
festival takes place, with performances at every corner and
square in the town. www.iaurillac.com
Salers:
A visit to the idyllic, mediaeval village of Salers is essential. It is classified as a ‘plus beau village de
France’ (one of the most beautiful villages in France). The
local breed of cattle, the reddish-brown ‘Salers’ cows, with
lyre shaped horns are a common sight in the Cantal. Beautiful
country roads lead to Salers - take the “Route
des Crêtes” or drive via the Puy
Mary. www.pays-de-salers.com
Romanesque art:
In the late 10th and early 11th century, Romanesque
art blossomed in Auvergne. With over 250 buildings, the
Romanesque heritage of the region is not only unique but also
the largest in Europe. Visit the “Musée de la Haute-Auvergne” in Saint Flour and the churches in Cheylade and Mauriac.
http://cantalroman.free.fr/
Landscape
and Natural History
The Cantal was formed by a giant volcano, with many smaller peripheral
vents. These were later fashioned by glacial action, creating
the varied and verdant landscape of peaks, ridges and valleys.
The Cantal has abundant wildlife. During the summer months the hayfields
and meadows are bright with flowers, much loved by the
butterflies. Several species are unique to the Auvergne.
Chamois, deer and mouflons frequent the forests. The bellowing
of the red deer during the rut can often be heard. Birds of prey
swoop over the meadows, song birds inhabit the trees and larks
soar over the moors. Prat de Bouc is an excellent site for
viewing many species of birds and butterflies during the
migratory period. For more information on these, plus the
agricultural history of the region visit www.lesarpers.com
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Leasures
