Auvergne Livradois Forez

The Bleu d’Auvergne PDO cheese production area also includes the mountains to the east of Puy-de-Dôme.

NATURE AND INDUSTRY

Livradois Forez extends east of Puy-de-Dôme and is noteworthy for the vast Livradois-Forez Regional Park. This is a land of contrasts because the Dore valley is occupied by industry whereas untamed nature with gentle hills and dense forests reigns everywhere else.  

SPOTLIGHT ON AN ‘INDUSTRIAL’ LIFE!

On the “Crafts Trail”, you can discover the highlights of the many ancient crafts associated with this area:

• The Cutlery Museum at Thiers and its fine cutlery festival.
• The Richard-de-Bas Paper Museum at Ambert
• The Mining Museum at Brassac
• The Museum of Crafts and Traditional Trades at Olliergues

AUVERGNE: SIDE OF THE RISING SUN!

The Auvergne du Livradois region is wild and beautifully preserved. It has low mountain ranges and wide forests. Here, hiking in all its forms reigns supreme. The gentle slopes make hiking easy.  On foot, mountain bike, horse, and on cross-country skis during winter, this Auvergne region can be explored at leisure, away from the crowds. The GR3 borders Forez on the east and a “Livradois-Forez tour” offers a trail to help you discover the natural beauty of the Auvergne region’s peaceful landscape. Many themed walks are also available. There are many water sports on offer within a magnificent setting of lakes, as well as on the river with canoeing at Allier.

Numerous sites offer outdoor activities. Apart from the Livradois-Forez Regional Park at Saint-Gervais-sous-Meymont, there is the arboretum at Olliergues or the Orbeil scented garden. Otherwise, the Auvergne region’s authentic nature can be found in agriculture, which includes two Protected Designated of Origin cheeses: Fourme d’Ambert and Bleu d’Auvergne. Fourme d’Ambert is, of course, the first to spring to mind, but the fact that Bleu d’Auvergne is produced in large quantities in this Auvergne region is less well known.