Life in Cantal is played out against a stunning landscape of immense power and beauty. Home to natural riches as varied as the dramatic gorges of the Lot and TruyËre, the ancient woodland of La Ch‚taigneraie, the wild moorland of the Aubrac and the boundless emerald green pastures of Salers.

But above all Cantal is a land dominated by mountains.

Long before the first signs of man, streams of molten lava erupted from the earth’s core to form an immense volcanic crater. For eons this vast mountain of fire dominated the land until an ice age once more froze the surface of the earth. Giant glaciers ripped through the vast volcano, tearing apart the walls of the crater, gouging out steep valleys and sculpting the sharp summits and ridges of the Monts du Cantal.

An immense circle of six main peaks, from angular Puy Griou (1690 m) to towering Plomb du Cantal (1855 m), the Monts du Cantal form a key part of the Parc Naturel Regional des Volcans d’Auvergne. Though not 1787 m) the highest peak, the undoubted icon is the sharp pyramidal summit of Puy Mary (. Classified among the Grand Site de France, the climb along the ridgeway path to the top of Puy Mary is rewarded with a simply unrivalled panorama into no less than 12 glacial valleys that radiate star-like from the summit.

Cantal. A place of immense natural beauty. A place to explore. A place to experience. A place to breathe.

The spectacular landscapes of Cantal attract walkers and ramblers from all over Europe. Along the peaks and ridges of the Monts de Cantal, through the beautiful Lot and TruyËre valleys, across the plains and woodlands of La Margeride and La Ch‚taigneraie. There are literally thousands of kilometres of scenic walks as well as a wealth of mountain bike trails and dedicated bridle paths.

From strenuous ascents to comfortable strolls, Cantal has routes and trails to suit just about everyone – and the paths are so easy to find and to follow. Just call into any Office de Tourisme, invest a few euros in a Topoguide book, keep your eyes open for the coloured balisage marks and off you go. Alternatively, you’ll be welcome to join any of a wide variety of guided walks, or you can even engage the services of your own experienced guide.

But for truly Auvergne experience, how about taking a walk through the Monts du Cantal in the company of your own donkey ? A sure-footed companion who can carry your rucksack – or even carry the kids when they get tired. It’s fantastic for a family day out, and there are also weekend and week-long packages complete with accommodation.

The farms of Cantal have a proud history of quality. Quality based on the richness of the land brought to fruition by traditional skills and savoir faire. It is only natural, then, that Cantal gastronomy is built around the products of its own terroir.

A land of rich simple food based on the best local ingredients. A wide variety of locally cured and produced charcuterie : hams, fritons, pates, terrines and sausages. Game from the hills and woodland with seasonal hare and rabbit, quail, venison and wild boar. Rustic breads and pastries, nuts, oils, jams and honeys. Famous Gentian liqueur, eaux de vie distilled from plums, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants and chestnuts. True riches of the earth.

But above all, with its rich green pastures, Cantal is a land of cattle. Notably, it is home to the magnificent red-brown Salers with their long, lyre-shaped horns whose ceremonial transhumance up to their mountain pastures signals the true start of the cantalian summer. Scarcely surprising, then that Cantal is famous both for its beef, and its cow’s milk cheeses : dense golden roundels of Cantal and Salers (its name proudly stamped into its surface), soft creamy St. Nectaire fermier, and the rich tangy blues, Fourme d’Ambert and Bleu d’Auvergne. And let’s not forget mild Tome – key ingredient of truffade and aligot, those wonderfully rich and warming dishes that define this whole region.

So much of the cultural history of Cantal can be read through the changing architecture of its buildings : from the simplest stone cottage to the grandest country estate.

The colourful stories of 12 of the greatest houses of Cantal unfold along the Route des Chateaux d’Auvergne. Among the chateaux open to the public are Auzers with its remarkable Napoleon interiors ; Tremoliere with its magnificent parks and orchards ; dramatic Pesteils overlooking the CÈre valley ; Sedaiges, unique example of 19^{th century Troubadour architecture, and stunningly beautiful Val whose six towers are reflected in the waters of Lac de Bort.}

There are also rare jewels among the Romanesque churches and cathedrals of Cantal, with their austere architecture based on rounded arches and stone columns topped with extraordinary carvings. In particular, the great golden altar at Bredons has an ornate brilliance, while the painted tiled ceiling of the church of Cheylade is quite simply stunning.

But the culture of Cantal is not confined to ancient buildings and museums. It is there in the busy market places of its towns and villages. It is given life by the skills and traditions of craftsmen, through the pride of its people and through age-old fÍtes and festivals that are celebrated today as they have been throughout the centuries.

Cantal is a land of immense beauty.

A land of crystal waters. Fresh clean mountain air. Forests and hills that still shelter elusive chamois, marmot, mouflons, deer and wild boar. Pastures where gentian and orchids grow amid the grass and wild flowers.

A land where age-old traditions are respected ; where time is measured not by the passage of the hands of the clock but by the gradual unfolding of the seasons.

A land of mountains and rivers and forests.

A land where you can witness nature in perfect balance.

But this beauty is fragile.

So please come and walk our paths. Drink from our clear springs. Breathe deep of our air and lift your soul.

But, please, take care – we’re just looking after this land for our children and for yours.

William Butler Yeats