Abbatiale d’Issoire

On this Via Allier stage, very visible ancient volcanic lava flows give a distinctive look to the terrain, with steep little valleys overseen by sharp little rocky peaks, the heights often occupied by a hill village, a château or a chapel. Around these parts, arkose, a pale stone made from sandstone and feldspar, predominates, contrasting with the darker basalt further north. In the distance, the serrated mountain tops of the Sancy Range can be made out on clear days. Enjoy the long descent leading down to the town of Issoire and the banks of the Allier River. Make the most of a stop in Issoire, observing its colourful southern French façades and its extraordinary abbey church of Saint-Austremoine, a gem of Auvergne Romanesque art.

On this hillier Via Allier stage, you’re reminded of the daily graft of bygone days, when miners extracted coal from underground mines, the merchandise then being placed on sapinières, large, flat rudimentary boats made from pine wood, that were then guided downstream along Allier and Loire Rivers. Riding along, enjoy glimpses of the distant Sancy and Cantal mountain ranges. The route alternates between steep little valleys and rocky outcrops beside which you’ll find remarkable villages such as Nonette, Usson, with its volcanic organ-pipe geology, and Bansat, an extremely picturesque fortified spot. Another curiosity to admire is the Parentignat suspension bridge spanning the Allier, built in the 1830s, now a listed historic monument.