Cantal, France

Cantal holiday rental homes - Cantal Cottages

Cantal is a department in south-central France. It is named after the Cantal mountain range, a group of extinct, eroded volcanic peaks, which covers much of the Cantal. The department is part of the region of Auvergne and its principal town is Aurillac.

The Cantal is a mountainous department whose altitude varies between 250 m in the valley of the Lot River and 1855 m in the top of Plomb du Cantal (the highest point) – the view from this point is stunning and unmissable when staying in your Cantal holiday rental house or cottage.

Aurillac is traversed by the Jordanne River and is the historical capital of the umbrella, producing more than half the umbrellas produced in France! The department counts several remarkable buildings - well worth a visit during your holiday rental in Cantal, France. Among them, the Romanesque religious buildings like the churches of Cheylade (eleventh century), Dieno or Massiac. Some churches are in the Gothic style like the Cathedral of St Pierre de Saint-Flour (fifteenth century).

The Parc naturel des Volcans d’Auvergne features several inactive volcanoes. Puy Mary can be accessed by car easily or via gentle hike. It is also possible to hike to the near-by Puy de Peyre-Arse(1806m).  Among the various activities on offer when you rent a Cantal holiday home are walking, horseback riding or mountain biking excursions (tracks are especially designed for this). Aquatic sports including canoeing and fishing are also popular, due to the number of lakes. The landscape also allows the practice of free flight. Base jump fans frequent the sector around the Puy Mary or the Valley of Brezon. The volcanism in the region is very apparent: at 82° C, the springs of Chaudes-Aigues are the hottest in Europe.

During the summer months, Le Lioran or Super Lioran are the best places to start a hike. Le Lioran is accessible by rail or bus and Super-Lioran is just a km away from Le Lioran. From Super-Lioran it is also possible to hike to Plomb du Cantal. For those who prefer a more strenuous route to the Cantal’s highest point, there is a cable car to Plomb du Cantal from Super-Lioran. There are also various adventure courses that run in Super-Lioran.

During the ski season those who visit the Cantal are fans of winter sports! The station of Le Lioran also offers alpine skiing, a variety of pistes and ice-skating – and caters for all levels of ski ability. Excursions in snow shoes are also fun! The department has several hundred kilometers of cross-country skiing tracks well worth exploring when taking a Cantal holiday rental chalet or apartment.

Travelling to your Cantal holiday rental cottage, France

By Air: The nearest airports are at Rodez and Brive-Souillac airport. Rodez offers a regular Ryan air service from most airports throughout the UK during seasonal periods. By Train: By train from Paris Austerlitz to Aurillac is approximately 5 ½ hours, with a change along the way – usually at Brive-la-Gaillard. By Road: The department is served by auto routes - the A75 from Clermont-Ferrand and the A20 from Paris.