Le Beffroy

Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne


One monumental gateway remains of Besse's medieval fortifications, crowned by the octagonal 16th-century Beffroy, the town's most distinctive feature. Lift your gaze to the top and you'll see an old wolf's-head weathervane still trembling in the wind.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne attractions

1. Musée du Ski

0.06 MILES

An essential stop for diehard snow-heads, this pocket-sized museum exhibits a collection of vintage ski gear, ice skates, snow shoes and wintry miscellany…

2. Lac Pavin

2.38 MILES

This midnight-blue crater lake, enclosed by a fuzz of pine trees, lies 6km southwest of Besse. Blasted out of the earth by a volcanic explosion nearly…

3. Lac Chambon

4.42 MILES

The relatively shallow (and thus warmish) waters of Lac Chambon, 1.5km west of Murol, make this crater lake a much-loved place for families to splash…

4. Château de Murol

4.67 MILES

Roosting on a basalt knoll above Murol village, the 12th-century Château de Murol offers peerless views along with insights into a brutish medieval past…

5. Fontaines Pétrifiantes

5.76 MILES

The Papon family put St-Nectaire's hot springs to creative use at the 'Petrifying Fountains', channelling the mineral-rich waters to make art. Calcium…

6. Maison du Fromage

5.98 MILES

Pick a round of St-Nectaire cheese, along with terrines, jams and other regional nibbles, from this dairy shop across the road from the Grottes du…

7. Grottes du Cornadore

6.02 MILES

Don a hard hat for a 45-minute tour of St-Nectaire's Roman baths, deep in a cave that glimmers with damp limestone. Two-thousand years ago, these man-made…

8. Église de St-Nectaire

6.07 MILES

This ornate Romanesque church on a hilltop is unmissable as you arrive in St-Nectaire, and it's worth the uphill walk to look inside. Within, you'll see a…