Against this cliff, the river takes a loop that gave its name to the village, encircling in a peninsula the old neighbourhood. With its three historic monuments, Lavoûte-Chilhac offers a surprising heritage in its exceptional natural environment.
The village is a dead end that you'll never want to leave, 291 inhabitants and nearly as many associations, turned towards nature and leisure activities : canoe, rafting, hot-air balloon, hiking...
You leave your car apart, abandon your shoes and time is forgotten.
Lavoute-Chilhac
The gorges of the Allier & the Velay.
Activities & services:
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Several bathing beaches dot the banks within the village.
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Canoe or Kayak rental, rafting descent of the gorges.
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A cafe, two restaurants and a pizzeria to take away.
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The little bird museum
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several hiking trails: GR470, Robe de bure and côte demail, medieval PR Chilhac..
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Concerts Wednesday evenings at the Café de la Tour
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Grocery store, bakery, pharmacy, post office...
The banks in front of the CHA-RI-VA-RI
From the village steeple
The peninsula and the CHA-RI-VA-RI
The Haut-Allier gorges
Brioude is a small town whose basilica alone is worth the detour for its architectural polychromy, its pebble paving and the stained glass windows by Kim En Joong.
From Vieille-Brioude begin the gorges which until Langogne are dotted with villages of character with their singularity, Lavoûte-Chilhac village near the island, Chilhac built on a basalt flow, Saint Ilpize and its rocky outcrop hosting a castle , Chanteuge and its abbey, Saint-Arcon and its romantic cemetery, Pebrac, Prades, Saint julien des chazes and its chapel by the water...
Chapel of Saint Julien des Chazes
Basalt organs of Chilhac
Le Velayit's the other Haute-Loire, we leave the Allier river for the still very young Loire river. Le Puy en Velay is a remarkable city, its upper town and its lower town mixing medieval and renaissance architecture, Saint Michel d'Aiguilhe built on its volcanic dyke, The Virgin overlooking the town and its cathedral from where pilgrims leave to reach Compostela .
On the road to Le Puy, two remarkable natural sites are worth a stop, the circular and volcanic Bouchet lake is a prime swimming spot and the 27-metre high Beaume waterfall.
CHA-RI-VA-RI
Le Puy-en-Velay
Visits worth seeing:
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Cloister of Lavaudieu
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Ally Silver and Antimony Mine
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Chateau de la Rochelembert
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Fortress of Polignac
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The Doyenné in Brioude (temporary exhibition)
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Castle of Lespinasse
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Fantastic Beast of Gevaudan Museum in Saugues
Fortress of Polignac
Markets & events:
Lavoute-Chilhac evening market on Friday
Chilhac evening market on Wednesday
La Chomette farmers market on Tuesday evening
Langeac on Thursday morning
Brioude on Saturday morning
10 July flea market at La Chaise-Dieu
July 14 fireworks in Lavoute-Chilhac
August 15 feast of Saint Roch in Blassac
6 August flea market in Brioude
August 12, 13 and 14 festival les Apéros musiques de Blesle
August 21 flea market in Paulhaguet
from September 14 to 18 festival of the king of the bird in Le Puy en Velay
Cayres Waterfall