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The Cantal chestnut forest

Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the Cantal

The Cantal chestnut forest - Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the Cantal
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In the south-west of the department of Cantal lies a natural region with hilly, rural landscapes dotted with fields and woods: welcome to the Cantal chestnut forest (Châtaigneraie cantalienne), thus named because of its chestnut production! This peaceful, green territory is a backdrop for several medieval villages like Marcolès, Montsalvy and Maurs la Jolie.

At the heart of the Auvergne chestnut forest, Marcolès is a pleasant, characterful little town with picturesque cobbled streets, where visitors can admire the granite houses on the old rampart, the two town gates, houses with mullioned windows and the Meridional Gothic Church of St. Martin.

In Montsalvy, whose origins date back to the 11th century, some beautiful architectural heritage awaits you: medieval porches, a castle flanked by a 15th-century tower, the Abbey Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and its St. Gausbert cloister, the monks' old refectory… At the northern exit from the village, on the road to Aurillac, be sure to stop by the Puy de l'Arbre, 825 metres above sea level. The highest point in the Cantal chestnut forest, it has an orientation table and offers superb views over the Mounts of Cantal, Aubrac and the Aurillac basin.

In Maurs la Jolie, the little Nice of Cantal, the 14th-century Gothic abbey church houses a masterpiece of the goldsmith's art, the bust reliquary of St. Caesar from the 12th century, as well as some fine wooden statues and carved stalls from the 15th and 16th centuries.

To find out all about the region's famous nut, head to the House of Chestnuts in Mourjou, a fascinating eco-museum where the entire history of the Cantal chestnut forest and its emblematic tree will be revealed to you. In the landscaped outdoor spaces around the old farm building, you can discover chestnut orchards, a kitchen garden and a garden of aromatic plants.

Lastly, families with children won't want to miss Deer Valley (Vallée des Daims), a 30-hectare animal park in Cols, in the municipality of Junhac, about thirty kilometres south of Aurillac. A 2-kilometre circuit, along which you can walk or ride in a little train, will reveal the world of deer to you.

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