Covering an area of over 320,000 hectares to the east of Clermont-Ferrand, the Livradois-Forez Regional Nature Park stretches over the two Auvergne départements of Puy-de-Dôme and Haute-Loire. A network of hiking trails and quiet roads criss-crosses peaceful countryside alternating between conifer forests, green meadows and high-altitude moors (hautes chaumes).
Col du Beal pass, located in the Forez mountains at an altitude of 1,390 metres, is worth the trip for its pretty views of the surrounding high-altitude moors (with viewing table).
A stop in the welcoming town of Ambert, located between the Forez and Livradois mountains, is a must for its beautiful medieval and Art Nouveau heritage and its famous gastronomic speciality, the Fourme d'Ambert, a delicious blue-veined cheese.
Near Ambert, in the Lagat valley, stands the Moulin Richard de Bas, the last paper mill in operation in the Auvergne. This picturesque site is open to the public and is home to a paper museum explaining the history of paper and how it is manufactured.
Also not to be missed are the Livradois-Forez discovery trains: a steam train and a panoramic rail car linking Courpière in the Puy-de-Dôme département to La Chaise-Dieu in the Haute-Loire. An excellent way of exploring this vast area's natural and built treasures!
The park visitor centre (Maison du Parc) in Saint-Gervais-sous-Meymont has a great deal of information available for those organising their stay in the Livradois-Forez.
