Le Castelet

Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne


Halfway between the train station and the tourist office (500m from each), this three-star with trim, classically decorated rooms feels like a steal. Perks include a small heated pool, a spacious green yard and a convivial on-site bar and restaurant (continental breakfast €9.80, no-frills regional dinner menu €28). There's ski and bike storage, too.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne attractions

1. Thermes du Mont-Dore

0.2 MILES

Le Mont-Dore's graceful 19th-century buildings grew from its centuries-old spa heritage, which long pre-dates its reputation as a ski hub. See the source…

2. Roches Tuilière et Sanadoire

3.25 MILES

One kilometre north of the turn-off to Lac de Guéry is a lookout that gazes towards two of the Sancy region's most noteworthy geological features. The…

3. Église St-Joseph

3.35 MILES

La Bourboule's pale lava-stone church, completed in 1888, cuts an elegant silhouette against its mountainous backdrop.

4. Lac Chambon

5.32 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…

5. Lac Pavin

6.53 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…

6. Château de Murol

6.67 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…

7. Musée du Ski

7.51 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…

8. Le Beffroy

7.53 MILES

One monumental gateway remains of Besse's medieval fortifications, crowned by the octagonal 16th-century Beffroy, the town's most distinctive feature…