Le Chastel Montaigu

Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne


Feel like a true seigneur (lord) wandering around the terraces and spiral staircases of this fairy-tale castle on its own private 600m-high hilltop,11km east of St-Nectaire. Rebuilt from ruins using medieval materials, the four rooms have stone fittings and feature walls, sumptuous fabrics and period wall hangings. One has its own turret terrace; all enjoy dazzling views. Two-night minimum stay.

The dining room has wi-fi access while the rooms are deliberately, blissfully free from both TV and internet.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne attractions

1. La Ferme Bellonte

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To buy cheese from the source (and get a little muddy), take the winding road 3km uphill from St-Nectaire to this multi-generational family dairy farm…

2. Église de St-Nectaire

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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…

3. Fontaines Pétrifiantes

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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…

4. Grottes du Cornadore

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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…

5. Maison du Fromage

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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…

6. Donjon de Montpeyroux

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7. Château de Murol

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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…