Cournon-D'auvergne: Culture, Winegrowing and Nature

In Cournon-D'auvergne, Romanesque architecture and medieval history meet winegrowing and nature. This gives you several distinct themes to consider when planning your stay: historic buildings, the landscape of the dry slopes, and the leisure area along the Allier. These highlights are easy to distinguish without combining them into a single route.

Church, château and clock tower

The Église Saint-Martin was built in the 12th century and displays key features of Romanesque architecture. It has been listed as a Monument historique since 1912. Its construction date, architectural classification and listing are separate points of reference for anyone interested in the town’s earlier architectural history.

The Château de Cournon-d’Auvergne brings together different historical layers: the de Strada family rebuilt the château at the end of the 17th century, while it also retains two medieval round towers. The later rebuilding and the surviving towers therefore represent different periods in the building’s history.

The Tour de l’horloge points to the village’s former fortifications. In the Middle Ages, it served as a small gateway. Its clock remained in operation until 1868. The tower also symbolised the rights acquired by the community of residents. Its significance is therefore not limited to its former function as an entrance: the communal aspect of the town’s history is also part of its legacy.

Winegrowing and historic grape varieties

On the Plateau des Vaugondières, just under seven hectares were planted with Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Gamay under the AOP requirements for Côtes d’Auvergne. The Conservatoire des cépages d’Auvergne is dedicated to preserving 22 historic grape varieties. The two topics offer different perspectives on winegrowing: the plateau represents a planting project featuring three named varieties, while the conservatory focuses on preserving older vines. This connection may be of interest when choosing where to stay if winegrowing and regional grape varieties are among the topics you want to explore on your trip.

Dry slopes and nature area along the Allier

Since 1992, the dry slopes of Cournon-D'auvergne have been protected as a biotope under a prefectural order and included in the Natura 2000 network. Almost 270 flowering plant species, 54 butterfly species and just under 30 breeding bird species have been recorded there. These figures offer a detailed picture of the diversity, covering plants, butterflies and breeding birds. The natural slopes also provide an exceptional panorama of the Sancy Massif and the Auvergne volcanic chain.

The 18-hectare lake of Cournon-D'auvergne on the Allier offers a different perspective on nature and leisure. The recreational area includes a 5,000 m² swimming area and water features. Swimming access is seasonal. If you plan to swim, take this time restriction into account. The fishing pier and beach access have been adapted for people with reduced mobility. This adaptation applies to the two access points mentioned.

When deciding which themes you want to shape your stay, the natural slopes and the lake area offer very different experiences: the slopes are known for their protected nature, recorded species and panorama; at the lake, the leisure facilities and seasonal swimming access are the main points of reference. Together with the historic buildings and winegrowing, they give the town a profile shaped by culture, landscape and leisure.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Maurice-Près-Pionsat, Cébazat, Doré-L'église, Saint Gal Sur Sioule, Saint-Jean-D'heurs, Thiers, Puy-Guillaume, Ardes

For the regional travel overview: Puy-De-Dôme.