Travel in France, Clermont-Ferrand to Correze

On the road again! Day 4 in France was travelling from Clermont-Ferrand, through part of the Auvergne to see the church at Orcival, and then on to Corrèze.

There was a last look at Clermont-Ferrand from the heights above the town, but with heavy clouds all round it was time to move on.

The Church of Notre Dame d’Orcival is a Romanesque Church. It may have been on one of the many Pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostelo, but I am not sure.

The Church of Notre Dame, Orcival — The Church of Notre Dame d’Orcival

After a cup of coffee (and a hug hunk of Cantal cheese from this very good stall opposite the church) we set off into the heart of the Auvergne.

The Col du Guery has two huge rock outcrops, explosions of lava from the side of an extinct volcano, and this site has an amazing aerial photograph showing the relationship of the rocks, lake (the highest in the Auvergne), and valley below.

The next stop was more of a ‘break’ in Bort les Orgues. We had a short while to enjoy some sunshine, and the flowers, but soon had to stop and wait for the rain to pass over.

The sun reappeared; we used the motorway to get to Egletons, a town with a significant past and where, according to Bradshaw there was a market for corn – we only wanted to use the SuperU! We turned off the main road at Gare de Corrèze, a stop on the line to Tulle, and on Bradshaw’s Route 50 – so I maintain contact. The end of the day brought us to the gîte in the hamlet of Cayre, just outside the town of Corrèzes.