At 16m tall and weighing a svelte 110 tonnes, this crimson Notre Dame de France (Virgin Mary) statue makes an imposing guardian over Le Puy. Since 1860, she has been watching over the city from the Rocher Corneille, a 757m-high volcanic pillar. You can share her view by climbing a ladder right inside her haloed head. The statue was fashioned from 213 cannons captured during the Crimean War.
© Joaquin Ossorio-Castillo/Getty Images/iStock
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.23 MILES
Le Puy's oldest chapel, first established in the 10th century, and rebuilt several times since, teeters atop an 85m-high volcanic plug, reached by…
21.05 MILES
For Pope Clement VI, a humble tomb simply wouldn't do. The pope commissioned a palatial church to shelter his final resting place and the resulting Église…
26.19 MILES
Near the small village of Ste-Eulalie-en-Margeride, 45km north of Mende, this vast 200-hectare nature reserve contains more than 30 free-roaming bison…
0.12 MILES
A chequerboard of grey and white stone perched on a volcanic stone crag, Le Puy's cathedral is the monumental starting point for pilgrims embarking on the…
29.8 MILES
The Auvergne's largest Romanesque church is a whopper in design as much as size. Built over the tomb of martyred Saint Julien, and housing a gold…
Cathédrale Notre Dame Cloister
0.1 MILES
A peaceful 12th-century cloister adjoins Le Puy's cathedral, its multicoloured bricks and columns alluding to strong Moorish influences. Upstairs is a…
20.4 MILES
Through evocative displays and audiovisual presentations, this museum paints a vivid picture of an extraordinarily resilient wartime community. Residents…
0.12 MILES
Within this museum and cultural centre, the highlight is a 19th-century pharmacy, elegantly panelled in walnut and wild cherry wood. Upstairs, French…
Nearby Auvergne attractions
1. Cathédrale Notre Dame Cloister
0.1 MILES
A peaceful 12th-century cloister adjoins Le Puy's cathedral, its multicoloured bricks and columns alluding to strong Moorish influences. Upstairs is a…
0.12 MILES
Within this museum and cultural centre, the highlight is a 19th-century pharmacy, elegantly panelled in walnut and wild cherry wood. Upstairs, French…
0.12 MILES
A chequerboard of grey and white stone perched on a volcanic stone crag, Le Puy's cathedral is the monumental starting point for pilgrims embarking on the…
0.13 MILES
Interesting for armchair travellers, as well as committed walkers about to undertake the multiweek journey to Santiago de Compostela, this museum in the…
5. Centre d'Enseignement de la Dentelle au Fuseau
0.2 MILES
Le Puy is famed for the intricacy and beauty of its lace, and this workshop-museum – led by formidable lace expert Mick Fouriscot – showcases remarkable…
6. Chapelle St-Michel d'Aiguilhe
0.23 MILES
Le Puy's oldest chapel, first established in the 10th century, and rebuilt several times since, teeters atop an 85m-high volcanic plug, reached by…
1.87 MILES
Sprouting from the sharp crags of a volcanic dome northwest of Le Puy, this late-11th-century castle was built by the powerful Polignac family, who once…
8. La Distillerie de la Verveine du Velay
3.79 MILES
See how Le Puy's green fairy gets her magic on a 45-minute guided tour of the verveine liqueur distillery in St-Germain Laprade. From Le Puy, drive east…