Usson

Auvergne

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Designed as an impregnable citadel, the village of Usson roosts atop a volcanic plume, 8km east of Issoire. The daughter of Henry II and Catherine de Médici, Marguerite de Valois (known as 'la reine Margot'), was imprisoned here by her brother, but after her release she remained in Usson to restore its castle and assemble a court of advisers. The fortified stone-and-slate village still feels frozen in time, and enjoys a peerless panorama of the Chaîne des Puys.

Follow the salamander symbols for a self-guided tour of Usson's fortified walls, fountains and the 11th-century Église St Maurice (open April to September only).

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

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    22.54 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…

  • Notre Dame Cathedral in Clermont-Ferrand, France.

    Cathédrale Notre Dame

    21.18 MILES

    Clermont-Ferrand’s skyline broods with volcanic stone, but its most impressive edifice is Cathédrale Notre-Dame, whose 108m twin spires pierce the sky…

  • Lac Pavin and forest.

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    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…

  • Musée de la Coutellerie

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    24.66 MILES

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  • Volcan de Lemptégy

    Volcan de Lemptégy

    27.44 MILES

    Feel the Auvergne's smouldering terrain beneath your feet at this mined volcanic site, across the main road from amusement park Vulcania. In summer, at…

  • Château de Murol

    Château de Murol

    19.32 MILES

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  • Musée d'Art Roger Quilliot

    Musée d'Art Roger Quilliot

    21.25 MILES

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  • Musée Mandet

    Musée Mandet

    27.43 MILES

    Dating back to 1866, the Musée Mandet's splendid collection of art is arranged across two atmospheric hôtels particuliers (town houses). Exploring these…

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