Page 356 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

EXPERIENCE The Massif Central

20 Saler cows graze
in front of Château
Monts du Cantal d’Anjony; frescoes
in the château’s
! E5 ⌂ Cantal ~ Aurillac chapel (inset)
£ @ Lioran n Aurillac;
www.iaurillac.com
The Cantal mountains were to the summit of the Puy
originally one enormous Mary, a Grand National Site,
volcano – the oldest and the which offers glorious views.
largest in Europe, dating from Château d’Anjony, one of 21
the Tertiary period. The core the finest of the Auvergne
of the Monts du Cantal is châteaux, was built by Louis II La Chaise-Dieu
formed by the highest peaks, d’Anjony, a supporter of Joan ! E5 ⌂ Haute-Loire
the Puy Mary at 1,787 m of Arc. High lights are the @ n Rue Saint-Esprit;
(5,863 ft), the Plomb du Cantal 16th-century frescoes: in www.la-chaise-dieu.info
at 1,855 m (6,086 ft), and the the chapel, scenes from the
Puy de Peyre-Arse at 1,686 m Life and Passion of Christ, Sombre and massive, midway
(5,531 ft), which are enclosed and in the Salle des Preux between Romanesque and
by numerous crests and deep (Knights’ Room), a series of Gothic, the 14th-century
river valleys. the nine heroes of chivalry. To abbey church of St-Robert is
Driving the narrow roads is the south lies the provincial the prime reason to visit the
a thrill, compounded by the town of Aurillac. With a centre small village of La Chaise-
views at every hairpin turn. of old streets and shops, it is a Dieu. The building is an
Between peaks and gorges, good base for exploring the amalgam of styles; the choir,
rich moun tain pastures pro- Cantal region. however, is sensational: 144
vide summer grazing for oak stalls carved with figures
red-gold Salers cows. From Château d’Anjony of Vice and Virtue. Above
the Pas de Peyrol, the highest "' ⌂ Tournemire § 04 71 them, en tirely covering the
road pass in the country at 47 61 67 # Jul & Aug: 11am– walls, are some of the loveliest
1,582 m (5,191 ft), it’s about 6:30pm daily; Sep–Jun: tapestries in France. Made in
a 25-minute journey on foot 2–5pm daily ¢ Dec–Jan Brussels and Arras in the early
16th century and depicting
scenes from the Old and New
The Cantal mountains were originally Testaments, they are rich in
one enormous volcano – the oldest colour and detail. On the outer
and the largest in Europe, dating walls of the choir the 15th-
century wall painting of the
from the Tertiary period. Danse Macabre shows Death in
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