Why come to Mont Dore?
Le Mont-Dore in the Puy de Dôme, Auvergne
Mountain village with Famille Plus labelAround fifty kilometres from Clermont-Ferrand, Le Mont-Dore, a mountain village and renowned spa resort, lies at the foot of the Sancy massif, the highest peak in the Massif Central.
Les Thermes du Mont-Dore
A brief history of the Le Mont-Dore thermal bathsAt an altitude of 1050 m, in the heart of the Haute Dordogne valley and at the foot of the Sancy massif,Le Mont-Dore is a mountain spa in the Auvergne region that has been known and frequented since ancient times.The bathsuntil the end of the 18th century.The springs that feed the thermal baths gush out at temperatures of between 36° and 44°C.The Romans founded the resort and created superb thermal baths, but archaeologists discovered the remains of a pool dating back to Celtic times several centuries earlier.
From the Middle Ages to the 17th century, Le Mont-Dore continued to attract visitors to its ancient thermal baths, but it was at the beginning of the 19th century that the construction of the current spa began, as spa treatments were very fashionable at the time. The architect Ledru was commissioned to redevelop Le Mont-Dore and build the thermal baths in 1811.In 1930, the mosaics and frescoes that can be admired today were completed.
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Le Mont-Dore became a popular spa resort for high society, frequented by writers such as George Sand, Balzac, Marcel Proust and Georges Clémenceau. The influx of people taking the waters led to the development of the town and the construction of a casino, a palace "Le Sarciron" and several luxury hotels that still give Le Mont-Dore its cachet today.
The thermal baths of Le Mont-Dore are listed as a World Heritage site.
Les thermes du Mont-Dore font l'objet d'une inscription au titre des monuments historiques depuis 1989. Le Mont-Dore doit également sa réputation à la pureté de son air et les écoles du Mont-Dore ont accueilli de nombreux enfants asthmatiques durant leur scolarité.
The thermal baths at Le Mont-Dore have been listed as a historic monument since 1989. Le Mont-Dore also owes its reputation to the purity of its air, and many children with asthma have attended school at Le Mont-Dore.
THE MONT-DORE THERMAL BATHS TODAY
Today, the Le Mont-Dore thermal baths have retained their character and offer a range of options for enjoying the benefits of thermal water at your own pace Spa sessions and cocooning in thermal waterThe thermal baths take you back to the sources of well-being.
From the Middle Ages to the 17th century, Le Mont-Dore continued to attract visitors to its ancient thermal baths, but it was at the beginning of the 19th century that the construction of the current spa began, as spa treatments were very fashionable at the time. The architect Ledru was commissioned to redevelop Le Mont-Dore and build the thermal baths in 1811.In 1930, the mosaics and frescoes that can be admired today were completed.
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Le Mont-Dore became a popular spa resort for high society, frequented by writers such as George Sand, Balzac, Marcel Proust and Georges Clémenceau. The influx of people taking the waters led to the development of the town and the construction of a casino, a palace "Le Sarciron" and several luxury hotels that still give Le Mont-Dore its cachet today.
The thermal baths of Le Mont-Dore are listed as a World Heritage site.
Les thermes du Mont-Dore font l'objet d'une inscription au titre des monuments historiques depuis 1989. Le Mont-Dore doit également sa réputation à la pureté de son air et les écoles du Mont-Dore ont accueilli de nombreux enfants asthmatiques durant leur scolarité.
The thermal baths at Le Mont-Dore have been listed as a historic monument since 1989. Le Mont-Dore also owes its reputation to the purity of its air, and many children with asthma have attended school at Le Mont-Dore.
THE MONT-DORE THERMAL BATHS TODAY
Today, the Le Mont-Dore thermal baths have retained their character and offer a range of options for enjoying the benefits of thermal water at your own pace Spa sessions and cocooning in thermal waterThe thermal baths take you back to the sources of well-being.
What to do in Le Mont-Dore:
Discover the wide open spaces on skis, on foot, on horseback, mountain biking, climbing, paragliding and fishing.
Visit the many Romanesque churches with their black Madonna, typical of the Auvergne region.
Visit the many Romanesque churches with their black Madonna, typical of the Auvergne region.
Le Mont Dore - ski resort
A brief history of the Auvergne ski resort of Le Mont-Dore Le Mont-Dore is also a ski resort, and indeed one of the oldest winter sports resorts in France. Skiing first appeared in 1912 and Le Mont-Dore became France's third-largest ski resort, after Chamonix and Megève. In 1936, two aviators, Coste and Bellonte, fell in love with the site and decided to invest in the construction of a cable car linking the bottom of the resort to the summit of Sancy. Le Mont-Dore is a dynamic resort with 41 km of pistes on the slopes of the Sancy, 84 km in total thanks to the link with Super Besse. A free shuttle bus takes skiers from the centre of Le Mont-Dore to the foot of the pistes.
Au Capucin - Cross-country skiing
The Capucin sector has 48 km of runs, including 3 forest runs, 2 routes linking with the high altitude sector and 1 fun area for beginners. The pistes are marked, groomed, safe and reserved exclusively for Nordic skiing.
Au Capucin - Snowshoeing
From Le Mont-Dore, free shuttle buses in winter take you to Le Capucin. There are a number of well-maintained, safe, signposted routes reserved exclusively for snowshoeing: routes from 1.5 km to 4.2 km, usually a loop from the Capucin cross-country ski base, for children aged 5 and over: the Tibou trail.
A must-see: Le Funiculaire du Mont-Dore
The Capucin funicular is the oldest electric funicular in France, inaugurated in 1889 and listed as a Historic Monument. Still in operation, it links Le Mont-Dore to Le Capucin and takes tourists on foot or by mountain bike to the base of Le Capucin, the starting point for some great hikes and an adventure park.
Le Mont-Dore in summer
Le Mont-Dore offers wide-open spaces for hiking in unspoilt natural surroundings.
For sports enthusiasts: the MONT-DORE mountain-biking area
The Espace Sancy VTT-FFC offers 544 km of signposted routes for families and sports enthusiasts, spread over 4 sectors with a circuit starting from the tourist office in Le Mont-Dore N°20 - LE CAPUCIN / green circuit / 2. 8 km / Difference in altitude: 92 m and 3 circuits starting from the salon du Capucin access by funicular or road N°21- LES ARTISTES / blue circuit / 6.1 km / Difference in altitude: 276 m N°22 - DESCENTE DU RIGOLET / blue circuit / 8.8 km / Difference in altitude: 401 m N°23-LES RIGOLETS / red circuit / 15.5 km / Difference in altitude: 685 m.
Access to the Sancy cable car for mountain bikesImage with text
Access to the Sancy cable car for mountain bikersMountain biking on the Sancy is only permitted on the GR4E, following the route of the ski slopes. Mountain bikers of a good level are advised, as the terrain is difficult with stones and a steep slope + 500m of ascent. Mountain bikes are not permitted on the other trails around the Sancy summit, as portaging is compulsory.
Discover the villa les Dahlias in Le Mont-Dore
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