Surrounding area
Please use the interactive map above to explore the locale. Click on the icons to get driving directions to Les Petites Collines and the other sites featured.
Olliergues
Our village on the north bank of the River Dore is made up of beautiful 15th and 16th century terraced houses, surmounted by a historic castle museum and church. Amongst the local crafts there is a pencil making workshop, a ceramicist, a pottery, and a wood turner. Like all French villages it has local shops and facilities which include a butcher, a baker, a mini-market, a hardware shop, a post office, banks, a library, a pharmacy, "the fromagerie" and hairdressers. We even have our own hardware shop and garage, not forgetting the traditional French "tabac". Local shops are closed all day Monday, though supermarkets are open Monday to Saturday inclusive. A very helpful Tourist Office can provide you with details of everything with a local flavour - including bus and train schedules. There are 2 doctors in the village and both Thiers and Ambert have hospitals (20 minutes away).
There is a network of footpaths leading from our property into the village or into the hills. You can park your car in our driveway and then walk all day. Do not be afraid to enquire about other routes if you feel adventurous.
Olliergues is well situated for visiting other areas of interest. Click on the pins on the map above to view some details about our surrounding area. It is possible to catch a bus from Olliergues to Clermont Ferrand, Thiers, Vichy, Ambert and other destinations.
The Maison du Parc which is responsible for the care and development of the Livradois Forez has frequent walking tours introducing one to the flora and fauna. These are usually in French.
The Beautiful Auvergne
Auvergne is the heart of France that has been shaped by millions of years of volcanic activity. Auvergne boasts awe-inspiring landscapes of fertile, lush peaks and valleys dotted with pretty towns and villages. Auvergne, part of the Massif Central and often likened to the Scottish Highlands, has also been described as an 'island surrounded by land'. It is a region of great diversity, with broad plains, ancient volcanoes, extensive forest, rolling hills and U-shaped glaciated valleys. This variety of habitats has in turn ensured a great diversity of wildlife that includes many birds of prey such as the eagle owl, red kite and Montague's harrier, numerous species of butterflies and moths and colourful Alpine flowers which coat the upland pastures in early summer.
The people of the Auvergne have Celtic roots ('Auvergne' derives from the name of the Celtic tribe, the Arvernes, who settled in the region around 800BC).
The region remains relatively rural and the pace of life relects this. Auvergne is a land of the great outdoors; ideal for anyone who enjoys hiking, biking and water sports in the numerous lakes and rivers. Its population density is one of the lowest in France. It is the "kitchen" of France and much of the cuisine found in Paris has its roots here!
There is a variety of activities for children including swimming, wave pools, adventure trails, karting, quad biking, pony trekking, donkey trekking, horse riding, canoing, and ice-skating.
Skiing - Alpine skiing is at Chalmazel – about 40 minutes from "Les Petites Collines". The resort has ten pistes and excellent facilities. There are six other downhill stations in the Auvergne. There is also Nordic skiing at Camelot – 30 minutes away.
Cycling - ideal for mountain biking on or off the trails and tracks. Specialised cycling routes go through the Livradois Park.
Hang-gliding, hot-air ballooning, delta flying and para-gliding are all available in the area.