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OFFICE DE TOURISME - 2, place du Clauzel - 43000 LE PUY-EN-VELAY Tél. 04 71 09 38 41 - Email : [email protected] - www.lepuyenvelay-tourisme.fr Historical visit Historical visit Guide-Anglais-2018_Mise en page 1 27/04/2018 16:04 Page1

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Page 1: Mise en page 1 - Le Puy-En-Velay Tourist Office...1 Historical town visit of Le Puy-en-Velay Tourist Office 3 11:19 Page 2 Guide-Anglais-2018_Mise en page 1 27/04/2018 16:04 Page3

OFFICE DE TOURISME - 2, place du Clauzel - 43000 LE PUY-EN-VELAYTél. 04 71 09 38 41 - Email : [email protected] - www.lepuyenvelay-tourisme.fr

Historical visitHistorical visit

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Starting at the place du Breuil, cross theboulevard du Breuil, go down rue Porte-Aiguièreand stop at number 16 where you can see wherethe former town wall once stood. It was built inthe 13th century and demolished in 1782. Themain roads of the modern town (boulevard Carnot,boulevard Saint-Louis, boulevard du Breuil,boulevard Maréchal-Fayolle and the faubourgSaint-Jean) follow the lines of the formerramparts.

PLACE DU MARTOURETFrom the late Latin "martoretum", cemetery; thisname has popularly taken on the meaning of"the square of the martyrs" because the site wasreserved for public executions; it was also hereon 8th June 1794 that the original miraculousstatue of the Black Virgin was set on fire anddestroyed. Throughout the French Revolution the guillotinestood permanently on this site from 30th March1793. From this date until January 1795, 41 executions took place.On the left-hand side of the square stands thetown hall. This building was completed in1766, designed by the architect Portal in LouisXV style, with a classical façade. It was built onthe site of the former “consulate”(the “consuls”were the former town-councillors), and wasdestroyed on several occasions by violent fires(in 1817 and 1964).

PLACE DU CLAUZELIn the Occitan language, the term "clauzel"meant a small courtyard. The site used to be acemetery for the burial of paupers from theHôtel Dieu. It ceased to be used for this purposein 1654. The local flea market is now held hereon Saturday mornings.

RUE COURRERIE(formerly known as the street of Curriers). Atnumber 6, a Renaissance house faces the streetwith three arches decorated with grotesques.Notice the inner courtyard and tower dating from1571. At number 8, check out the 16th centuryfaçade.

PLACE DU PLOTIn 1548 the consuls set up a pillory on the squarefor drunkards, so that passers-by could laugh atthem. The fountain, known as the "Bidoire", is theoldest in the town, installed in 1246. The dolphins and eagles decorating it probablydate from the 15th century. From the 10thcentury to the beginning of the 19th century thechurch of St Pierre du Monastier stood on theeast side of the square.

On Saturday mornings the picturesque weeklymarket is held here. They sell a particularly tastylocal cheese covered with hundreds of micro-organisms (artisons) which ensure its distinctquality.Farm cheese from the Velay is mentioned in the"Larousse des fromages".The place du Plot is the starting point forpilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela (The viapodiensis GR65).In the rue St Gilles, you are at the startingpoint for the “voie Régordane” for pilgrimsgoing to St Gilles du Gard.

RUE PANNESSAC(formerly the rue du Commerce des Grains).There are still many houses dating from the 15th to the 18th centuries here. Number 16 stillhas a 15th century corbelled tower overlookingthe rue Philibert .

bis RUE CHAMARLENCAt n° 18 you can find theheadquarters of the formerCornards fraternity. Take alook at the two masks.

RUE CHENEBOUTERIE(formerly the street of thehemp merchants)At number 6 you can see thehouse of a 16th century spiceseller. It is known as the house of the "cagaïre"due to the amusing scatological sculpture on itsfaçade.Other houses merit closer attention, i.e.numbers 10, 12, 14 and 17, and number 9,which dates from 1592 and is the birthplace ofMarshall Fayolle. He was a General at the end ofthe First World War; he commanded the Frencharmy in Italy in 1917 and participated in thevictory of the French front line in the decisiveattack of 1918. From the rue Chènebouterie we set off up thepicturesque steep streets on the fifteen-centuries-old pilgrimage to the Virgin of Le Puy-en-Velay, up to Mount Anis. Still today, after thegathering of faithful worshippers and pilgrims inthe place du Plot, this is the starting point forthe deeply moving annual torchlight processionon 14th August at 8.45 pm.

RUE RAPHAELOnce occupied by middle-class families andleading citizens of the town. At number 38 youcan see a video on bobbin lace-making at TheBobbin Lace Teaching Centre, and also visit anexhibition of antique and contemporary lace. At number 56 a Renaissance façade, with smallCorinthian columns, supports on the first floor afrieze decorated with masks of the sun and themoon.

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PLACE DES TABLESMaison Breymand (15th and 16th century). Thewindows on the façade show the change fromgothic style on the first floor to Renaissance onthe second and third floors.The so-called "choriste" fountain : in the 15thcentury the fountain was dedicated to thememory of a young chorister who sang religioussongs in the streets in this area of Le Puy atChristmas time. Until 1803, the fountain stood inthe rue des Farges (formerly the blacksmiths'and ironmongers' area).

RUE DES TABLESThis street is called the "street of tables" simplybecause on religious holidays traders from thetown used to set up here their "tables" sellingreligious objects to pilgrims.

THE HOTEL-DIEU

THE CATHEDRAL(A UNESCO World Heritage site)

(A UNESCO World Heritage site)

Under the main entrance, check out the "portesde cèdre" (the 12th century cedar doors) and theinternal staircase (sometimes open in summer)the first steps of which can be seen under thenave. The choir area of the cathedral is builtdirectly on the rock, but when the cathedral hadto be enlarged in the 11th and 12th centuries inorder to accommodate the increasing number ofpilgrims, four additional bays were audaciouslybuilt over the void in order to compensate for thedifference in level of 17 metres. Severalimpressive pillars hold up the high arches.

IN THE CATHEDRAL DON'T MISS :THE FEVER STONE

(or stone of apparitions). During the firstcenturies of the Christian era, in Roman times,the Virgin appeared on Mount Anis. This flatvolcanic stone has since been known as the"Fever Stone" because of miraculous healingassociated with it.Following a further apparition, the first churchwas built about 430 AD on the site indicated bythe Virgin, which was also the site of a pagansanctuary. Christian pilgrimages began from thistime. With Chartres, Le Puy-en-Velay is the oldestsanctuary dedicated to Mary in Christian Gaul. At the time of the first Crusade in 1095 theBishop of Le Puy, Adhémar de Monteil, was thelegate of Pope Urban II. It is considered that hemade popular the "Salve Regina", which St Bernard would later refer to as the Le Puyantiphony. The importance of religious festivalsReligious festivals always represent high points inthe liturgical year. Every Maundy Thursday, afterthe evening Mass commemorating the Last Supper,the White Penitents follow the Way of the Crossthrough the old town, meditating as they go, inmemory of Christ's passion. On the evening of the31st May, the feast of the Visitation, a torchlightprocession walks up to the top of the CorneilleRock. These nocturnal pilgrims pay tribute to thecharity of the Virgin Mary visiting her cousinElizabeth. Lights will shine out again in the nightof 14th August; on the eve of the feast of theAssumption, many people go up from the lowertown to the sanctuary. The feast of the Assumptionon 15th August culminates in the afternoonprocession when the statue of the Black Virgin is

carried through the town. Many other religiousfestivals are the occasion for processions, the mostimportant certainly being the Jubilee. This occurswhen 25th March, the feast of the Annunciation,coincides with Good Friday, so that theIncarnation coincides with theRedemption. The last Jubilees was in 2005 and thenext one will take place in 2016.

NOTRE-DAME DU PUY : THE BLACK VIRGIN

The statue (17th century)which now stands on thehigh altar comes from theformer chapel of St.Maurice du Refuge. It wascrowned by the Bishop ofLe Puy on behalf of PopePius IX on 8th June1856, the anniversary ofthe destruction of the previous effigy whichwas burned by the ultra-revolutionary groups ofLouis Guyardin (representative of the Conventionin Haute-Loire) on 8th June 1794. The 8th Junewas Whitsun Day, but under the Revolution wasknown as Supreme Being Day. The origin of thestatue is not known; many hypothesis have beensuggested. This statue was made of cedar. We only have a few representations of this BlackVirgin from a drawing made in 1777, ordered bythe geologist Faugeas de St-Fons. But Le Puycathedral already had a statue of the Virgin longbefore the reign of Louis IX because its presenceis noted from the 10th century onwards and,according to some authors, it could have servedas a model for the first Virgins in Majesty ofAuvergne.

ALSO WORTH SEEING :

FRESCOES AND PAINTINGSIn the north transept : "Holy women at thetomb", "The martyrdom of St Catherine ofAlexandria" and on the upper level "The

Archangel Michael",5.55 metres high.

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With its link to pilgrimages and the Marian sanctuary, the Hôtel-Dieu was established in the12th century to receive and care for the poorest of the sick and needy. Today, thanks to architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte's exemplary rehabilitation, you can rediscover this major monument of the city's history. With spaces dedicated to the display and valorisation of local heritage, temporaryexhibition halls and a conference center, the Hôtel-Dieu contributes to the development of the old town while enhancing its appeal.Vou will also find a restaurant and a tourist information area at your disposaI. Then cross infront of the former General Hospital, which is nowthe "Hôtel du Département", remarkably well restored by the architect Jean-Michel Vilmotte. Just a few steps on, you will see the former porte Gouteyron , which already existed in 1295, and through which you can see the Aiguilhe rock and the chapel of St Michael.

The rue des Tables leads to the foot of the main steps up to the Cathedral (134 steps). From its origins until our own day, pilgrimage to Notre-Dame du Puy has contributed to the development and prosperity of the town.

The Cathedral is Romanesque in style, but shows various influences especially Bysantine ones.

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� THE PLAGUE IN LE PUY There were 10,000 victims, as indicated by thelocal painter, Jean Solvain, in the paintingrepresenting the procession of 1630 entitled "Levoeu de la peste". Don't miss the sculptures inwood by Pierre Vaneau (1653-94) : TheAssumption, the Martyrdom of St. Andrew, thepulpit and the organ case (17th century). Noticein the third and fourth bays the two cupolas withsupporting arches (squinches).

� LIBERAL ARTSThis wall-painting was discovered under a thicklayer of whitewash in the Chapel of Relics in1850 by the writer, Prosper Mérimée, author of"Colomba" and "Carmen". He was authorised bythe public authorities to carry out research onhistorical monuments. This painting is amasterpiece from the end of the 15th century andis strongly influenced by Flemish art. Grammar,Logic (Aristotle), Rhetoric (Cicero) and Music arerepresented.

� THE SACRISTYIn the Sacristy there is a head of Christ from the15th century, also photographic documentationon the bible of Théodulfe, a priceless item fromthe Treasury of the cathedral of Le Puy and a raremanuscript from the Carolingian period. Théodulfe(750 - 821), bishop of Orleans, is thought tohave presented his bible to the cathedral at LePuy in the course of a pilgrimage he made here inabout 798.

THE CHAPEL OF PENITENTSThis chapel, which was established in 1584, is stillopen for worship. It is a "small museum" withmagnificent paintings and sculptures.

It has a remarkable Renaissance coffered ceilingwith a central design showing the Assumption of theVirgin.

During the revolution the chapel was saved fromdesecration by the butchers' guild. Each year,butchers hold a service in memory of this event. Onthe eve of Maundy Thursday a procession of WhitePenitents carrying the instruments of the Passion isheld in the streets of the upper town.

THE CLOISTERSListed as an historic monument and constructedat the same time as the Cathedral (11th - 12th

century), they are amongst the most beautiful inEurope. Visit the museum of religious arts in thesalle des Etats du Velay and the fresco of thecrucifixion in the chapter house (early 13thcentury). Emile Male, historian and academician, statedthat the arches of these cloisters could becompared to those of the mosque of Cordoba

because of their different coloured stonesalternating in the same joyful style.

BAPTISTRY OF ST. JOHNThe entrance and the lions are inspired byLombard Art. Head back down the rue Saint-Georges, andmake a quick stop at the Place du For toadmire the view over the town. On the right,the façade of the Bishop's Palace and Porche duFor (12th century) with openwork arches,capitals and the oldest stones in the cathedralcomplex. The tympanum and lintel of the so-called "papal door" are reminiscent of theRoman style of the architect of the firstbuilding, Scutarius, who became bishop of LePuy and was later canonised. Inside, notice the lintel from the former pagantemple. It bears an inscription giving thenames of a divinity whose worship must havebeen celebrated on Mount Anis, and also thatof an emperor deified by the Romans : Adidonand Augustus.Coming back to the rue Saint-Georges, youpass the chapel of the Seminary.The Seminary of Le Puy and that of St-Sulpicein Paris were founded by Abbot Jean-JacquesOlier (1608-1657), Abbot of Pébrac. Thevenerable mother Agnès Galland, born in LePuy (1602-1634), a mystical Dominican,

provided the spiritual inspiration for thesedesigns. Her shrine is in Langeac in theconvent of St Catherine of Siena. She wasbeatified in Rome on 20th November 1994 byPope John Paul II.

We now reach

RUE CARDINAL DE POLIGNACOpposite the chapel of the Anne-Marie Martelschool.

Anne-Marie Martel (1664-1673), born in Le Puy,founded the congregation of the "Dames del'Instruction" in 1668 and the "Béates", whohelped the sick and organised village assembliesin the Velay to teach catechism and lace-making.Meeting in "couviges" (from the Latin "cumvicinis" : "with the neighbours"), up to 130,000lace-makers lived in the Haute-Loire in themiddle of the 19th century.

The even numbers of this street include asuccession of houses that are among the mostsplendid in the upper town. Number 8, the former"hôtel" of the Polignac family from 1611 to theRevolution, has a 15th century tower overlookingan inner courtyard. Cardinal Melchior de Polignac(1661-1741) was Archbishop of Auch, Frenchambassador to Poland and representative of theKing in Rome and Holland. In 1713 he negotiatedthe treaty of Utrecht giving Philippe V (grandsonof Louis XIV) the right to the throne of Spain. Awriter and member of the "Académie desSciences" and the "Académie des inscriptions etdes belles lettres", the Cardinal was elected toBossuet's seat in the " AcadémieFrançaise".

RUEROCHETAILLADE

("carved in the rock")Romanesque façades,particularly at number 7, the oldest house in thetown (13th century). RUE DU BOUILLONThe name refers to the charityfounded in Le Puy by St-Jean-François-Régis, to help poorfamilies by delivering meals tothem. Today the Emmaüscommunity takes in the homelessfor the night.

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PLACE DE LA PLATRIERE(the former plaster quarry). Here you can see thesite of the birthplace of the writer Jules Vallès,and the former Chapel of the Visitation, whichwas built between 1652 and 1655, and where theCompanions of Jehu were judged at the end ofthe Revolution. The Companions of Jehu hunteddown the Jacobins from January to June 1795 inthe Lyons area. Of 114 who were accused, 111 were acquitted. Three were condemned todeath in March 1799, but the sentences werenever carried out, the prisoners having escapedthanks to local contacts. Jules Vallès (1832-1885) was a member of theParis Commune in 1871. He escaped from theexecution of the Communards against the "murdes fédérés" in the Père Lachaise cemetery inParis and took refuge in London. He returned toParis after the amnesty in 1883, relaunched hisnewspaper "Le cri du peuple" and finished hisautobiographical trilogy - "Jacques Vingtras",("L'Enfant", "Le Bachelier" and "L'Insurgé").

PIERRE-CARDINAL CENTRERUE JULES-VALLES

These buildings have been remarkably wellrestored and are today the place where the localassociations meet and also house the culturalcentre, the conference centre and the youthhostel.In the 18th century the building was a conventof the Sisters of St Mary. In 1792, during theRevolution, it was turned into a barracks beforebecoming a museum from 1820 to 1851. Thebuilding bore the name of Mouton-Duvernet andserved as a school from 1920 to 1976. GeneralMouton-Duvernet, born in Le Puy in 1770, wasshot in Lyons in 1816 for joining the EmperorNapoleon 1st on his return from Elba. The poet and troubadour, Pierre Cardinal(1180-1278) was one of the major literary talentsin the Occitan language. He was famous for thecritical "sirventes" that he wrote. He lived to bealmost a hundred.

THE CONVENT OF ST CLAIREThis convent was founded in 1432 by St Coletteof Corbie (1381-1447), reformer of the secondorder of St Francis, the Poor Clares, and by Claudade Rousillon (Viscountess of Polignac).The chapel is open to the public. The high wallsof the convent overlook the picturesque streets of

the area, known as "Pouzarot” (short for"well of the rock").This is one of the oldest parts of the town.Recently restored, the area has preserved itsoriginal charm.

THE COLLEGE CHURCHFormerly the chapel of the Jesuit school, it wasbuilt in 1605 by Martellange, a Jesuit architect.A beautiful example of baroque architecture, thisis the first Jesuit church in France. There arehandsome retables in the choir, the first fourlateral chapels and the baptistery. Local artistshave maintained the beauty of this churchthroughout the ages :

the painter Guy François was responsible forthe paintings in the choir and in the first twolateral chapels

the sculptor Pierre Vaneau (1653-1694) wasresponsible for the pulpit,

the Jesuit brother André Besqueut for thestatue of St Jean-François-Régis (1928),

the sculptor Philippe Kaeppelin for the modernaltar (1984).ST. JEAN-FRANCOIS-REGISIn 1640 the parliament of Toulouse received adecree from King Louis XIII forbidding thewearing of lace in order to restrict its production- lace-makers were so numerous that it wasdifficult to find female domestic staff. Jean-François-Régis, who evangelised the Velay andVivarais, was concerned about the fate of lace-makers, and calmed their fears by predicting thecancellation of the decree. It is even said thathe asked the Jesuit missionaries to publicise LePuy lace on their travels, thereby ensuring itsinternational success. He is still venerated bylace-makers, and became their patron saintfollowing his canonisation in 1737. Hispatronymic "Régis" is now used as a Christianname. The College church is now the starting

point of the footpath "sur les pas de St-Régis"("the St Régis route") from Le Puy-en-Velay to LaLouvesc (Ardèche).

THE STATUE OF NOTRE-DAME DE FRANCE

made of cast iron from the 213 canons fromSebastopol. It was inaugurated on 12thSeptember 1860 in the presence of 120,000pilgrims. The statue is 16 metres high (22.7mwith the pedestal) and weighs 835 metric tonnes(110 tonnes for the statue, 680 the stonepedestal and 45 the iron coating).

AIGUILHE, THE ROCK ANDCHAPEL OF ST MICHAEL

The rock, familiarly called "the dyke", is actuallythe vent of a volcano, laid bare by erosion. Thechapel on the top dates back to the 10th century.In 950-951 Gothescalk, Bishop of Le Puy, led thefirst French pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

On his return, achapel dedicated to St Michael was builton the volcanic rockof Aiguilhe. Thechapel was finishedin 962 andinaugurated on 18thJuly. Among thetreasures foundwhen the altar wasrestored in 1955 isa magnificentreliquary figure ofChrist, probably thework of the 10thcentury Spanishschool.

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On 8th September 1855, the feast day of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, General Pélissier won victory at the siege of Sebastopol in the Crimean War. In gratitude he advised Bishop Mgr de Morlhon to ask the Emperor Napoleon III for some of the cannons captured from the enemy, in order to make a statue that the diocese of Le Puy wished to dedicate to Notre-Dame de France. Sculpted by Jean-Marie Bonnassieux, the statue is

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bis CHAPEL OF ST CLAIROften called the "Temple of Diana", this buildingmay be the former chapel of the hospital of thepoor of St Nicholas of Aiguilhe. Note the lintelillustrating the phases of the moon around thesun, and the arcades with a background ofdiamond-shaped mosaics.

CROZATIER MUSEUMThe museum is located in the Henri Vinay publicgarden (called "the Horseshoe" because of itsshape). It was built in the middle of the 19thcentury by the architect Antoine Martin, thanksmainly to a large legacy from Charles Crozatier(1795-1855), who made plaster casts for artistsin Paris. There are 5 galleries showing the variouscollections :On the ground floor, the Gallo-Roman collectioncomes mainly from excavations carried out duringthe 19th century. The most interesting elementswere found in the surroundings of the cathedraland come from a building which previouslyoccupied that site.

The stone and sculpture section is mainlymediaeval. It is particularly rich in Romanesquesculptures, most of them from the cathedral orfrom religious and civil buildings which weredestroyed in the 19th century. The collection of objets d'art has fine examplesfrom the mediaeval and Renaissance periods,including small sculptures and enamels.The science and technology collection comes fromthe donation of Alexandre Clair, who was aParisian engineer specialising in the making ofsmall-scale models for education at the time ofthe Second Empire.

You can also find some interesting collectionsabout clock-making and the beginnings of thecartoon film with the invention of the"praxinoscope" by Emile Reynaudin Le Puy-en-Velay in 1877.On the first floor, the ethnology collections arecentred on craftsmanship in Le Puy and the Velay.They illustrate the importance of activities likebronze work, glassworking, printmaking, nuns'work and of course lace-making. On the second floor the Fine Arts collection isfamous for its paintings of the Nordic schoolsfrom the 16th to the 18th centuries. A room isdevoted to the works of the François brothers andthe local school of the 17th century. The 19thcentury is represented by topographical views ofthe region and large paintings sent by the FrenchState. And finally, on the third floor, you discover thenatural history collections (zoology, mineralogy,and geology) which constituted the basis of themuseum at the beginning of the 19th century.The palaeontology collection consists of a set offossils from the rich sites of Haute-Loire.

PANNESSAC TOWERFormerly the royal entrance to the town (14thcentury) and partly demolished in 1850 to widenthe entrance to the street. The site of thedestroyed tower is indicated by cobbles on thepavement. The Emperor Charlemagne and thirteenFrench kings have made the pilgrimage to Le Puy.

bis STATUE OFGENERAL LAFAYETTE

CHURCH OF SAINT LAURENTSince 1221, this has been the church of the orderof Preaching Friars founded by St Dominic (1170-1221), who perhaps came to Le Puy in the lastyear of his life.In the choir, on the right, is the recumbent effigyof Constable Bertrand Duguesclin, who died on13th July 1380, at the siege of Chateauneuf-de-Randon. His body was embalmed in Le Puy andhis entrails were buried in the church of StLaurent.The building was enlarged in the 14th centuryand remains one of the rare examples of Gothicarchitecture in the region. The roof collapsed in1525, the bell tower was destroyed by theHuguenots in 1562, and the roof collapsed onceagain in 1644.In 1750, the external buttresses were added.In 1966 cables were stretched between the pillarsto prevent movement. The church was closed tothe public on 24th August 1971; consolidation,and then restoration, were to take a long time,and the church was only reopened for worship forthe Christmas service in 1988. In addition to theoutstanding beauty of the architecture you canadmire the perfectly restored 19th centurystained glass windows as well as those whichhave recently been created (the chapel of theHoly Sacrament and the rose window in thefaçade) magnificent woodwork (pulpit, stalls etc),pictures by Guy François, including the remarkable"Doubting Thomas", and the highly symbolicpaving throughout the church.

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In 1254 King Louis IX, returning from the crusades, completed the seal of Le Puy by granting the town the right to add gold fleurs-de-lys on a blue background to the flying eagle in silver.The last royal visit was that of Francis I in 1533, to fulfil the vow he had made when he was a prisoner in Madrid after his defeat at Pavia (1525).

(1757-1834). He was born at the castle of Chavaniac (40 km from Le Puy) and was a hero of American independence and a major figure in the French Revolution.

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Pedestrian and touristic tours

“Standardtour"Itinerary : 2 hours

“Grand Tour”Itinerary : 3 hours

“Le Puy by Night”Itinerary : 2 hours

Tourist Office

Starting point of town

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