Riom-Ès-Montagne offers both specific outdoor trails and opportunities to discover regional specialties. The town lies at an altitude of 840 m in the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d’Auvergne. Nature highlights include the Axe Vert along the Véronne, the Balade des Deux Lacs and the Étang de Majonnenc; culinary highlights include Bleu d’Auvergne, markets and the gentian-based drink Avèze. To plan your trip, you can first choose your preferred focus: a particular trail, local wildlife and plants, or insights into regional products and how they are made.
Walks, a circular trail and route structures
The Axe Vert is a 1,960 m-long, car-free promenade along the Véronne. It offers an easily accessible route for people with reduced mobility. Its length, riverside setting and accessibility provide practical guidance if you are looking for a promenade for a walk. This makes it possible to distinguish the Axe Vert from the other options not only by its length but also by the type of route.
The Balade des Deux Lacs is a marked 6 km circular trail that starts in Riom-ès-Montagnes. Its circular route and markings are its defining features. Compared with the Axe Vert, you can choose between a 1,960 m-long promenade and a longer, marked circular trail.
At the Étang de Majonnenc, you can enjoy a walk among diverse wildlife and plants. If you are choosing based on opportunities to observe nature, this location offers a different focus from routes described by their length, course or markings. A walk by the lake focuses on fauna and flora; a specific route length is not necessary to distinguish its nature theme from the other options.
The Gentiane Express route can also be described using specific features: it is 16 km long and passes two tunnels and three viaducts. Compared with the 6 km Balade, both the route length and the structures along the way offer different points of reference. If you look for notable structures when making your choice, the tunnels and viaducts provide a distinct point of interest alongside the promenade, circular trail and nature walk.
Summer markets and regional products
The Fête du Bleu d’Auvergne has been held every summer in Riom-ès-Montagnes for more than 20 years. Visitors can discover how Bleu d’Auvergne is made and sample its flavors. The festival therefore focuses on a particular cheese and its production. If you are interested in regional products, this thematic focus is another way to get to know the area, distinct from a walk or choosing a route.
The Marchés de pays take place on Monday evenings in July and August. Regional specialties such as Salers beef, aligot, Auvergne cheese and honey are offered there. You can eat the food on site or take it away. This distinguishes the markets from the Bleu d’Auvergne festival: here, a range of different specialties is available, and you can either eat them there or take them away. The seasonal schedule is clearly defined for planning purposes: the markets are held on Monday evenings in July and August.
The Espace Avèze offers another way to explore regional food culture. Its visitor trail includes videos, explanations and a tasting about the history and production of Avèze, a gentian-based drink. The three experiences therefore differ in format: the festival focuses on the production and flavors of Bleu d’Auvergne, the markets offer several specialties to eat on site or take away, and the Espace Avèze provides a visitor trail with a tasting. You can choose what interests you most: a seasonal festival, a market visit or an informative experience about how a regional drink is made.
Discover more destinations: Chavagnac, Sauvat, Chalvignac, Junhac, Massiac, Saint-Martin-Valmeroux, Giou-De-Mamou, Antignac
See the overview of destinations in the wider area: Cantal.
