In Olliergues, traditional crafts meet contemporary art and historic buildings. The 100-kilometre Chemin de Sainte-Agathe circular route also runs along the banks of the Dore through the town. This gives you a choice of different travel priorities: exhibitions and history, a longer hiking route, or a seasonal tasting.
Crafts at Château d’Olliergues
The Musée des Métiers et Traditions du Pays d’Olliergues is housed in Château d’Olliergues. It presents local craft traditions through a range of fields of work, including a sawmill, a clog maker’s workshop, a wheelwright’s workshop, a weaving area and the basketry industry. The subjects therefore range from woodworking to weaving and basketry techniques. If you are interested in traditional crafts, the museum offers several specific trades and ways of working to explore, rather than focusing on just one area.
Contemporary art on the Dore
The Centre d’art d’Olliergues, also known as Nouvelles galeries, offers another cultural perspective. This four-storey contemporary art centre is in an unusual location along the Dore and was created by visual artist David Spanu. Guided visits are available for groups of no more than six people. Alongside the craft-focused museum, this provides an art-focused option with a limited group size for visits.
Architecture and local history
The ruins of the bridge over the Dore in Olliergues date from 1612. Its described design features three arches of different spans and a humpbacked roadway. A different kind of history is associated with the Saint-Martin Chapel: it was the parish church of Olliergues in the 15th century and became a chapel after the Revolution. This lets you distinguish between two different historical reference points—the design and date of the bridge ruins, and the chapel’s former religious role.
Hiking route and seasonal tasting
The Chemin de Sainte-Agathe is a 100-kilometre circular route that runs along the banks of the Dore through Olliergues. Its length makes it a hiking destination in its own right, rather than a short, incidental stroll. Weather and trail conditions can affect access. For planning purposes, it is therefore worth considering the route as a longer hike and keeping an eye on the conditions.
A seasonal culinary discovery is another option locally: Latite Paysanne offers a selection of colourful, fruity sorbets made from whole fruits. Tastings are available at farm sales from May to October. This limited season sets the offering apart from the cultural attractions described as available year-round and may be relevant when choosing when to travel.
The facts point to different scales of planning: guided visits at the Centre d’art are limited to six people, while the Chemin de Sainte-Agathe is a 100-kilometre circular route. When weighing up culture and hiking, you can first decide whether a small-group visit or a long hiking route should be the main focus of your trip. The seasonal tastings offer another point of interest, available from May to October.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Volvic, Saint-Jacques-D'ambur, Egliseneuve-D'entraigues, La Bourboule, Chambon-Sur-Lac, Chastreix, Besse-Et-Saint-Anastaise, Saint-Gervais-DĘĽauvergne.
For the broader travel overview: Puy-De-DĂ´me.
