Usson and Montpeyroux, France 🇫🇷 2023

Date: 7th July 2023

Travelled: 95 kms from Brioude to Orcines  

Visited: Usson and Montpeyroux  

Stayed: Orcines Aire CC, €8, N45.78880, E03.0110  

Budget: 46 days @ €90 per day

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It was a very warm evening at the aire in Brioude, luckily we managed some shade when we arrived. There was a nice breeze and once the sun had set we managed a comfortable night with just the fan going.

In the morning we walk off to explore Brioude and do a few kms. Whilst Brioude doesn’t rate a line in our guide books ,the Église of Saint-Julien de Brioude is well worth a look. It’s nave constructed of alternative coloured sandstone is very impressive as is its murals that date to the 12th century.

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Back at the Hymer we set the GPS for Usson.

From our guide book the Most Beautiful Villages in France you’ll find Usson on page 150. This medieval village holds a place in French history as Queen Margot (1553-1615) was held captive here for 19 years. This followed her decision to give the King the flick and ride off into history with the guy who saddled her horse. Usson has commanding views of the Valley of the Puy de Dôme, but our guide book shows it in the Central Massif.

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Let’s be honest it’s 11 am and already 30°, this is something of an abridged visit to Usson. The parking area leaves us with a stiff walk up to the old town so we do the best we can.

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The highlight of our visit to Usson should have been the Église of Saint-Maurice (circa 12th century). But we find it’s closed, the belfrey with huge cracks wrapped in steel cables which seemed a little strange as the bells still sounded at 12 mid-day shaking the whole damn village.

So we settle for walking the old ramparts and some pictures across the valley.

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Back in the Hymer we resist the temptation to flick on the AC and continue on another 10 kms to Montpeyroux, another village on our list. The carpark in Montpeyroux has no shade so we retreat down the hill to another small village with a huge tree overlooking a small carpark. We park the Hymer have lunch and sit out the mid-day heat (sleep would be a better description) until a little after 3 pm.

It was a flip of a coin but where here, so lets walk Montpeyroux.

From our guide book the Most Beautiful Villages in France you’ll find Montpeyroux on page 118. This medieval village, stands on another ancient volcanic chimney now eroded into a hill. It’s one of those wine cave and artisans places.

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The photos above, the views across the valley and the tower

There are small galleries or artisan workshops hidden in laneways as well as places of interest like the old miller’s grinding stone pictured below.

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We wander back to the Hymer setting the GPS for an aire in Orcines. Whilst it’s not far we need to pass through Clermont and the afternoon traffic and some roadwork add an extra 30 minutes to the drive.

Arriving in Orcines we find ourselves tangled in Le Tour or at least the hundreds of motorhomes looking for the perfect vantage point. Apparently the tour concludes tomorrow in Limoges and the day after at Col de Puy which is only a few kms from Orcines. We manage a spot in the aire (only just) get some late afternoon shade and call it a day.

As we experienced Le Tour a few years ago we have no urge to sit in the sun for a couple of days waiting for the circus to flash by once again. So tomorrow we’ll head for Aubusson just off Le Tour route and sit it out in a campsite for a couple of days.

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Michael + Pam