Sancy villages and spas

Take the D2089 and then the D996, about 50 km southwest of Clermont-Ferrand in roughly 1 hr 10, and you reach the volcanic flanks of the Sancy range (1,886 m). Thermal springs shaped Mont-Dore and La Bourboule from the 19th century on; kiosks, grand hotels and drinking halls still anchor the spa heritage. Along the headwaters of the Dordogne, dark lava stone sets the tone: cobbled Besse et Saint-Anastaise, icy winter cascades beneath Le Capucin, summer pastures of gentian and Salers cattle, and Romanesque churches built from basalt and trachyte.

From there the day runs smoothly: hotel pick-up in Clermont-Ferrand, a Mercedes at your disposal, and a driver who tunes the route to weather and whim. While you visit, he drives; while you tuck into truffade or blueberry tart, he waits; soak times and photo stops are adjusted on the fly. With a dedicated private driver out of Clermont-Ferrand, we trace the spas of Le Mont-Dore before rolling to stone-built villages on the southern slopes, timing each stop with seasonal crowds and opening hours.