Discover the area
The cottage Le refuge des Vaures, is located in the heart of a popular touristic destination
Explore the renowned spa town of Vichy, nicknamed the “Lady of the Waters”. Soak up its history by visiting its iconic buildings, strolling through its lush parks and enjoying the benefits of its renowned thermal waters.
Not far from there, at 30 minutes from Vichy, do not miss the Montagne Bourbonnaise. An exceptional natural area for outdoor activities ! Hiking, riding, horse riding, climbing, trail and many more ! If you wish to spend time outdoor and have fun, this place is what you need.
Explore the majestic landscapes of the Puy de Dôme volcano and its surrounding park, offering breathtaking views and countless hiking opportunities.
Immerse yourself in the past by exploring the Châteaux de la Sioule. History and culture buffs will also appreciate the Route des Églises Peintes, a unique experience revealing religious buildings adorned with exceptional frescoes, testifying to the region’s rich artistic heritage.
For an unforgettable adventure, don’t miss the theme parks and zoos that will delight young and old alike. Among them, the PAL offers 31 attractions and over 1,000 animals, the Paleopolis seduces archaeology and dinosaur enthusiasts.
In the area of Vichy, you can also experiment accrobranche, canoeing and many other nautical sports, golf and mountain biking to enrich the range of activities on offer.
To choose your activities and outings according to distance from the gîte, click here.
Discover the activities and tours available directly by theme.
activities available at the cottage
Surroundings
We recommend
Auvergne-tour-express
Auvergne-Tour-Express offers express side-car tours in original vintage vehicles: the Sioule gorges, the Lakes Route, the Magic Stones Route and many more. Get off the beaten track…
Les mains de Laurielle
Get a massage at the cottage!
Les Mains de Laurielle is an itinerant well-being practitioner who can visit you at home or at your vacation destination in and around the Bourbonnais mountains, offering well-being massages, relaxation, foot reflexology and palm reflexology.
Email & Merveilles
Free admission (workshop and store) with no obligation to buy. The “Émail et Merveilles” workshop makes enamelled lava objects for your interior decoration, or for outdoors, and offers you the opportunity to buy or order original, unique and personalized creations.
A typically regional craft, enamels on lava sublimate the stone of volcanoes. You can also make your own enamelled lava object during a one-afternoon workshop, to be booked in advance.
For nature lovers
Treat yourself to a rejuvenating getaway in the heart of nature and calm. For nature lovers, our magnificent region is the ideal place. Explore our unspoilt forests teeming with untouched flora and fauna, our majestic Bourbonnais mountains and our many lakes. Diversity is our trump card, and you’ll have easy access to numerous unspoilt parks and trails along the Allier, just a 30-minute walk from our cottage. Enjoy an exceptional natural interlude.
Le gour de Tazenat
The Gour de Tazenat, formed when molten lava meets a sheet of water, is a crater lake or maar, a rare manifestation of volcanic activity. The result is spectacular. An almost perfect circle 700 metres in diameter, 66 metres deep, with crystal-clear water, surrounded by forests.
La Forêt de Tronçais
Covering almost 11,000 hectares in the north-west of the Allier département, the Tronçais forest is one of France’s most beautiful forest massifs. Developed by Colbert, one of Louis XIV’s chief ministers, it is renowned for its high-quality oak trees.
La Montagne Bourbonaise
Between the Loire and the Allier, two small parallel mountain ranges, the Bois Noirs and the Monts de la Madeleine, form the Montagne Bourbonnaise. Nestled in these hills are remarkable natural sites, trout-fishing rivers and picturesque villages, as well as legends.
Les Gorges de la Sioule
The Sioule gorges begin at Ébreuil, passing through Chouvigny in the Allier département, and continue as far as the Queuille meander in the Puy-de-Dôme département. The road that runs alongside the river winds through the steep rock, offering a surprising panorama of the steep, green gorges.
Art and culture at will
Explore our region, which is brimming with cultural riches. A land marked by the epic of the Bourbons, “towns of atmosphere” and villages with a unique character, Romanesque churches, architecture as rich as it is varied, as well as must-see sites such as the Centre National du Costume de Scène, Souvigny, and the Opéra de Vichy. Chalets Napoléon III, numerous churches and an immersion in the imperial era will amaze you, all within easy reach of our cottage. Enjoy an exceptional cultural experience in the heart of our magnificent region.
The Chouvigny castle
An emblematic site in the Sioule Valley, between Combrailles and Bourbonnais, the Château de Chouvigny has overlooked the Sioule Gorges for over eight centuries. This site, of great architectural and natural beauty, will appeal to young and old alike.
La Route des Églises Peintes
Discover the wealth of mural paintings in 25 Romanesque and Gothic churches in the Bourbonnais, now the Allier department, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. You’ll come across Clunisian sites, and the paths of Saint-Jacques and Saint-Martin.
The spa town of Vichy
Vichy boasts numerous thermal and mineral springs, parks and a landscaped promenade. Discover all the facets of the Queen of the spa towns and its territory. Whether you prefer the city or the mountains, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for.
Billy fortress
A charming village nestled in the hills and valley of the Allier, Billy invites you to contemplate… A magnificent emblem of the Middle Ages, its military fortress dating from the late 12th and early 13th centuries has many secrets to tell.
Museum “Anne de Beaujeu”
The Musée Départemental Anne-de-Beaujeu is a French museum of art and archaeology. The museum organizes one or two temporary exhibitions a year, borrowing works from leading French museums.
For sports fans
Sports enthusiasts will be delighted with the variety of activities on offer. Whether you prefer a nature hike, a mountain bike ride, a round of golf or mini-golf, accrobranche, canoeing, the water park, vélorail, and much more, all these exciting options await the sports enthusiast in you. Spend an active day for ultimate recuperation and relaxation in our comfortable B&B. Enjoy the perfect combination of sporting adventure and comfortable accommodation.
Grande Traversée du Massif Central à VTT
The Grande Traversée du Massif central à VTT is back on the road, with a route of almost 1400 km. Set off from the mountains and lakes of the Morvan towards the splendid and little-known landscapes of the Massif Central. A trip on mountain bikes or electrically-assisted mountain bikes on trails to share with friends, family or solo!
Accro’Sioule
Moving from tree to tree, leaping from branch to branch, tickling your animal side just a few meters above the ground, this dream can become reality. From wide platforms, monkey bridges, suspended barrels, Tarzan lianas, walkways stretched between pine trees and nets, transform climbing and moving around into a safe, fun experience, as full of adrenalin as it is of chlorophyll.
Aqua Canoë
The Sioule gorges are sure to give you a thrill as you canoe and kayak down them! With Aqua Canoë, canoe, kayak and raft rental in Ebreuil on the Sioule, discover the most beautiful of the Sioule Gorges…
Natural Wake Park
Natural Wake Park, Auvergne’s very first water ski lift, offers a true water park experience. The “Fun Zone” is open every day in summer, offering water sports activities for all, including water skiing, aquacanoeing, a small ski lift, an Aquapark, as well as paddle, pedalo and canoe hire.
MiniGolf Le Mirage
Family Discovery & games
If you would like to focus your holiday on discovery and activities for the whole family, that is possible! Amusement parks, wildlife parks, treasure hunts, game rooms and discovery workshops await you for a family fun-filled holiday. Enjoy unforgettable moments with your loved ones, thanks to a range of activities adapted to every member of the family.
Paléopolis
PALEOPOLIS is a theme park dedicated to paleontology, where scientists, collectors, schoolchildren and the general public enjoy coming to a place where seeing, understanding and learning go hand in hand. Young and old alike will be delighted by the various workshops, events and exhibitions.
Le PAL
Set in a unique 50-hectare natural environment in Saint-Pourçain-sur-Besbre, Le PAL is a one-of-a-kind amusement park, and one of the most popular in France, where several regions of the world coexist: the African bush, the western plains and the Louisiana swamp. Discover over 100 animals from every continent.
Vélorail de la Sioule
The velorail is a “machine” specially designed for riding on railroad tracks. Half-bike, half-train, the principle is simple: the bravest climb to the front and are in charge of pedaling while the others enjoy the scenery. Accessible to all, children can even take the controls, provided they can reach the pedals!
Vulcania
Vulcania, an amusement and entertainment park dedicated to the discovery of volcanoes and planet Earth, is a place to have fun and discover the secrets of volcanism, natural phenomena and the solar system.
The park welcomes you for a scientific and entertaining adventure.
Pépit
PÉPIT is an outdoor treasure hunt. The objective? Explore and recreate the worlds of the Zoom artists, completing the missions they entrust to you. Learn how to discover the riches of our heritage, and have fun in the process!