Les COMBRAILLES
Introduction. In the Auvergne, on the borders of Le Bourbonnais and Le Limousin, stretches a shady undulating country, of moors and copses, forests and ponds.
The historic Combraill
e,
nowadays more widely known as Les Combrailles, is a hilly area resting
on a crystalline base of magmata and volcanic origin. It is a vast granite
plateau dissected and fertilized by the river Sioule, veritable backbone
and link between two micro-regions, each with its own particular cultural,
architectural and natural landscape.
The Combrailles is to the North West of the department of Puy-De-Dôme. It has avoided mass tourism and is rich in animal and plant life. Its land is rich in minerals and varied rocks. It's a country for walkers and nature lovers.
Les Combrailles is also a region
steeped in history and with its own crafts. During your visit you can
discover the heart of Les Combrailles, with its castles, churches, potteries
and local specialities etc.
History. The manor of Combraille,
also known as the "barony of Chambon" comprised the five chatelaines
of Chambon, Lépaud, Evaux, Auzances and Sermur. They resulted from
the dismantling of the feudal fiefs and existed in the 10th century and
until the Revolution in 1789. Their origins go back to Celtic times when
the Cambovices, a Gallic tribe with its own well-formed culture, formed
a small homeland in a well-defined area situated in the region of the
confluents of the Tardes, the Voueize, and the Cher near Evaux and Chambon.
(Confluent: from the Gallic Comboro = Combraille).
The identity of the "Pays
des Combrailles" has always been linked to its situation on the borders
of the regions of the Auvergne, the Limousin and the Bourbonnais. In 1790
it was divided between three departments; Allier, Creuse and Puy-De-Dôme.
(It represents a third of the area of Puy-De-Dôme) Today the Pays
des Combrailles comprises 10 cantons and 103 communes (population 50,000)
spread over 2,028 km2.
In the gentle
undulations of Les Combrailles,
the Sioule has engraved its picturesque gorges,enlarged today by the Fades-Besserves damn (450 ha). There are some remarkable sites: the Queuille meander, the Fades viaduct, the ruins of the Chartreuse of Port-Sainte-Marie, Château Rocher and the bridge at Menat. The Gour de Tazenet (a lake formed by a crater) is the last manifestation of the chain of Puys to the North. The castles at Chazeron and Pionsat, the Museum of Palaeontology, the Maison du Patrimoine (Heritage Museum) and the spa town of Châteauneuf-les-Bains are all worth a prolonged visit.
A land of copses and history
Les Combrailles is a land supported by a crystalline base, crossed from
north to south by a coal-bearing seam. Its landscape is composed of grove
s,
alternating with broom or juniper covered moors, with wooded ravines and
meadows crossed by winding rivers and ponds. It is a land which relies
on high quality agricultural production (charolais beef, local cheeses
etc).
Due to its geographical situation Les Combrailles has always had military
and political importance. Many of its castles (Chazeron, Pionsat, Dauphin
etc), mostly built between the 11th and 15th centuries, have been transformed
into residences. Its historical importance is also obvious in the religious
architecture and numerous edifices witness very diverse influences (the
Benedictine Abbey at Menat, the Collegiate at Herment and the Roman church
at Montfermy). If you would like to read a page of the history book of
France, the manor of Veygoux, at Charbonnières-les-Varennes, unfolds
in an innovative and entertaining way the adventures of General Désaix
and the life of his contempories in the 15th century.
A
land of water and otters
The Sioule, which crosses the middle of Les Combrailles, has its source
near Lake Servière in Le Sancy and winds its way to the Chouvigny
gorges which form the boundary between the departments of Allier and Puy-De-Dôme.
Its spectacular meanders, its flora and fauna are ideal for family outings
or sporting hikes and its gorges are well-suited to canoeing.
At Fades-Besserve there is a stretch of dammed water, which at 450ha is
big enough for water sports. The presence of water in all forms makes
Les Combrailles a paradise for f
ishermen
who can tease trout, carp, pike sander and roach. The upper Sioule is
the only part of Puy-De-Dôme where there have always been otters.
The lakes and ponds are very rich in wild life, especially the large ponds
such as Tyx, Chancelade,and La Ramade. One can observe mallards, great
crested grebes and grey herons, whilst in the pure waters of the streams
one finds Eurasian dippers and the very rare fresh water pearl mussel.
The presence of so many streams and rivers has led to the establishment
of mills. Their pastoral charm invites one to stroll along the river to
discover this disappearing trade. The traditions and ancient knowledge
are however still alive and many craftsmen propose demonstrations of their
techniques and achievements.
Nature lovers can revel in the unspoilt gorges and landscapes of the Chavanon
which separates Puy-De-Dôme from Corrèze, finishing at the
lake formed by the dam at Bort-les-Orgues.
The
land of grass
Agriculture is the mainstay of the development of the Combrailles;
it is a rich, well preserved region whose products fulfil consumers' desires,
for example:
- Combrailles bread; produced, without artificial improvers or additives,
from a traditional variety of wheat which is not treated with insecticides.
-
the Ferrand
aise
cow: visit
the site: http://ferrandaise.free.fr.
The name is unfamiliar, but it gives a unique flavour to several reputed
cheeses: Saint-Nectaire, Fourme d'Ambert etc. The Ferrandaise is characterized
by its red and white colour and by its long life expectancy (more than
20 years). Today's young breeders are replacing the old stock and thus
increasing the strengths of the Ferrandaise. The breed owes its survival
and development to a few passionate and tenacious breeders who are determined
not to let the French bovine heritage disappear.
- farm veal
of the Haut-Sioule;
fed exclusively on whole milk, it is produced according to strict regulations
to guarantee a high quality product and supplied to craftsman butchers.
- the charolais heifer of the Co
mbrailles:
born, raised and finished in the Combrailles, fed on grass after weaning.
80% of the surface of the region is given over to grass and the small
amount of culture serves mainly as animal feed. There is a strong tradition
of agricultural fairs and competitions, such as the Herd Book competition
for charolais at Saint-Gervais-d'Auvergne. The agriculture of the Combrailles
has been able to find its own identity and thus create a real dynamism,
which has brought about its own agribusiness which along with timber and
heavy industry (St-Eloy-les-Mines, Les Ancizes/Saint-George de Mons),
form a rich economic fabric, sustaining the population and its quality
of life.
To obtain information on local gastronomy, accommodation and places to visit contact:
SMADC
Maison des Combrailles
63390 Saint Gervais d'Auvergne
Tél : 04 73 85 82 08
Fax : 04 73 85 79 44
smadc@combrailles.com