How to get lost in… Livradois

Détour n°V — Gamay, améthystes and tripoux

I often think of that video interview given by Jean Giono to journalist Louis Pauwels. In it, the author declares, “you can lay down roots while traveling,” before sharing how he found in Scotland “the country that had haunted all my wildest, dearest dreams. Suddenly, I found there the colors, the tenderness of the sky, the quality of the air, the level of humidity I needed, the wide-open spaces, the lakes, the romanticism—an astonishing romanticism.”

©PaulLehr

I strongly believe in this idea of an ideal country, a place where you feel fully capable of a sort of symbiosis with both the environment and its inhabitants. It is, I think, what Germans call Heimat, the place where you truly feel at home. For Giono, it was Scotland; as for me, I wonder if it might be Livradois—this long, diamond-shaped natural region in the heart of the Massif Central, spanning the Puy-de-Dôme and Haute-Loire departments. Here, I find a softness to the light that reminds me of my native Touraine, mushroom-filled woods, sharply defined shadows, and houses deeply rooted in the ground. I love the local wines—especially Gamay grown in volcanic soil—and the cheeses, too: Fourme d’Ambert and Saint Nectaire. I love the harshness of winter, the fierce summers, the late springs, and the autumn colors. To be perfectly honest, I dream of settling here one day with my family.

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THE ITINERARY

STEP 1
Auberge de Chassignolles
The holy trinity

I’ll be honest: the Auberge de Chassignolles is my favorite place. You see, I’m a believer. I believe in a holy trinity: in the name of wine, a good meal, and a night’s rest—amen. For the faith I practice, the Auberge de Chassignolles serves as a temple. You’re greeted with real fervor by Poppy Sacher Norrish, the high priestess of the house, whose devotion is eternal and whose veins flow with Gamay. Believe in miracles: in the multiplication of wine, in the morning brioche. Offer up a prayer of charity for those who have never set foot in this sacred spot.

©PaulLehr

Life in this village, perched at 800 meters in altitude on the forest’s edge and gazing out over a majestic valley of volcanoes, has a monastic quality. The rooms lack modern comfort: no TV, air conditioning, or mini-bar—just white walls, a bed, a nightstand, a stunning view, and a bottle of sparkling water. The day is punctuated by the chimes of the Romanesque church and by communal mealtimes in the tiled dining room. Menus arrive on paper-topped tables—perfect for doodling while waiting for four courses to be served: two starters, a main dish, and a dessert. The wine list is, quite simply, the best in France.

@PaulLehr

In French, there’s an old saying, “Qui dort, dîne!”—meaning that in the past, if a traveler wanted to sleep in an inn, they also had to eat there, or they’d be turned away. Essentially: “If you sleep, you eat; if you don’t eat, you’re out!” Here, that tradition is magnificently turned on its head, so it might be better said, “If you dine, you really should stay the night,” because nothing is lovelier than digesting your dinner with sparkling water on the nightstand and that breathtaking panorama as your only décor—feeling that much closer to a Spinozist God, who is in all things, including you, a bit more intensely in Chassignolles than anywhere else.

Auberge de Chassignolles – Le Bourg, 43440 Chassignolles – Open March to October – www.aubergedechassignolles.com – +33 4 71 76 32 36

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