Mont-Dore & its surroundings
Mont-Dore Ski Area: Piste Map & Rates
The Mont-Dore ski area (Sancy) offers passes for every kind of stay. Below are the indicative rates for the 2025/2026 season (full price, excluding low-season promotions). More information at www.sancy.com:
€42.70 adult · €30.40 child (5-15 years) — 9am to 5pm
€81.60 adult · €57.90 child
€231.60 adult · €163.90 child
Free for children under 5 and adults 75 and over, upon presentation of proof of age.
The Sancy ski area offers slopes for all levels, both alpine and Nordic.
Direct access to the slopes in just a few minutes thanks to the shuttle that stops right at the foot of the apartment.
Plenty of rental shops are just steps from the apartment, and you have a private ski locker on the ground floor of the building to store your gear.
Hiking & nature
The Sancy massif offers an exceptional playground for hiking, summer and winter alike. Whether you’re travelling as a family or as a seasoned athlete, the trails around Mont-Dore suit every level.
The highest peak in the Massif Central (1,886 m), reachable on foot via a waymarked trail or in just a few minutes by cable car. Several routes lead to the top, from the classic trail from the resort to more challenging variations along the ridges, with elevation gain varying by route. The view from the summit stretches to the volcanoes of Auvergne and, on a clear day, as far as the Alps. Walking up and taking the cable car back down is a popular option to enjoy the climb without straining on the way back.
A waymarked trail circles Lake Chambon in just over an hour of easy walking, suitable for families, with lovely views over the village of Chambon-sur-Lac and the surrounding peaks. The loop around the lake extends easily to the Vaufranc waterfall or the Col de la Croix Morand for a longer hike. In summer, supervised swimming, pedal boats and fishing round out the outing, making for an easy day trip that can be combined with a more active hike in the morning.
Numerous easy, waymarked trails wind through the Mont-Dore valley, with gentle elevation gain and short durations (1 to 2 hours), perfect for children and beginners. The Grande Cascade waterfall, a 15-minute walk from the town centre, is a classic and accessible destination. The Sentier des Crêtes trail or the walk to the Fontaine Pétrifiante offer other short options with natural curiosities to spot along the way. Several loops also follow the Dordogne river to its source, a flat, shaded route ideal with young children or a pushchair.
The Sancy massif has several waymarked mountain bike routes, from family-friendly trails around the resort to more technical descents reserved for experienced riders, with panoramic views over the entire Chaîne des Puys. Rentals and a mountain bike area are available right at the resort. For climbing, the valley's natural sites (including the rocks near the Dordogne) offer routes for all levels, and several local outfits provide instruction for beginners and more experienced climbers alike.
In winter, several waymarked routes around Mont-Dore can be explored on snowshoes, from a family-friendly trail suitable for beginners to longer outings along the Sancy ridges for more experienced hikers. Snowshoe rental is available right at the resort, and guided outings are offered to safely discover the snow-covered massif, especially off the groomed trails. It's a different way to explore the landscapes you walk through in summer, with open views over the snow-covered Chaîne des Puys.
Thermal Spa & Wellness
Just 100 m from the apartment, the Mont-Dore Thermal Spa carries on a thermal tradition unique in Europe, renowned for treating respiratory conditions. A must-visit place to recharge.
The Mont-Dore Thermal Spa offers government-approved treatments covered by French social security, mainly focused on respiratory conditions (asthma, chronic bronchitis, allergies) thanks to the natural waters and steam sourced on site. Treatments generally last 18 days and are organised around daily care (inhalations, nasal irrigation, baths, affusion massages), outside of which guests can fully enjoy the resort's activities. Outside the approved treatment period, the establishment stays open year-round for à la carte treatments, open to everyone.
A wellness area offers massages, body treatments and relaxation sessions open to everyone, whether on a treatment course or not. Hammam, sauna, bubble baths and affusion massages round out the offering for a relaxing break after a day of skiing or hiking. Half-day or full-day packages are available with open access, no treatment booking required.
Just a few minutes' walk from the apartment. Take the opportunity to explore the many shops and cafés along the way to the Thermes.
The current thermal establishment, built at the end of the 19th century, can be partly visited even outside of treatment hours: its thermal gallery, glass roof and listed façade are well worth a look for their Belle Époque architecture. Mont-Dore's town centre, built in the same period around the thermal industry, retains several buildings and façades in a similar style, making for an easy heritage walk to combine with a visit to the Thermes.
Right next to the Thermes, several institutes and spas offer massages, body treatments and relaxation sessions open to everyone, whether on a treatment course or not. Hammam, sauna, bubble baths and affusion massages round out the offering for a relaxing break after a day of skiing or hiking. Some establishments offer half-day or full-day packages, no treatment booking required, so you can enjoy thermal wellness with open access.
Sightseeing & Heritage
Between Belle Époque thermal heritage, unspoilt nature and Auvergne culture, Mont-Dore is worth discovering in every season. Want to see the apartment or check availability? Book now.
The Capucin funicular, the oldest still in operation in France, links the town centre to the top of Capucin in just a few minutes. It offers quick, effortless access to an open viewpoint over the valley and surrounding massifs, with easy walking trails and a food area at the top to extend your break.
Mont-Dore's historic centre is best explored on foot, wandering the streets around Notre-Dame church and the old 19th-century thermal villas. You'll find shops, cafés and boutiques set in Belle Époque buildings, just steps from the Thermes. It's a natural stop before or after a hike, for a drink on a terrace or a bit of shopping.
Mont-Dore punctuates the year with festivities: producers' markets and street entertainment in summer, transhumance festivals in autumn, and festive lights around the year-end holidays in winter, in addition to ski-season events (piste openings, local competitions). The calendar varies each year, but it's worth checking before setting your stay's dates, as some events can enrich your visit.
From the summit of Puy de Sancy, an orientation table helps you identify the massif's main peaks and, on a clear day, the Chaîne des Puys, the Cantal and even the Alps in the distance. The observation platform, reachable in just a few minutes from the top of the cable car, offers a 360° view over the entire Massif Central, one of Auvergne's most beautiful panoramas.
