20 min
Le PAL
Le PAL covers 23 hectares, including 17 for the zoo. It offers more than 25 attractions and nearly 500 animals in semi-freedom, as well as several animal shows (sea lions, raptors, parrots).
Allier · Auvergne
Nearby attractions
Here is a selection of nearby activities. To discover other options do not hesitate to ask your host Mireille, or to visit Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Tourism and Allier Tourism (in French).
15 min
Castle of La Palice
Former residence of "Monsieur de La Palice", this castle of the 12th, 15th and 16th centuries is inhabited by the 30th generation of the same family. It holds many historical mementoes and Italian Renaissance coffered ceilings unique in Europe.
40 min
Lake Saint-Clément
Picnic tables, canoe, paddleboard and pedalo hire, a treetop adventure park with zip lines, hiking trails, orienteering courses, a discovery trail, fishing areas and a playground: there is something for everyone, young and old.
30 min
Church of Notre-Dame de Châtel-Montagne
Built between 1100 and 1250, Notre-Dame de Châtel-Montagne is Romanesque architecture at its artistic and technical peak. Its unique style — a mixture of Auvergne and Burgundy — and its position in neither region, isolated and hard to reach, mean that no school claims it and that it remains too little known for its interest.
15 min
Community pool in Varennes-sur-Allier
Set in the green surroundings of the Valençon park, the site has fun pools with water jets, slides and a "sprinkler fish" for little ones, heated open-air pools accessible to people with reduced mobility, a bar, a volleyball court, a shaded lawn and a rest area.
1 h 30
Vulcania
Discover the history, beauty and strength of the Auvergne volcanoes at the Vulcania museum and theme park, at 950 m above sea level and across 57 hectares, with more than 30 shows and screenings.
50 min
The peat bogs of Saint-Nicolas-des-Biefs
A natural environment in its own right, its wild flora hidden in this 20-hectare marsh. It is a place formed by the accumulation of many plant species over several millennia. A discovery trail and a wooden boardwalk let you cross it.
35 min
Cascade of the Pisserotte in Arfeuilles
"La Pisserotte" is a wild opera of natural elements: white water, boulders and a set of waterfalls, the highest about 4 metres. An ideal place for a hike followed by a swim.
30 min
Vichy thermal baths
In Vichy, spa guests have the choice between the Thermes Callou (standard) and the Thermes des Dômes (comfort), both near the banks of the Allier, for their water cure.