Saint-Nectaire
Église de Saint-Nectaire
The home of the cheese with the same name, which holds AOP status. A 12th-century Romanesque church on the hill preserves over a hundred carved capitals, and farms below offer tours of cheese cellars.
The church of Saint-Nectaire is one of the five great Romanesque churches of Auvergne. It stands on a small hill. Inside, 103 carved capitals depict scenes from the Bible and the life of Saint Nectaire, and the treasury holds a gilded reliquary bust. The village below is famous for Saint-Nectaire, an AOP semi-hard cheese. The Maison du Saint-Nectaire and surrounding farms offer visits to maturing cellars and tastings, and many farms sell farmhouse cheese directly. Entry to the church is free, and the Maison du Saint-Nectaire charges about €6. Nearby are Roman thermal ruins and megalithic sites. The area can be visited on the same day as Lac Chambon and Murol Castle.
Opening hours
Church about 09:00–19:00
Nearby sights
- Grottes de Jonas
- Château de Murol
- Lac Chambon
- Besse-en-Chandesse
- Puy de la Vache & Puy de Lassolas
- Lac Pavin
- Vallée de Chaudefour
- Lac de Guéry