The medieval castle of Tournoel.

© Pecold/Shutterstock

Château de Tournoël

Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne


This medieval fortress glowers over Volvic from its 600m-high hilltop perch. A watchtower is thought to have stood here since the 10th century, but the square castle keep and round tower date to the 1200s and 1300s. During summer you can take guided tours of the kitchens, Gothic courtyard and defensive tower. It's also an impressive photo-op from outside.

Follow signs outside the castle to walk the easy 3km Château Circuit (allow 1½ hours).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d'Auvergne attractions

1. Église St-Priest

0.86 MILES

A fine example of a Romanesque church, 12th-century St-Priest has dark volcanic stone details and boasts three richly decorated chapels. Look up to see…

2. Maison de la Pierre

0.91 MILES

Gasp at the daredevil quarrying feats of Volvic's past in this kid-friendly museum. There are subterranean passages to explore (bring a jacket) and flash…

3. Espace d'Information

1.06 MILES

Learn about Volvic's world-famous mineral water at the company's Espace d'Information, a 10-minute walk west of Volvic's tourist office. Free hour-long…

4. Basilique St-Amable

3.57 MILES

This ornate Romanesque church dates back to the 13th century, though its Gothic flourishes (such as the bell tower) were added in the 19th century. The…

5. Église Notre Dame du Marthuret

3.65 MILES

Peer into this shadowy late-14th-century church to see Riom's most prized relics. The Vierge noire (Black Madonna) dates to the 13th or 14th century…

6. Tour de l'Horloge

3.7 MILES

If you do one thing in Riom, it's likely to be climbing the 128 stairs of this Renaissance belfry to reach panoramic views of volcanic-stone houses and…

7. Musée Régional d’Auvergne

3.82 MILES

This 4000-object collection is a thorough primer on local traditions, with a focus on rural customs in the 19th century (expect plenty of antique farming…

8. Musée Mandet

3.83 MILES

Dating back to 1866, the Musée Mandet's splendid collection of art is arranged across two atmospheric hôtels particuliers (town houses). Exploring these…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "france/volvic/attractions/chateau-de-tournoel/a/poi-sig/1192825/1319306",
      "destination": "Parc-Naturel-Régional-des-Volcans-d'Auvergne",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "France",
      "region": "Parc-Naturel-Régional-des-Volcans-d'Auvergne",
      "position": "superzone"
    }