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 Beauty and hospitality -
Located between the Truyère River at the South, the Margeride at the East and the valley of Alagnon at the North. Saint-Flour, from the top of its rocky peak, is the guardian of the vast stretches of "la Planèze", a former lava flow of the volcano of Cantal. Between Auvergne and Languedoc, the town and its region have been considered as the gates to the realm of France for a long time. This land, deeply influenced by history is also a lively and a welcoming land with its numerous markets and its legendary hospitality, which have been offered to the pilgrims of Compostelle for centuries. However, you'll have to earn you right of entry to this town. It takes a long sinuous road lined with magnificent basaltic organs to reach this proud city rising from its volcanic pedestal.
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The curiosities of the gorges of Truyère -
Did you know that  Gustave Eiffel built one of its largest and boldest masterpieces at the end of the gorges of Truyère? With its parabolic central arch, a miracle for the 19th century, the 412ft (125m) Viaduct of Garabit is a steel giant which always surprises its visitors. Nearby, close to the end of the world, the beautiful town of Chaudes-Aigues, nestled in the ravine of Remontalou, is another unusual spot. Its springs are the hottest in Europe with 180°F(82°C). "La Source du Par" (Par Spring) will reveal all the secrets of its warm water, which has been shared amongst the houses since ancient times.
Following the goats -
The first stage to discover the town of Saint-Flour is the footpath from which you will have a beautiful point of view over the Chaumette plateau and over the vestiges of the fortified town which daunted many hostile bands  from
the Gévaudan, forcing them to withdraw. As visitors
pass through the Pont-Vieux (Old Bridge), they get closer
to the soul of the city, the famous cathedral Saint-Pierre
(Saint Peter), a severe and restrained Gothic wonder though
in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment which
is a witness of the know-how of basaltic stone sculptors.
Many ancient lanes located between the “Place d’Armes” and
the “Place des Mets” reveal the curious and surprising
vestiges of the Villa Sancti Fiori.
Sporting escape - Either by climbing up the scaling wall of Coltines or by a trip in the air in a hot-air balloon over the Viaduct of Garabit, it is easy to gain altitude in the region of Saint-Flour. The unique and magical site of Garabit is mainly known for its steel giant though it hides many other surprises. Fed by the Truyère River, the lake of Garabit-Grandval and its deep waters stretch over nearly 17.5miles (28km) of embanked valley and will consequently please all nautical activity lovers, from boat trips to water skiing. As for fishermen, they will just have to choose among pikes, zanders and perches, which crowd the 2750acres (1100ha) of this water stretch.
An invitation - Once in Saint-Flour, at around 11am, men sit down at small "cafés" near the Cathedral while waiting for the office to end, to taste the local tripe with pork stuffing. You can repeat this experience at the inns of Saint-Flour which propose this local speciality with lentils of Planèze, not as famous, yet as tasty as those of le Puy-en-Velay.
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