Salers, situated north and east of Aurillac, is an ancient town at the top of a hill. Visitors park below and walk up — certainly no hardship for the majority.
The town dates from the 11th century but most of what you see is 15th or 16th century. Many towns make exaggerated claims about their beauty, but this surely has to be one of the best — even though there are elements of tourist trap about it.
The centrepiece is the Place Tyssandier d'Escous, a dramatic square flanked by Renaissance mansions built from the local dark basalt. From there the medieval lanes lead to the Église Saint-Mathieu, which houses a fine 15th-century polychrome entombment, and to the Maison Ronade, the oldest building in the village and a rare example of Romanesque domestic architecture. The Esplanade de Barrouze at the village edge gives a panoramic view of the Cantal volcanoes and the green valleys below.
The food is the other reason to come. Salers gives its name to both a cattle breed and a cheese — the Salers beef is some of the finest in France, and the Cantal and Salers cheeses are among the oldest in the country. Most restaurants serve a version of the regional menu alongside truffade and aligot.