Le Puy-en-Velay is one of the most visually striking towns in France. The old city rises from the volcanic plain of the Auvergne on a cluster of rocky outcrops, with a Romanesque cathedral perched on the largest of them and two dramatic volcanic plugs rising nearby — one topped by a giant red statue of the Virgin, the other by an 11th-century chapel accessible by a steep staircase cut into the rock itself.
The cathedral (Notre-Dame du Puy) has been a major pilgrimage destination since the Middle Ages and remains the starting point of one of the four great French routes to Santiago de Compostela. Even if the Camino is not your plan, walking through the old town — up through medieval lanes, past the cloister, and out onto the cathedral terrace — gives a strong sense of what drew pilgrims here for a thousand years.
The town is also known for its production of green lentils (Lentilles du Puy, AOC-protected) and handmade lace, and the surrounding volcanic landscape makes for excellent hiking.