La Bourboule is a picturesque spa town filled with grand Belle Epoque architecture. Soak in mineral-rich thermal baths renowned for their healing properties and get your heart racing with outdoor activities like hiking, mountain biking and skiing. The Dordogne River flows through the town and adds to the picturesque setting.
Things to do in La Bourboule
The historic centre recalls La Bourboule’s heyday as a 19th-century spa town. The main square is lined with beautiful Belle Epoque buildings featuring decorative brickwork, carved stone doorways and intricate iron balconies. Many of the buildings have been reimagined as cafes where you can enjoy coffee, croissants and postcard-perfect views of the square.
La Bourboule is brimming with spa complexes though none are as beautiful as Les Grands Thermes. The complex occupies a magnificent Belle Epoque building and features thermal pools saturated with minerals. Elements like magnesium, fluorine and lithium will reduce inflammation, soothe your muscles and leave your skin feeling amazingly soft.
La Bourboule is set within Natural Regional Parc des Volcans, where you can discover a landscape of glacier-carved valleys, rugged granite plateaus and volcanic peaks. It offers some of the most exhilarating hiking and mountain biking in France.
Winter snowfall transforms La Bourboule into one of the top cross country ski destinations in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. A cable car whisks you from Parc Fenestre in the town centre to the Plateau de Charlannes Nordic ski area. For downhill skiing, head to nearby hills in Le Mont-Dore and Super-Besse.
Getting around La Bourboule
La Bourboule is pedestrian-friendly and easy to get around on foot. The town is located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, a one-hour drive from Clermont-Ferrand and three hours from Lyon. There are train stations in Laqueuille and Mont-Dore, both a 15-minute drive from La Bourboule. Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne Airport is a one-hour drive away.