3 good reasons to visit Maringues in Puy-de-Dôme

Set your compass for Maringues, a village with character like no other, in the heart of the Auvergne, on the Limagne plain! Maringues is a town that hides many secrets and a past rich in history. As you know, we love to give you new tourist inspiration off the beaten track… So follow us along the Morge to discover “our” town of tanners!

1. The tanners' quarter

Arriving in Maringues from Vichy or Riom, it’s impossible to miss these tall, narrow buildings on stilts on the banks of the Morge river. These tanneries are the traces of a rich past dating back 8 centuries, a craft that made this small town the 2nd largest trading centre in Auvergne in the 16th century.

The development of these tanneries, favoured by the Morge and the proximity of the Allier river, grew considerably until the arrival of the railway in the 19th century. In 1860, Maringues was still a major centre for tanning in the Auvergne, with around sixty tanneries.

Today, the Grande Tannerie, the Grandval Tannery and the Halle aux cuirs form an emblematic and picturesque heritage site. What’s more, these sites are ideal for a pleasant stroll along the river Morge.

Also not to be missed: the monumental statue of the tanner, from the Pont des fainéants, so-named because the workers used to daydream there while waiting for the tannery owners to come and give them work.

To find out all you need to know about the town of Maringues and its tanneries, book your dramatised tour in July 2023 or take the audio-guided tour put on by the Tourist Office!

Book my dramatised tour

2. The Maringuois and the famous Monday market

There’s a pleasure like no other in the area around Maringues… and it takes the form of a devilishly pungent cheese with the silhouette of a small volcano!

Maringuois, as it’s called, owes much to the personality of its producer, Patricia Ribier, who makes it using the same methods as her grandmother and great-grandmother! Made with raw cow’s milk from the farm and pink garlic from Billom, another local speciality, Maringuois is a cheese unique to the Auvergne. You can sample it at the Maringues market, every Monday morning, or at the GAEC du Champ de Rome, in the hamlet of Montgacon, if you’re lucky!

Let’s talk about the Maringues market! Every Monday morning, this is one of the most typical markets in the Auvergne. It’s a real local market, famous for its poultry market!

3. Walks around Maringues

Once you’ve explored Maringues, how about discovering the most beautiful walks and hikes around this city of tanners? We recommend taking a deep breath of fresh air around the Butte de Montgacon for a family-friendly 4km walk or a more challenging 17km hike.

This former feudal mound, topped by the statue of Notre-Dame des Moissons since 1953, is now one of the most beautiful viewpoints over the Limagne plain and the Chaîne des Puys in the distance. All in all, it’s a real balcony overlooking the volcanoes, and one that also reveals some key elements of the local heritage: a dovecote, a wash-house, a shoe loom… So get your hiking boots or trainers and enjoy the treasures of the Maringues heights!

Fancy a spot of sunbathing on one of the seldom-visited pebble beaches? Just a few kilometres from Maringues, head for the hamlet of Vialle, where the Morge and Allier rivers meet. From this tiny village, an easy 5-kilometre theme trail winds its way along the water, telling all about the life of the river and its biodiversity.

In fine weather, this idyllic site becomes a paradise for those who enjoy afternoons lounging by the water and dipping their toes in the white water!

Pssssttttt… Want to extend the pleasure? The Clos Fleuri restaurant in Maringues and its guest rooms await you for some tasty moments, while the surrounding gîtes promise rest and relaxation for all those who are curious!