Situated in the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d’Auvergne, the Châtel-Guyon spacreates and offers perfect harmony between well-being, sport and nature. With its air, water and fire, this tourist and spa town will win you over with its many assets …
From the outset, Châtel-Guyon has differed from other Auvergne spa towns. It was not built around springs in Gallo-Roman times, but around the hillock of the Calvary, where the peasants sought protection and organised their lives around the vine.
The town owes its name to the story of the Calvary. It was here that Guy II, Count of Auvergne, set up his fortress. The citadel was known as “Castrum Guidonis” (Guy’s Castle), then “Castel Guidonem” and finally “Châtel-Guyon”.
If you are looking for the remains of this stronghold, you should know that it was dismantled by order of Riom in 1595, following a quarrel between the Count and his brother, and the confiscation of the estate by the King of France.
Châtel-Guyon was therefore built around this singularity and, a little later, around the discovery of the ownership of its waters. A mix of genres, between village life and tourist town; a mix of arts, between its 1900s facades and its winegrowers’ houses.
On the other side is the heart of the historic village, with its sloping streets and Brayaude houses, “block” houses built high up to meet the demands of the winegrower (the cellar and vat room are the pride of the master of the house). Some of them still have their “galetas”, a suspended wooden drying loft where garlic and onions are stored…
On the other side, the body, the spa, with its baroque hotels and grand avenues. Whimsical villas, thermal baths and a casino present a festival of flamboyant architecture. All you have to do is look up and you’ll discover wrought-iron balustrades, remarkable ceramics and hotels straight out of a film set.
The unique waters of our spa town, which are among the richest in magnesium in the world (Maupassant was already praising them at the end of the 19th century!), are indicated for the treatment of illnesses linked to the digestive and urinary systems, as well as rheumatological disorders.
You too can enjoy the beneficial properties of this unique water, inherited from our volcanoes, at the Résort Thermal Aïga in Châtel-Guyon!
Welcome to Aïga Resort!
Just 20 minutes from Clermont-Ferrand, in Châtel-Guyon, this unique spa centre in Europe specialises in intestinal microbiota. Whether you’re looking for a 3 week approved cure, a mini-cure, a weekend or even half a day, discover the benefits ofChâtel-Guyon’s thermal waters.
During the “Roaring Twenties”, all roads led to Châtel-Guyon. Sultans, African notables and even Indian Maharajahs frequented the resort. In 1886, Guy de Maupassant stayed in Châtel-Guyon, the setting for his novel Mont Oriol.
Built on the edge of the spa’s park in 1898 by the Parisian architect Albert Le Voisvenel, the Théâtre de Châtel-Guyonopened its doors in 1901. In 1909, it was transformed under the watchful eye of Édouard-Jean Niermans, a renowned architect and decorator with an impressive résumé: Folies Bergère, Moulin Rouge, Olympia music-hall theatre and the Negresco hotel in Nice.
The theatre was completely rebuilt along the lines of an Italian-style auditorium. An innovative sunroof was also installed. The Theatre offers a varied programme, with concerts, plays, circus, comedy and lectures to suit all tastes and ages! In summer, you can also visit the Théâtre de Châtel-Guyon.
Louise, Suzanne, Yvonne, Marguerite… These are the names of the different thermal springs! Curious? They actually bear the first names of the wives and children of the owners who sold their springs. Take a stroll through the spa park and you’ll spot them, each with its own little setting! In the park, you’ll discover the magnificent architecture of the Grands Thermes de Châtel-Guyon.
Built in 1845 on the hill known as “Le Calvaire”, the church of Sainte-Anne offers you the chance to discover no less than 900m² of astonishing frescoes created in 1956 by the Estonian painter Nicolaï Greschny. He achieved the artistic and technical feat of frescoing the entire vault of the church from wall to ceiling, without any models or plans, during the harsh winter of 1956. In just two months, the fresco artist produced the most imposing work of his career.
Less than 1 km south of the village of Les Grosliers, at a place called La Rochette, awaits the Prieuré de Saint-Coust (a Cluniac site). This exceptional vestige was founded by theCluniac abbey of Mozac in the first half of the 12th century, under Pope Adrian IV (1154-1159), who specified Mozac’s possessions in an undated bull.
An Art Deco palace in the spa’s central square, the Grand Hôtel was the last of the spa’s four palaces to be built in 1930. Although it ceased trading in 1956 and was converted into a residence in 1970, its dining room has been preserved and retains its original decor.
Inside, the five large bay windows, with their typically ‘Art Deco’ canted sections, dominate the main square opposite the Casino, the Grands Thermes and the Theatre, giving the place an undeniable charm.
Châtel-Guyon station was built between 1910 and 1912 by the architect Marius Toudoire, who also designed Gare de Lyon in Paris, and was the terminus of the Riom-Châtel-Guyon railway line. This line was opened to passengers in 1912 and inaugurated by Étienne Clémentel. It remained in service until 1972. The station has now been converted into a cultural centre with four halls and an open-air theatre. Listed as a Historic Monument, it hosts conferences and exhibitions all year round.
