Great and small events in the history of the Cantal

A Pope, French Presidents, different cheeses, a volcano...

The Cantal is one of only two departments in France to be named after a volcano. This volcanic massif, on top of the crystalline rock platform of the Massif Central, is the starting point for rivers and valleys, difficult land transport links and human settlement patterns. The circular massif is like a centrifugal point, a watershed, but it is also a kind of buffer against the influence of every peripheral element. The green volcano on the Cantal departmental logo is the source of water, climate and language.

The first millennium...

When the department was first created in 1790 its boundaries were roughly the same as those of the Upper Auvergne. Similarly the Puy-de-Dôme department occupied what had been known as the Lower Auvergne. The name ‘Auvergne’ comes from a famous tribe of Gauls, the Arveni, whose leader Vercingetorix gave Julius Caesar such a hard time. The suffix ‘ac’ in the town names of Aurillac and Mauriac nevertheless bear witness to important Gallo-Roman settlements. Christianity was brought here by two uncommonly named saints (Mamet, Flour), whose memory is still alive in a number of local place names. In the 6th century there were border disputes between Franks and Visigoths. The town of Aurillac developed around the Abbey of Saint-Géraud, founded in the late 9th century. Gerbert, a monk from this abbey, became Pope Sylvester II in the year one thousand.

Monk Gerbert to the French Revolution :

In the 11th century, along the Santiago de Compostela pilgrim way and throughout the Auvergne, a number of dark stone churches were built which can still be admired today as fine examples of Romanesque architecture. In the late 12th century the Auvergne ceased to be a fiefdom and became part of the kingdom of France. In 1280 the town of Aurillac was granted its freedom. The Upper Auvergne was part of the Clermont diocese until 1317 when the bishopric of Saint-Flour was created, where it has remained to this day. The economy of the region was affected during the Hundred Years War (13th-14th centuries), and the Wars of Religion but by the late 17th century crafts and trade had recovered in the towns and high-ranking members of the local judiciary (the ‘Présidial) began to build townhouses that can still be seen in the older streets of Aurillac.

Agriculture and emigration :

The main activity of the Cantal has always been agriculture, especially livestock farming with two flourishing cattle breeds: the Aubrac and the Salers. Cantal and Salers are also the names of well-known cheese and Cantal was the name of Napoleon’s favourite horse. However the soil was too poor to feed the growing population, often with large families, and people began to emigrate from the Cantal, first to Spain, Belgium and Holland, then in the late 19th century to Paris – thus was born the figure of the ‘Bougnat’ (a native of the Auvergne settled in Paris). The Cantal was the birthplace of two men who went on to become President of France in the 20th century: Paul Doumer and Georges Pompidou.

The department of a thousand secrets :

The State did make efforts to open up and improve access to the department. Two remarkable examples of civil engineering date from the 19th century: the Lioran tunnel (the oldest of its kind in France and recently replaced by a wider, more secure structure) and the Gabarit viaduct (designed and built by Gustave Eiffel). Even though the network of local roads has improved considerably over recent years, the Cantal department remains topographically and culturally structured around the Lioran. Roads and tracks lead to landscapes and buildings bearing witness to eight million years of history.

The Cantal: living history, unspoilt landscapes and nature :

With its mountains, lakes, rivers and small friendly towns, the Cantal is a truly unspoilt part of the Auvergne where traditional values still apply. Visitors can come here on holiday all year round and return a dozen times without ever tiring of what we have to offer –creativity, generosity, traditions, unspoilt heritage in abundance. Walking, hiking, mountain biking, exploring our villages and cultural heritage, enjoying local gastronomy … there is so much to see and do on your perfect holiday.