The Haute-Loire is the department of Velay, the former domain of the bishops of Le Puy, who ruled over this volcanic region from their cathedral perched on a lava outcrop. Le Puy-en-Velay, the starting point of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela and a Marian pilgrimage site since the 10th century, is one of the most picturesque towns in France, with its volcanic rocks topped by chapels and statues.
The castles of the Haute-Loire are dominated by the medieval fortresses that dot the valleys of the Loire, the Allier and the Borne. Polignac, whose fortress-castle on its basalt outcrop is visible from Le Puy-en-Velay for miles, was the residence of the Viscounts of Polignac, one of the most powerful families in the Velay region. Lavoûte-Polignac, a Renaissance castle overlooking the Allier; Chavaniac-Lafayette, the birthplace of General Lafayette, hero of the American Revolution; Bouzols; Rochebaron…
The Haute-Loire is also the home of Le Puy lentils, the only French legume to benefit from a Protected Designation of Origin, and Le Puy lace, a craft of excellence that bears witness to the creative genius of the inhabitants of this mountainous department.