Châteauneuf-les-Bains

Châteauneuf-les-Bains in the Puy-de-Dôme département of the Auvergne draws from oligomineral springs in the Gorges de la Sioule, one of the most spectacular river gorges in the Massif Central, where the volcanic Sioule river has cut through ancient granite and crystalline schists to create a dramatic canyon landscape of dark cliffs, deep pools, and ancient fishermen's paths surrounding a quiet thermal town set within the gorge walls. The lightly mineralised spring water is offered at an accredited establishment that operates in one of France's most scenically hidden and geologically remarkable thermal settings, where the gorge walls provide both dramatic visual isolation from the outside world and a cool, humid microclimate very different from the surrounding volcanic plateau. The Gorges de la Sioule, a protected site of exceptional natural beauty, the ancient granite village of Menat with its remarkable Jurassic fossil site nearby, and the volcanic landscape of the Combrailles plateau surrounding the gorge create a natural context of outstanding scientific and scenic value.